Category: News

5 reasons to update your professional headshot

Kelly_Zimmerman_2023_professional headshot

Phil_White_2023_professional_headshot

 

In today’s competitive business environment, it’s crucial to present a genuine and authentic professional headshot of yourself and your brand. Your headshot plays a key role in achieving this, going beyond simply following trends to showcase your unique personality and brand identity.

Recently we turned the camera on ourselves and updated our business headshots…we need to do it again!

Here are five reasons why you might consider updating your professional headshot:

  1. A Style Transformation:  Have you recently embraced a new look? Perhaps you’ve changed your hairstyle, updated your wardrobe, or refined your style. If there’s a mismatch between your current appearance and your headshot, it’s time to update your image and show the world the real you. Authenticity builds trust with clients, colleagues, and potential partners.
  2. A Level-Up in Your Professional Identity: Has your business undergone a rebranding or has your career path taken a new direction? If so, your professional headshot should reflect these changes, ensuring a consistent brand image. Maintaining brand consistency across all platforms is essential for a strong professional image.
  3. A New Role in the Spotlight: Congratulations on your new job title! Now, let’s make sure your professional headshot does justice to this exciting new chapter. New beginnings deserve a fresh face and a new look.
  4. A Brand Evolution: Perhaps your brand has shifted from soft pastels to a bolder palette, or its overall vibe has evolved. If this is the case, your headshot needs to keep up with the times. Your online presence should be as dynamic and current as your brand.
  5. A Buzzworthy Campaign on the Horizon: Are you preparing to launch a new marketing campaign or a high-profile PR initiative? A brand-new headshot will help you capture the spotlight and generate buzz.

In Conclusion:

Ultimately, your professional headshot is more than just a photograph. It’s a powerful tool that helps your brand connect with people on a personal level. It’s a visual representation of your story, inviting others to connect with someone they already know, like, trust, and want to do business with. Are you ready to step in front of the lens and create a headshot that truly reflects your brand?

Phil White M.Photog., Cr., CPP, I.F.P.- E

Phil White is part owner of the 8th Street Studio, a decorated and award-winning photographer, educator, image juror, and artist.  He specializes in Professional Headshots, High School Seniors, and Retro photographic styles.  Phil is also an active member of Professional Photographers of America and Professional Photographers of Idaho.  He can be reached at info@csiphotodesign.com, or 208-331-2287

If you want to elevate your brand, call us at the studio for more information.  208-331-2287, or click this link.

 

Publicity headshots – Nancy Weston

professional headshots of author Nancy Weston for her book Ice in the Guise of Fire

professional headshots of author Nancy Weston

 

We have had the privilege of working with a couple of book authors with their publicity headshots of a couple of upcoming books recently.

Nancy Weston, author of “Diggers Izy” and “Valley of Shadows”  moved to the Boise area recently and was looking for a portrait photographer to work with locally for her upcoming book project, and other projects that she’ll be publishing in the future.

An unexpected conversation…

I had looked her and up and one of her books caught my attention. “Valley of Shadows – Journey Through Alzheimer’s Bleak Landscape” seemed like a book I should be reading.  Like her, I had personally experienced how awful Alzheimer’s/dementia can be, and what it can do to loved ones who are faced with these hard, almost impossible decisions.  For those who have walked with or sat on the sidelines, Valley of Shadows is very descriptive of the plight many people have with their loved ones.  We had a great conversation just about her previous book!

The new book!

After discussing Valley of Shadows, we set about to talk about her new upcoming book and the images she would need for that project, “Ice in the Guise of Fire”.  She described it as a mystery novel with some interesting twists as any good mystery should have.  We talked at length about the cover design, the color, and the location of the image we were about to take.  Afterward, we settled on a good background color and picked some colors that worked nicely with the color scheme of the cover.

The session went well, and it wasn’t too long before she had her images selected.

Nancy even purposely waited to have the session done so that her publicity headshots would be closer to the release date of the book.

“Ice in the Guise of Fire” is currently available for purchase, and you can learn more about Nancy Weston at her website:  https://nancywestonwrites.com, you’ll also find links to purchase her books.

Phil White M.Photog, CPP

Phil White is the Managing Partner of CsiPhotoDesign at The 8th Street Studio in Boise, Idaho.  He can be reached at info@csiphotodesign.com, or 208-331-2287

Author Headshot – Dino Miliotis – There is no box

 

Dino Miliotis-There Is No Box-cover image

 

Dino Miliotis-There Is No Box-Back cover image

 

Dino Miliotis headshot

 

Author headshot session for the book “There Is No Box”

I recently had the pleasure of creating an author headshot with Dino Miliotis, author of the book “There Is No Box“.

In the initial consultation, his idea was a contemplative look for the book cover.  After discussing it we had decided on a darker background, a dark table, and the emphasis on his face and hands.  Once we started, a wonderfully serendipitous moment happened.  Dino pursed his lips in reaction to something his wife had said and I had decided to capture the expression.  Long story short, after reviewing the images, Dino had decided he liked the fun element of that image.  It would be perfect for the cover of the book.

Luck = Preparation + Opportunity

I’ve been told that luck is where preparation and opportunity meet, and in any creative endeavor, that seems to hold true.  We began this session prepared and with an idea in mind, and the opportunity presented itself to create something even better!  Being open to the unexpected is what great photographers throughout history have practiced, and many iconic we enjoy today came from this.  This proves that even in something as simple as a headshot, you can elevate your brand, elevate your message, and elevate what your audience sees in that simple headshot.

In conclusion, we all bring something important to what we do.  Whether it is an author headshot, business headshot, actor headshot, or any other professional or creative endeavor, your headshot matters!  At CsiPhotoDesign at the 8th Street Studio, our goal is always to make our clients look good and most importantly say something important about what they do.

What is more, would later learn more about Dino Miliotis and his life up to this point.  It’s a very inspiring story and I count it a privilege to have been able to help him with the book cover.

More about Dino and his book

Check out Dino’s website and you’ll also find links to purchase his book.

 

Phil White M.Photog, CPP

Phil White is the Managing Partner and part-owner of CsiPhotoDesign at the 8th Street Studio.  He can be reached at info@csiphotodesign.com or 208-331-2287