You’ve made the right choice, took the plunge and booked your big day to have a professional headshot. Congratulations! Your professional headshot can provide you with a whole host of benefits! With that said, there is still plenty of things you can do to make the most out of your photo shoot to ensure you are sparklingly radiant on the day!

Here’s some simple prep you can do for the weeks prior to your shoot that will make you look and feel healthier, clearer and revitalised.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER! – Drinking lots of water each day will help rid the body and skin of toxins, providing you with a clearer complexion. This isn’t to say that you should only drink water because it can often lead to unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels but it is important that you make sure you still hydrate with water regularly and try to keep tabs on the soda!

CUT BACK ON THE SODIUM! – As many as 9 out of 10 of us are eating too much salt! Apart from the fact that eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure, it also leads to bloating and puffiness due to the extra water being held in your body. Reducing sodium is a great tip to reduce puffiness in the face and particularly around the eyes. If you want to look awake and like you haven’t just rolled out of bed consider cutting back on the sodium!

WATCH YOUR NUTRITION – Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables rich in antioxidants is good for your body and your skin! The consumption of certain vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds in the diet is one of the most effective ways to treat skin conditions and improve the look and feel of one’s skin. An easy tip is to try and get as much variety in colour as possible in your diet!

BUILD YOUR SKIN CARE ROUTINE! – There’s lots of information you can find online how to build your skin care routine dependent on whether your skin type is oily, dry, etc. The most basic and useful things you can do is to remember to wash your face no more than twice a day with a gentle cleanser, exfoliate once or twice a week and regularly use moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated and vitalized!

GET IN THE ZONE! – “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely”, Roald Dahl. By doing things to improve your mental health and positivity, your thoughts will begin to radiate onto your face. One of the best things you can do to be positive is to spend 10 minutes a day doing meditation or yoga. Meditation and yoga not only balances your mind but your body too! If you’re new to meditation or yoga there are plenty of videos on YouTube aimed at beginners that you can use to begin today!

DO FACIAL EXERCISES! – Your facial muscles play a key role in shaping your face. By doing simple facial exercises you can help tone and tighten your facial muscles, which helps support your skin and prevent sagging. Not only this, but facial exercises help improve the blood flow throughout your face which can actually help counteract wrinkles! Cosmetic surgery isn’t always the answer! Look for some facial exercises online that can help improve crow’s feet, drooping eyelids or even cheek lines and sagging skin!

#helpingmyboss

We’ve all got to start somewhere and it can be hard work working from the bottom up but it’s got to be done. Just think, one day you could be the one at the top of the tower block planning your next big business move while your business orchestrates itself like a finely tuned machine. It doesn’t happen overnight though, you’ve got to work at it and you have to work hard. There are simple tricks that you can do though to speed up the process and take the load off your shoulders.

So you’ve landed that job you’ve been after for a while now and you’ve been working your socks off. You know you’re ready for more responsibility (and more pay) but does your boss think the same? Here’s 5 ways to prove to your boss that you’re ready for that big promotion.

1. Forward thinking, come with ideas – Don’t just manage your standard work routine, get it done and go home. Demonstrate to your boss that you care about the business, be innovative, be creative, propose fresh ideas and can keep the business at the forefront above its competitors. It shows that you don’t just care about your paycheck but you also care about the business (which is a very good thing to share with your boss). This is what gets you recognized.
2. Make your manager’s life easier –Your boss knows what’s best for the business and they need time to make big decisions to lead the whole company in the direction it needs to go. Do things without being asked, think one step ahead, give your boss more free time to focus on other areas that need improving because they know full well you are capable of working independently. Make your boss’s job easier and allow them to develop trust in you.
3. Work well with colleagues – Do you know a person who is clearly fantastic at doing their job but they have never been promoted because they just don’t get on well with other people? Ultimately, more responsibility normally means managing others and their workload. No matter how good you are at your job, colleagues need to trust you and care about helping you for the benefit of the business. If your peers trust and respect you then you’re one step closer to that promotion.
4. Look the part – It’s unlikely you’re going to get a promotion when you can’t even remember to iron your shirt. The way to make your bosses decision even easier when deciding to give you a promotion is to look the part. Look as if you can already visualize yourself in that role. Slick and professional. Not only in the physical realm, but online too. Use a professional headshot. Do your social media checks. It makes it a lot easier for other people to consider you when you’ve considered yourself first.
5. Make them aware you want a promotion – After all, you can work as hard as you like, your boss may be a great manager but they aren’t always mind readers and how are they supposed to know if you don’t tell them? It’s never an easy decision for managers to dish out more money but if you’re demonstrating you’re worth it by following the tips above, you’ll make their decision a whole lot easier.

