A Professional Headshot Is More Than Just a Nice Picture

You know that feeling when someone asks for your headshot and you immediately think, "Ugh... which one should I send?"

I hear this all the time.

Recently, a woman contacted me because she needed a new headshot. She is an author with a book that is about to be released, and she needs an image for the back of the book as well as upcoming speaking engagements, including one at the Easthampton Library.

People had been asking her for a photo to use for promotions, author bios, and publicity, and she realized she didn't really have one she felt good about.

Her last photo had been taken more than ten years ago by her husband. More recently, her mom had tried to take some pictures of her, but she felt uncomfortable and stiff in them. She wasn't able to relax and be herself.

Of course, I completely understand. It's hard to show our most confident and professional side to the people who know us best.

And this is exactly why I don't think a professional headshot is just about having someone with a good camera take your picture.

What makes a professional headshot different?

A good headshot isn't simply a technically good photograph. It should communicate something about the person in the photograph.

Before I take a single picture, I want to know:

Who is this image for?

Where will it be used?

How do you want people to perceive you?

What do you want people to feel when they see your photograph?

For an author, that might mean creating an image that feels confident, thoughtful, approachable, creative, or warm. It will also depend on the type of book they've written and how they want to show up as an author.

For a business owner, the image might feel polished and professional while still being personable.

Those words matter because they affect how I photograph you.

Someone who wants to come across as strong and confident may need different body language, clothing, expression, and direction than someone who wants the images to feel warm and approachable.

The goal isn't to turn you into someone you're not. It's to create an image that feels like you, while also reflecting the way you want to show up in the world.

Why I don't rush a headshot session

When someone is nervous in front of a camera, the answer isn't to tell them to "just relax" or make them feel like they're doing something wrong.

It is my job to create an atmosphere that feels relaxing and safe. When people feel comfortable, they're able to be more vulnerable, let their guard down, and actually be themselves.

Most of us don't suddenly become comfortable because someone points a camera at us. In fact, usually the opposite happens. The camera can be very intimidating.

We tense our shoulders. We clench our hands. Our jaw gets tight. We overthink our expression. We start wondering what our face is doing.

I'm watching for all of that.

I also draw on my years of teaching and practicing yoga to help people recognize where they're holding tension and learn how to soften.

Sometimes we'll literally shake it out. Move the shoulders. Loosen the hands. Move the jaw. Take a breath. Reset.

I spend time demonstrating poses, and I shake things out right along with my clients, so they don't feel silly doing it on their own.

Then we try again.

That little bit of movement can make a huge difference in how someone looks and, more importantly, how they feel in the photograph.

Your headshot is often your first introduction

Your photograph may appear on your website, LinkedIn profile, book publicity, a speaker bio, social media, an event announcement, or somewhere you haven't even thought of yet.

You want to be able to send it without that little moment of hesitation.

Not:

"Is this the best one I have?"

But:

"Yes. This feels like me."

That's one of my favorite things about creating headshots for people.

It's not just about creating a beautiful picture.

It's about helping someone feel confident putting themselves out there.

And when you have an image that feels authentic, current, and genuinely representative of you, sending that photograph off becomes easy.

Questions I hear all the time

• Why should I get a professional headshot instead of asking a friend to take one?

A professional photographer is looking at much more than whether the camera is in focus. I'm watching your posture, expression, hands, tension, lighting, background, clothing, and the overall feeling you're communicating.

I'm also thinking about who will see the image and what you want that image to say about you.

• What if I'm uncomfortable in front of the camera?

That's completely normal. My sessions are guided and unhurried, and I give you direction throughout the process. You don't need to know how to pose or know what to do with your hands. That's part of my job.

• How often should I update my professional headshot?

Your headshot should reflect how you currently look and how you're currently presenting yourself professionally.

If your existing photo is many years old, or you've made changes to your appearance such as changing your hair color or getting glasses, it may be time for an update.

You don't want there to be a disconnect between the person someone sees online, in your book, or in an event announcement and the person they're about to meet in real life.

Need a headshot that actually feels like you? Learn more about my Headshot Photography sessions in Easthampton, MA.

Why You Think You’re Not Photogenic (And How a Professional Photographer Helps You Look Better in Photos)

Why You’re Not “Unphotogenic” And Never Were

There’s a phrase I hear in almost every session.

Sometimes it’s said with a laugh.
Sometimes it’s said apologetically.
Sometimes it’s said so casually that it’s clear it has been repeated for years.

“I’m not photogenic.”

It’s one of the most common things people tell me before stepping in front of the camera.

And every time I hear it, I understand where it comes from.

Most of us have had experiences that taught us to believe this about ourselves. A bad driver’s license photo. A stiff school picture. A group photo where we caught ourselves mid-blink. A phone photo taken from below in harsh overhead light. A moment frozen in a way that felt nothing like how we know ourselves to be.

Over time, those moments can become a story:

I’m awkward in photos.
I hate how I look in pictures.
I’m just not photogenic.

