Business Portraits: The Professional Headshot 

To convey a professional persona, a professional business headshot is vital.

Whether you're a sole trader, director of an SME or work within a blue-chip organisation, your business headshot (portrait photograph) is an instant demonstration of how seriously you take your own work.

Everyone knows first impressions count. What happens if the first impression a client, customer or partner gets of you is from a quick glance at your website or marketing material? Companies are typically prepared to spend serious money on words, often employing a copywriter to formulate them. Why would they not do the same for the images?

When a potential client visits your website, their eyes will take in the photographs long before they stop to read the text. In fact, many people will only look at the images before moving on.

A professional business portrait, well-lit, thoughtfully composed and cleverly posed, will give viewers exactly the right impression of you. Whether you want to come across as vivacious, serious, caring, bookish or practical, a professional business headshot will portray that in one image.

Consider the alternative. A digital image taken by the best amateur photographer in your organisation (at best) or by a friend (at worst) will give the impression that you don't care how you come across. Don't be fooled by thinking that a potential client will give you the benefit of the doubt, and contact you in order to see how you look in the flesh. They are unlikely to. They'll think you are unwilling to invest in your own professional image, and will doubt your credibility.

Compare these two images, taken moments apart, of Nicola Joyce of Lexicon Copywriting. One was taken by the copywriter's own digital camera, the other by John Cassidy, professional photographer. Which version of Nicola Joyce would you engage with?

Put your mouse over the image to see a fresh approach to business portrait photography.

Why invest heavily in the copywriting, design and print of marketing material, only to scrimp on professional images? It is important to find a professional photographer who will work with you at the location of your choice, put you at ease and provide you with a range of business headshots which portray you as the serious professional you already know you are.

John Cassidy is an established, award-winning professional photographer who can help you with your business image. Start taking your professional portraits seriously: talk to him today.