What Makes A Great Dallas Headshot Photographer?
If you read yesterday’s post, then you know I’m on a bit of a headshot kick right now. It’s a new year with fresh starts buzzing all over the city. Fresh starts for individuals, fresh starts for small businesses, fresh branding for Fortune 500 corporations. Fresh, fresh, fresh. That’s where my focus on headshots comes in - fresh, professional, updated. So let’s talk about them a little, shall we??
I don’t think anyone has ever thought “you know what I want? Mediocre headshots.”
No! People don’t want mediocre. They don’t want ‘that’ll do.’ They don’t want ‘good enough.’ They want excellent. They want great. They want to look at a headshot and say, “wow!”
Psst…! I have a little secret. Great headshots don’t happen by chance, a good camera or portrait mode on the latest and greatest smartphone. I’m dispelling the myth!
Here’s the reality: great headshots come from great photographers who bring experience, know-how, talent and creativity to the table. So you’re in the market for a great Dallas headshot photographer? Here’s your must-have checklist:
Experience. Anyone can call themselves a headshot photographer… there’s no licensure attached to headshot photography. This means you have to be a smart consumer! When you’re choosing someone, ask yourself if they have experience in headshots. How can you figure this out? Simple. We live in 2022. Every great Dallas headshot photographer will have a portfolio. It should be sizable and diverse, showing a range of backgrounds, locations and styles. After browsing their portfolio, you should be able to say confidently, “this person knows what they are doing.”
Background Options. This ain’t the glamor shot days of 1995. Headshot backgrounds should be carefully selected based on the customer’s ultimate needs. When it comes to backgrounds, one size should never fit all. Which leads me into my next point…
Brand & Marketing Awareness. Every headshot is needed for a purpose. Perhaps you need a Dallas headshot photographer for a website, a newsletter, a retirement announcement, an advertisement or a professional social media page. Your Dallas headshot photographer should be aware of the brand you’re operating within. If it’s your personal brand, you hold the keys. If it’s a corporate brand, the photographer needs to work within the brand specifications that are already established. If a photographer has zero clue about branding and the importance of headshots fitting a brand, that’s a do-not-hire situation.
Location, Location, Location. This goes along with background options as location is in fact a background. But let’s get more specific. Does the Dallas headshot photographer have experience shooting in a variety of locations? It they’re great, that answer is yes. Great photographers have a headshot studio (JWCannon’s is in central Dallas). Great photographers can set-up a headshot booth at an event or conference. Great photographers can come shoot hundreds of headshots on-site at a place of business. And great photographers offer options if you’re wanting a desired look like the outdoors.
We’ll end this blog as we started it, encouraging you to be a smart consumer. Taking the extra time to evaluate a photographer can make all the difference in your final headshot product. Be thrilled with your headshots… choose JWCannon Creative. We’ve got the skills.