I enjoy helping small business owners by capturing their personal brand and showcasing their profession. The common question is, “What’s the difference between a professional headshot and personal branding photos?”. If you want to get either, this is the post for you. Many would probably see how similar they are. I would argue the opposite and say how different they are, and here is why.
A headshot
is meant to showcase an individual and is tailored to being more of a posed photography session. Headshots are typically used in websites, press releases, and publications. The focus is on you being the subject, specifically on your face leaving the background (a plain background) out of focus. In many professions, your face is the most crucial brand asset; that is how people identify you. A professional photographer must take your headshot because it will give someone a first impression of you.
Personal brand photography
entails a selection of branding images that tell your story and personal brand. I describe the experience as a more styled and crafted session that allows others to see who is behind the brand and what you offer. This will help you get more personable with your audience and build strong connections.
Regardless of what you are looking for, I always suggest doing both, especially if you are a small business owner. You can utilize every piece of content for your website or even if you need to refresh your LinkedIn profile. This is something I recommend to everyone to at least update their headshots every year.