Executive Portraits: How Good Do You Have to Look?

 

“If people are going to judge your book by it’s cover,
be sure to put a good cover on it.”

 

Some people think that how you look in your executive portrait doesn’t matter that much. They’re wrong.

If people are going to see it, whether on a website or on a printed price, it’s going to matter a lot. Your attitude and self-confidence, competence and professionalism, character and integrity will all be judged by your executive portrait. You might think it’s stupid to make split-second judgments and evaluations of these important traits just from looking at someone’s executive or professional portrait.

Of course it is stupid, but that doesn’t stop them. That’s the way the world works. You might even ask yourself how often you yourself make those judgments of others on the basis of their photos.  I think you’ll find you do it too. We all do.

I shoot a lot of singers for the packages they send to record labels to get a recording contract. Most of them know that in recent years, how they look is more important than how they sound. It’s all about their marketability, and record company execs know they have an easier time selling an artist how comes across looking attractive in their photos.

I’ve heard medical professionals and their counselors say that there will be better offers for internships, residencies, and post-doc programs if their headshot looks good. I’m inclined to think the focus here should be on lab grades and test scores, but people are people. This relying on appearances is true in all fields.

You’ll see professionals who have spared no effort in making their offices convey a really great impression. Yet, sadly,  many of these same people, will post an unprofessional photo on their website.

Is taking a great executive portrait all about being born with the right genes?

Fortunately not.  Natural born attractiveness helps, but it’s not necessary. You need to look attractive in your own way. There’s a lot a skilled photographer can do during and after the shoot to help you achieve this goal.

During the shoot he can help you relax and look pleasant, project the the attitudes that are most appropriate for your position and field of work. When your expressional are right and the posing and body language is working, that’s more than half the battle.

Then there’s post-production. This is the great equalizer. There is so much I can do to makes things look right. For example, your wardrobe. Even top executives and professionals frequently have wardrobe problems. Things you might never notice in everyday life as you move around or take a quick glance in the mirror, can become painfully obvious when you look at an executive portrait. The photo freezes in time distracting or unattractive features of your wardrobe.

Look at your shoulders in the mirror.  Chances are the padding in your jacket has shifted and is lumpy in spots. In some cases I’ve seen jacket shoulders have as much shape as a mountain range.  You’ll look a lot better if they are flattened out.

Are their specks or loose threads on the  jacket? Do the lapels still close? Does you tie come all the way up to the top of your collar? Are there serious wrinkles in the shirt or a collar that doesn’t fit?

After having done thousands of executive and professional portraits, I can assure you that these problems are extremely common. Fix them and the shot will look upscale.  Leave them alone and you’ll just look sloppy and unprofessional.

Skin and grooming.  Sunburn, stubble, blemishes, deep wrinkles, yellow teeth, hair in and around nose and ears are common and should be fixed. Overly white skin can be tanned a little.

Expressions.  This is the most important factor. If the eyes or mouth don’t look right, the shot, and the executive won’t look right either.  Squinted eyes can be opened.  Bloodshot eyes can be healed.

Teeth can be improved, unflattering or unfriendly expressions of the mouth can be fixed. The goal is to make you look like the person you probably are, namely, someone worthy of trust and a good person to do business with.

My approach to the post-production make-over is too fix many flaws, even the very small ones, each in a natural way. The overall effect is very powerful. The goal is to keep the shot looking like you and unretouched, but flattering and attractive. Sometimes a client thinks I didn’t go far enough and asks for more changes.  There are even some  times when a client thinks I went too far and asks me to back off on some of the changes I made. No problem. 

The first goal of the finished shot is to produce an image that will add muscle to your personal marketing and to the marketing of your company. The second goal, however, is to produce an image that you are comfortable with and proud to display.

You can check out more samples and find more info on the website:

www.ExecutivePortraitsChicago.com

 

 

 

 

© 2011 John Manning All rights reserved.