Look the part online and tick off one of the steps for your promotion. Book your professional headshot with The Headshot Guy at your local studio. Or find out more about why you need a professional headshot here.

#helpingmyboss

LinkedIn is the social media powerhouse of the business world. It is the go-to platform for your business to gain exposure and with its enormous reach, it is the place you need to be sharing interesting content, highlighting your events or products, engaging followers and cementing your place as experts in your industry. Company credibility can be made here as quickly as it can be shattered.

Here are 5 things your boss should know and if they don’t – here’s 5 ways to impress them.

1. Links – Employee LinkedIn profiles should be linked to the company’s LinkedIn profile and vice versa. Why? Exposure, exposure, exposure. The more links you have between a variety of profiles the greater the opportunity is for people to find the business. Before you insert the links make sure your boss checks all employee Linked In Profiles to make sure they’re professional!
2. Employee Personal Profiles – Each employee Linked In profile should be descriptive, impactful and engaging. You shouldn’t just have your job title and the company you work for (although this is vital too), talk about your strengths, passions, ambitions and goals. This entices the reader and really adds a meaningful human connection, which is a big player in engagement.
3. Professional Headshot – Each profile should have a Professional Headshot as putting a face to a name dramatically increases recognition and interaction. Wear what you would wear to work and make sure you radiate a professional image! This doesn’t mean you can’t have a big smile on your face! Company Headshots are perfect for this as it means all employees radiate the same branding.
4. Settings – Increase your visibility! Customize what parts of your profile people can see before they are connected to you. Remember, more visibility = more likely to be found in relevant searches. To change your settings to allow greater visibility select the drop down button in the top right of your profile page – go to settings and click on the Profile tab to display privacy settings and tailor them to your liking!
5. Share – Make sure employees are sharing company content on LinkedIn. The more channels you have broadcasting your content the more visibility you will receive. This may sound like a difficult task to engage employees but there are plenty of ways to encourage social sharing. For example, highlight how the increase in exposure can reach potential customers, driving more leads and sales and potentially resulting in higher profits or bonuses! If you don’t have a current incentive for employees – make one!

Does Your LinkedIn Profile Earn Its Keep? Find out here.

#helpingmyboss

Conferences can be scary, even for the most fearless and capable managers (and more so for the incapable ones), conferences are intimidating.

So, your boss is heading off to a conference and has to stand in front of a large audience and has made each and every one of you in the office aware at least a dozen times (it’s the nerves, don’t blame them). Here are 5 things you should make sure your boss is aware of before they deliver that monumental speech of a lifetime, it might just help you out too one day!

1. Prepare – Tell your boss to dedicate time to the presentation (this could also be a chance for you to showcase your skills helping her/him with their workload). For many in the audience, this presentation will be their first impression of the speaker and thus their company too. Ensure a good impression by giving your boss time to prepare. Remember – “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.
2. Start drinking water 15 minutes before the presentation – You’ve heard of TED talks before, right? If you haven’t, check out their influential videos from expert speakers from a variety of fields. Gina Barnett, longtime TED speaker coach recommends drinking water 15 minutes before any presentation. Imagine doing everything you can and preparing tirelessly only to get on stage and have dry mouth. Your voice can make a ‘sticky, clicky’ sound when it’s dry and it is as uncomfortable for the audience as it is for your boss.
3. Give people the chance to adjust to your accent – At a conference, your boss could be talking to people from all different parts of the nation or even the globe. Accents vary greatly in the relatively small geographical area of the UK, imagine how it could be difficult for someone from a different nationality to listen and become engaged in your speech. Make sure your manager speaks their first few sentences slow and steady – don’t let them loose their audience from the get-go.
4. Engage your audience with illustrations – “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Keep the presentation light on text, it can distract the audience from listening to what your boss is saying and can potentially overload their poor brains with information! A picture, a graph, a chart, an emoji, an illustration of sorts can get the point across fantastically whilst keeping the audience engaged!
5. Leave time for a Q&A – This time can actually be a lot more fun than anyone would expect. By this point, the nerves have settled and your boss will have the opportunity to talk on a subject they’re passionate about without it feeling scripted or rehearsed. At this point, they need to be passionate and the energy they will be providing will radiate to the audience. The audience are here listening to your boss after all. Let your boss know that if they don’t know a question straight away they can always say “I’m happy to discuss this in greater detail with you after the Q&A has finished or via email.

