Do you need a headshot for your website and marketing? For a job application? For your company website? How about that nice photo your friend took of you that got all the likes on Facebook?

1. Professionals take better photographs than amateurs

We all have a camera on our cell phones—some better than others—so it’s easy to think you don’t need a professional photographer for your headshots. You could also build your house using youtube videos, and then make one of it falling apart.

The evolution of consumer camera technology has definitely raised the bar for professional photographers, and that’s a good thing. There are hacks in every field, and now it’s easier to weed them out.

But (so far) there isn’t a smart phone that can coach your facial expression, work the portrait lighting just right, drop a joke that gets your genuine smile, and help you look your best.

If a professional headshots is what you seek, do it right—hire a professional who can help you create the images you want.

2. Your headshot tells your story

So much of our life has moved online. There’s a good chance that you will be making important connections through your website, your Linkedin profile, your social media, or an email introduction.

Professional headshots create an impression of… professionalism!

A selfie or blurry photo from your company party might mean a lot to you. Maybe it sparks good memories, or you like the way you were smiling. That kind of photo is great for your personal Instagram account, but it’s not going to land you a job or business opportunity.

Whether you’re job hunting or trying to promote your own business, you want to give off the best possible impression with your headshot.

Think of your headshot as your own personal logo. It’s the quickest and simplest way to get noticed by everyone from potential employers to prospective clients. A sane person wouldn’t make a company logo with TikTok’s tools. You’d hire a professional. Shouldn’t you take the same time and care with your headshot?

Yes, of course you should!

 3. A professional headshot is years in the making.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Outliers: The Story of Success,” he popularized the “10,000-Hour Rule.” His idea was that to become world class in any field, it takes about 10 years of regular practice.

While there are debates about the number of hours it takes to become a master of photography, or anything else, it definitely takes thousands of hours.

In my case, I have been doing portraiture since the days that cameras used film. Back in the days when you had to wait for your film to be developed to see if you fucked anything up. I don’t miss those days. I love my digital SLR’s that give me instant feedback. But those mistakes taught me a lot.

Fast forward to today, I am still learning and growing, as all wise people do. I spent the years since then honing my craft. And I’m still honing! Today, I am part of the Headshot Crew, a not-so-secret society of headshot photographers helping each other be the best headshot photographers in the world.

Anyone can snap a quick photo that looks decent. But most people don’t spend thousands of hours figuring out how to take the best portraits possible. You want to hire someone who does.

If you are serious about what your do, you want people to choose your services because you’re a professional, and the best at what you do. Don’t slack on your headshot!

Hire someone with the skills and expertise to help you look as good as you aspire to be.

5. Invest in your professional growth.

“It’s just a picture.”

Except that it isn’t. I love when people come into my studio expecting something mildly unpleasant, like getting a colonoscopy. Pucker up and smile!

Then something happens. I connect with them. I help them feel a little more confident, teach them how to squinch their eyes, how to pose and breathe, and then I use Jedi mind tricks to surprise them into smiling a genuine smile. Smiling, you are.

Actions are what change emotions. It is through the coaching process that I help my clients look better on camera, which is a skill they can use in the future. But what’s even cooler is that looking good on camera makes us feel good inside.

It is what yogins like me call empowerment. For those who have spent years shriveling in front of cameras, once you learn you have some control over how you show up in photos, it’s elating.

A great headshot creates a winning mindset

What is even more astonishing is that the feeling carries over into the default world. Your image of yourself in the digital world makes you feel better about your image in the spacetime continuum. It’s what I call the “damn, I look better than I think I do!” effect.

Professional headshots are about so much more than having an image for your LinkedIn or other social media profiles. But when you log in and see that strong image of yourself, you will be super freaking happy that you took yourself seriously enough to hire a professional.

Now, its up to you to find the photographer whose work is amazing. Don’t go for the cheapest (or the most expensive) unless you love their work.

Save your DIY skills for making your family some cool birthday presents. You have shit to get done in this life. Don’t mess around, be world class!