What's the Difference between a Headshot and a Business Portrait? - The Art of Portraiture

Headshot vs Business Portrait

According to Wikipedia, a headshot is a modern (usually digital) portrait in which the focus is on the person. The term is applied usually for professional profile images on social media, images used on online dating profiles, the 'about us page' of a corporate website, and promotional pictures of actors, models, and authors.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. These days that impression is usually through your profile photo on social media. Headshots are like those pictures we had taken each year at school. I'm sure we all remember those. I have to be honest with you, I don't think there was one year that I liked my photos. We were not given any guidance on what to wear and even if Mom did our hair in the morning, by the time the photo was taken it just wasn't right. There was only one background, blue. That did provide a consistent look from year to year but wasn't the best colour for every child or their outfit.

One of my mentors, Darton Drake, said: "a picture is what you look like and a portrait is who you are". In these days of social media, many business owners update their profile photos regularly with a new "headshot" and may never have had a professional business portrait created.

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So what's involved in having a business portrait created?

At the Art of Portraiture, we start with a complimentary design session. In this session, we chat about who you are, what your business is, and the core values that you want to express in your portrait. This affects the wardrobe choices, poses, and expressions we choose for the photography session. A yoga instructor, doctor, financial advisor, personal coach, or hypnotist will all have different portraits, but their headshots may all look very much the same.

There are businesses that want a consistent look across their staff profiles and this is best accomplished by having the same photographer over time so that as staff come and go, the background and lighting remain consistent. Even if all you want is a simple head and shoulder portrait, we take the time to develop rapport and encourage natural expressions to ensure your portrait will not feel forced with fake smiles.

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So what makes The Art of Portraiture different?

We book only one session a day. That could be an extensive session for one entrepreneur or a session for the staff of one business. We work together to create the images that are right for you and your business. By taking the time to determine the message you want your photograph to portray, we both know the "look" and expression you want. However, you can't see yourself during the session. It is the photographer's job to bring out that expression and the body language that will work for your portrait. Developing rapport ensures the best results. Having time to get comfortable in front of the lens and with the person guiding you during the session makes all the difference in the world.

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How does one choose the images they want to order?

You have trusted me to create your business portraits, and shared what message you want them to portray. I will preview all the images taken and narrow the selection down to the ones that send that message to your viewers. I prefer to have an in-person order session to assist you in selecting the final images for your website, social media, business cards, and brochures. If this is not possible a zoom call can be scheduled for this meeting. What won't happen at The Art of Portraiture is to have the images posted in online galleries for you to figure them out on your own. Or for you to ask all your friends and family and have each one choose a different image. Posting photos to social media and asking your audience sends the message that you are not secure in your image and are seeking validation. Why not let the person most trained to assist you in making that choice?

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