Have you ever laughed hearing a story about a friend meeting someone on a dating app and they look nothing like their profile picture? Sadly, bad and outdated photos aren’t exclusive to the dating world. LinkedIn, Facebook and company websites are filled with photos that have surpassed their best before date.  

Whenever I’m working with a client on redesigning a website or creating communications materials, I always include photography in the budget. Why? Because it’s a safe bet their existing photos are:

  • A – out of date
  • B – posed to the point of being stick figures
  • C – headshots of people standing against a wall, looking like they’re in pain 
  • D – don’t tell a story
  • E – are stock images
  • F – all of the above

For my own business, I’ve just refreshed my photos as part of creating a new website for my speaking work. While I have lots of professional photos, they weren’t taken specifically for my work as a corporate trainer and keynote speaker. So, it was time for a refresh. 

Having just gone through the process, here are 4 ways to make sure you get the most out of your photo refresh. 

Hire a professional

If you do nothing else, make sure you hire a professional photographer!! While I recommend this to all my clients, not everyone listens. One client thought it was cheaper to buy a camera and take their own photos. 

The result – an expensive purchase with no usable photos. 

Buying a camera and expecting great results is like downloading Excel and expecting to be a finance wiz. I have Excel and still have to Google how to add sums. Owning the technology does not make you an expert. 

When selecting a photographer do your research and find the fit. I once had a highly recommended photographer take photos for my website. While the scenery looked amazing, I did not. It was an expensive lesson. I then hired a photographer who specialized in photographing women. Thankfully the results were incredible. 

Start by looking at the photographer’s portfolio. Does their style reflect your personality or the look you’re going for? Don’t make decisions strictly based on price. Having to retake your photos, or living with photos you’re not happy with, is more expensive than getting it right the first time. 

Know your theme 

When preparing for a photo shoot, either individual, team or organization, think of the theme. Don’t let people show up wearing whatever they think looks great. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with photos that are a mix of plaid, stripes, flowers, bright colours and more. 

Working with my web designer, I wore black and white for my photo shoot. The reason? There’s lots of colour on my new site so I didn’t want my photos to compete with the colour. 

In a previous photo shoot, I weaved blue into my outfits. A blue scarf, blue shirt, blue earrings. The blue tied together my brand colours without being overwhelming. 

If you’re the only person in the photos, have a change of outfits. Lay them on the bed and see if they work together or are fighting each other. 

For photo shoots with multiple subjects, stick with solids. And find a theme. Do you want all bright colours or neutrals? Again, you don’t want the photos to compete with each other. 

Be you 

Have you ever read the real estate section and noticed all the cardboard smiles? I don’t know why, but real estate agents often have fake, or painful, smiles. 

When it comes to selecting the location or the style of photos, you need to take the lead. Think about what you are trying to convey in your photos.

For my speaking website, I want to come across as personable and relatable instead of a shiny, flashy speaker. Working with my photographer, we selected a location that reflected my style. No boardrooms or corporate backdrops. Rather, outdoor shots and casual settings. 

Keep it fresh 

Finally, look for opportunities to refresh your photos. Are you getting family photos taken? Ask the photographer to take some head shots of you. Going to an event where they offer free headshots? Sign up. 

Also, if you change your hairstyle dramatically or glasses, you might want to update your photos to reflect the new you. 

For an organization, you should be updating your website’s photos quarterly (not every photo, but a slow rotation). This way when visitors come to the site, they’ll see changes instead of the same content for months (or years) on end. 

As for individual photos, they should be updated every 3-4 years. 

To avoid moaning about the cost of hiring a professional photographer, make it a line item in your marketing and communications budget. It’s an important investment in your brand and marketing. 

And once you get the new photos, don’t forget to update all your social media channels. 

Okay, it’s time to say cheese!

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