In the world of online media, 2014 was most definitely the ‘year of the selfie’. I’ve only been active on social media for around seven years, so you probably couldn’t call me a ‘veteran’. Never the less, even I couldn’t fail to notice as the selfie phenomenon swept across our nation.
Ellen DeGeneres’ celebrity-filled Oscars photo was perhaps the most famous and was retweeted over three million times, but she’s certainly not the only ‘selfie snapper’ out there. Just about every smartphone on the planet now comes with a front-facing lens, making awkward shots via the bathroom mirror a thing of the past. Today, photographing ourselves is easier than ever but when is it ok to use a selfie as your profile picture?
Your personal social media account is a great environment for selfie pictures. Travel shots taken at arm’s length, a group of friends squashed into the frame or a simple headshot all have a unique, intimate quality, which you only get from taking the photo yourself. However, there’s an important running theme throughout these examples… you’ve got it- they’re all personal pictures.
Whilst selfies are a great addition to the holiday album, they aren’t well suited to the world of business. Your business profile picture is a reflection of your professional brand and it’s very difficult to get things like camera angle, distance and lighting right in a selfie. For a flatteringly lit, nicely framed image, my advice is to use a professional photographer, like myself. Don’t worry if you’re snapping selfies to avoid posing in front of another person- ifthere’s one thing I’m good at, it’s getting people to relax in front of the camera. Many of my customers arrive feeling nervous and within minutes they’re totally at ease. Using a professional is a great way to guarantee the perfect headshot…without the selfie arm ache!
Do you think 2015 will be another ‘year of the selfie’? Do you fancy replacing your profile selfie with a professional headshot? Get in touch and find out how I can help.
Ellen DeGeneres story source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-30394875
