Your photo is in the room long before your feet cross the threshold. How are you making your entrance?

You’ve witnessed it dozens of times, the person that enters a room and instantly commands attention. We rely on various verbal and nonverbal cues when encountering someone in person, but how about when that encounter occurs through a photograph? Time is of the essence here. We take a scant 40 milliseconds to size up a person from a photo. Whoa.

Like many executives, I was an early adopter of researching web bios before meeting in person. Matching faces with names added life to emails and phone conversations and created tangible connections with people I would eventually meet in real life. Now here we are with a Zoom photograph often preceding our virtual appearance and platforms like Yelp requiring a clear image of the person responding to reviews. Your headshot matters.

This wonder woman and I created nearly two-dozen headshot ‘keepers’ recently. Ten days later, her company highlighted her achievements for International Women’s Day. She was ready with this engaging photograph, so truly her. How’s that for an entrance!

You have an inch or two of digital space (if that) to make a great first impression. How are you filling your tiny corner of the electronic world?

Building relationships rests at the core of every business model. The first opportunity for your clients, business partners, and quality recruits to encounter you is likely online, especially now. The correlation between your digital persona and the real-life you is crucial to connecting with your target audience–that lifeblood of your business and income–and conveying what it may be like to work with you. Your headshots and professional portraits stand-in for you. Put your best self forward.

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my own headshots. The concept seemed nebulous at best and akin to many an ill-fated school photo at worst. I know better now. It’s all about how my business partners should see me: confident, approachable, and as concerned with my business and work as I am about theirs. If my best self is forward, my clients can expect that their best attributes will be, too.

Here is my fresh new headshot, and I worked hard to get it. I photographed myself as a test subject to understand your perspective in front of the camera. Ready to up your online game?

YOU try taking your own damn headshot. Ha! There are just some things best left to the professionals. Seriously, testing out a new headshot lighting technique, and my favorite model had to bail. I am studying headshots these days. Yes, studying, something I engage in consistently because any pro photographer worth their salt is always reaching to elevate the client and improve their craft. What about your session? A ton of planning and testing that is unique to your photoshoot. Oh, and always some fun! 🎉