But after years of photographing people, I want to offer another perspective.

I don’t believe some people are photogenic and others are not.

I believe many people have simply never had the right experience in front of the camera.

Why So Many People Believe They Aren’t Photogenic

Most people don’t arrive at this belief randomly. It’s usually built slowly, through years of small experiences.

1. Bad Photos Become False Evidence

Many of us have seen unflattering photos of ourselves and treated them like proof.

But a single image is not the truth of who you are. It is one fraction of a second, captured under specific conditions.

A rushed expression.
A strange angle.
Harsh lighting.
Tension in the body.
No guidance.

That’s not you. That’s a moment.

2. School Pictures and Forced Smiles

So many people carry memories of awkward school photos—standing in line, being told to smile on command, getting one chance, and feeling embarrassed by the result.

That kind of experience teaches us that being photographed is uncomfortable and something to endure rather than enjoy.

3. Phone Cameras Distort More Than We Realize

Phone cameras are convenient, but they are not neutral.

Depending on the lens, distance, angle, and lighting, they can widen features, flatten depth, exaggerate proportions, or create shadows that don’t exist naturally.

Then we look at the result and assume the camera told the truth.

It didn’t.

It gave you one interpretation.

4. Self-Criticism Is Loud

Many people look at photos searching for flaws before they look for humanity.

We notice the chin, the smile, the wrinkles, the posture, the arm placement, the expression.

We rarely notice warmth. Presence. Character. Strength. Tenderness. Life.

Sometimes the issue isn’t the photo at all—it’s the lens of criticism we’ve learned to look through.

What Actually Creates Beautiful Portraits

People often assume great portraits come from having the “right face” or naturally knowing how to pose.

That’s rarely the case.

Beautiful portraits are usually created through a combination of environment, skill, and trust.

• Comfort

  When someone feels rushed, self-conscious, or judged, it shows.

  When someone feels relaxed, welcomed, and given time to settle in, everything changes.

  The jaw softens.
  The shoulders drop.
  The eyes brighten.
  The real person comes forward.

  So much of my work as a photographer has very little to do with pressing the shutter.

  It has to do with creating comfort.

• Trust

  A portrait session is vulnerable.

  You’re being seen. Many people carry years of discomfort around that experience.

  Trust matters.

  When someone feels they don’t need to perform, impress, or get it right, they begin to show up naturally.

  That’s when the strongest images happen.

• Movement

  Most people don’t look their best when frozen.

  They look like themselves when they’re breathing, laughing, shifting weight, turning slightly, walking, adjusting hair, exhaling.

  Movement creates life.

  Sometimes the image people love most is the one taken between poses.

• Guidance

  Almost no one needs to “know what to do” before a session.

  That’s my job.

  Gentle direction can completely transform how someone feels and looks:

  Turn slightly.
  Relax your hands.
  Drop your shoulders.
  Take a breath.
  Think of someone you love.
  Look just past the lens.

  Small guidance creates natural results.

• Light

  Light shapes everything.

  It can soften skin, brighten eyes, sculpt features, add warmth, create mood, and bring dimension.

  Poor light can make someone look tired, flat, or unlike themselves.

  Good light can reveal the beauty that was already there.

• Lens Choice

  Different lenses render faces differently.

  Some compress features beautifully. Some distort when used too close. Some flatter more naturally than others.

  This is one of the invisible technical details people don’t often think about—but it matters.

• Timing

  Sometimes the best portrait happens one second after the smile.

  Or right before it.

  In the exhale.
  In the laugh.
  In the quiet moment when someone forgets to be self-conscious.

  Timing is everything.

THE SUNSET METAPHOR

If we took a picture of a sunset and it didn’t come out beautifully, we wouldn’t blame the sunset.

We wouldn’t say:

That sunset was unphotogenic.
That sunset just doesn’t photograph well.
That sunset should have looked different.

We would assume something else was off.

Maybe we didn’t have the right light settings.
Maybe the lens couldn’t capture the range of color.
Maybe we shot too quickly.
Maybe we didn’t know how to translate what we were seeing.

We would blame the tools, the conditions, or the technique.

Never the sunset.

And yet so many people look at one disappointing photo of themselves and decide they are the problem.

You Were Never the Problem

If you’ve spent years believing you don’t photograph well, I hope this lands gently:

You may not be unphotogenic.

You may have been rushed.
Poorly lit.
Photographed without care.
Caught in an awkward moment.
Directed badly.
Looking at yourself through criticism.

That is very different.

You do not need to become someone else to be photographed beautifully.

You do not need to lose weight first.
You do not need to learn how to pose.
You do not need to become more confident before booking a session.

You may simply need a different experience.

One with time.
With kindness.
With guidance.
With good light.
With someone who knows how to see you.

If This Story Is Ready to Change

Whether you need updated headshots, branding portraits, senior portraits, or simply want to see yourself differently, I would be honored to help create that experience.

My work is not about forcing people to become photogenic.

It’s about helping people realize they always were. 🤍