How to Fake a Professional Headshot

In my last post, I covered The Importance of a Professional Headshot. Now to make a confession: the photo in my sidebar was not taken by a professional photographer. After a discussion with my husband, I had agreed that I needed a professional photo and so I began researching studios and pricing.

The average studio/photographer in Australia offered a reasonable price for a set of photos. Some even offered specials. However, when I mentioned to them I needed the copyright of the photos their eyes lit up, much like a baker’s eyes light up when you order a wedding cake. The prices skyrocketed.

You want how much? Would you like my kidney with that?

To avoid having to eat nothing but spaghetti for the next six months, I convinced my hubby to help me fake a professional headshot. And here’s how we did it:

The camera: You don’t need a fancy camera to achieve a professional look. You do need a digital camera and a happy trigger finger. Take a gazillion shots—even if 99% of them look freaky, one of them, by the odds alone, is bound to turn out halfway decent.

The photographer: A professional photographer with a fancy camera will be able to achieve a lot more, but for the purposes of this exercise, a trusted friend or family member will be sufficient. As long as they are patient and know how to point the business end of a camera, they’ll do fine. They don’t even have to worry about taking a straight photo or a centred one because most photo editing programs will fix that problem.

The look: Make yourself look perdy. I don’t normally wear makeup so all I did for the shoot was slap on a bit of lipstick. I even brushed my hair—gasp! Tip: don’t wear huge earrings, don’t wear patterned clothing. You want your face to be the focus of the picture, not your accessories.

The background: pick a plain background, something neutral, nothing too busy. Outdoor shots are fine and generally add a relaxed feel to your portrait, but there are hazards to outdoor photography. Sunlight can cause dark shadows across the face, and squinting into the sun is never a good look. If you are going to take an outdoor shot, then take it in the shade—not a speckled shade, otherwise you end up with strange highlights.

Indoor photography has its own pitfalls. Without a studio, lighting is difficult to get right. Avoid flash photography. A flash is a stark light that will do you no favours. Neither is a light from directly above or below. I don’t recommend indoor photography unless you understand lighting and have a fancier camera that can take longer exposures.

This final shot was taken outside in the shade. It was late afternoon and I stood in front of a glossy white card.



Without naming names, what mistakes have you seen authors make with their headshots?

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The Importance of a Professional Headshot

When my short story Birthright was accepted for publication, J. Taylor Publishing welcomed me into their fold. It was an amazing feeling. There was much rejoicing … and cake. However, the publisher sent me a daunting production schedule. One of the first things on the schedule: send them an author photo.

I thought about sending them my old author photo. My husband took the shot and I fixed it up. Having worked in the graphic design and animation industry for nine years, I’m used to ‘improving’ photography as seen in the example below:

For a long while this photo was fine for general use. However, the publisher specifically requested a professional photo with a plain background. I could’ve fiddled with the photo again and pasted in a plain background, but my husband was against it.

He asked me, ‘Is your writing career important to you?’

I wanted to say, ‘Well, der!’ Instead I restrained myself for a change and said, ‘Of course’.

‘Then this photo is also important,’ he replied. ‘You shouldn’t skimp on things like this. If you want to be taken seriously, then you shouldn’t try to cut corners.’

He was right, of course. So below I’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of why a professional headshot is so important:

1. To be taken seriously. A professional photo will say immediately that you are serious about your career. For writers, it will say, ‘I’m an author. Writing is more than just a hobby.’

2. To give the right impression. A party shot with flash photography searing out the corneas of your eyes will not give the world the kind of impression you want. We all know how important first impressions are, so make sure it’s the best it can be. 

3. To look like a star. Okay, maybe not a star, but you want to look your best. A professional photographer will know the little tricks to make you look awesome.

4. To give readers confidence. For example, if an indie author skimps on their headshot, it will make me wonder how much else they are willing to skimp on—such as the all-important editing.

Can you think of other reasons why a professional photo is so important? What are the reasons you would or wouldn't use a professional photo?

On Monday I will post tips on How to Fake a Professional Headshot. 

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