Bonus Tip – Always, ensure your boss takes a spare paper copy of the powerpoint presentation you never know when technology can fail you!

Ensure people remember your boss’ presentation and their face by making sure they have a professional headshot for the conference brochure, their presentation and their business cards

#helpingmyboss

The first place you go to when researching a company is the ‘About Us’ page of their website. Believe it or not, the About Us page is usually the most visited page on the majority of websites. It is important that your company nails the ‘About Us’ page because this is the chance to make a great first impression and let people know what the business is all about.

5 things you must have on your About Us page to leave a great impression, engage the reader and keep them coming back for more.

1. Grab their attention – Create an about me page on your website that looks aesthetically amazing and on brand! Use vibrant colours, creativity and an easy to read font – have it all in a neat and tidy package for the page visitor laid out with a little red bow on it! If you aren’t capable of designing an outstanding website, hire a web designer to do it for you, there’s no shame in that (unless the company you work for is a web designer).
2. Keep it relevant – The reader arrives at the About Me page to get a summary of the company and what it can offer them. They didn’t come here to read an essay. Let’s not bore them. The best way to do this is to create a meaningful and honest depiction of what you’re all about and how your company can benefit them. Emphasize what your unique selling points are, what differentiates your company from your competitors and how you can benefit them. They don’t want a history of everything you’ve ever done, just the relevant stuff.
3. Professional team Headshots –Don’t forget the corporate team professional headshot this will immediately draw the eyes of the viewer to something on your page and it engages them in a way that text simply can’t do. A professional headshot builds trust as they can already see who you are. It also shows that the company cares about its brand image. Along with a whole host of other things, this is the chance to get your professional headshot taken. For even more reasons to get your boss to think about corporate team professional headshots click here. 
4. Use a testimonial – Or at least link to some. Nothing boosts your credibility more than someone else saying it. We know it sounds like bragging but sometimes you really have to flaunt it! Sure, it’s great that you think you’re an expert in your industry but do other people? It’s in your best interest to say you’re great in your field but when someone else says you’re great, that’s when people really start believing it.
5. Provide contact details and a call to Action – don’t give the reader the opportunity for their eyes to wander! If they’re thoroughly impressed with your about me page it’s best to provide them some way to get in contact with you right now while their emotions are most heightened and your company is at the forefront of their thoughts. Leave a contact field at the bottom, provide a sign-up page for email notifications, give them an opportunity for a free quote. Take advantage of their attention while you have it.

Help your boss ensure their about us page is the best it can be – book in a professional headshot for the whole team

While we have your attention why not check out our other blog on how to get a promotion.

There are many things you probably already know about keeping your social media profile professional – like keeping your information honest or not posting offensive articles, however one aspect is frequently overlooked. Professional headshots. They have fast become the centrepiece of your online presence and like it or not, your Professional headshot is one of the very first things people look at and judge you on when they visit your page.

Let’s make this clear, the worst thing you can do other than not having a Professional Headshot is to have one that’s outdated. When someone comes to meet you for the first time and realise you look nothing like the image you’re portraying of yourself, they can think you are (as much as we wish we could) hiding in your youth, or neglecting your brand image. Worse than this, however, when they meet the real you, it’s quite possible that they can immediately feel misled, which could affect the way they trust you, and ultimately do business with you.

So right, we know we have to update our Professional Headshots every now and then but how often should it really be done? As a general rule of thumb, we recommend clients to update your professional headshot every 2 years, although it does depend on the person.

However, there are a couple more instances whereby you should update your Professional Headshot less than every 2 years:

• You’ve changed – have you lost weight? Have you recently got glasses? Have you had a drastic hairstyle change or even grown a beard? All of these are solid reasons to update your Professional Headshot and ensure you make a great first impression.
• Your style has changed – Perhaps you’ve suddenly discovered the world of colour after all those years wearing black, or maybe your business dress has moved from formal to less formal. Or maybe you want to look more polished and professional as your career progresses.
• Your business has changed – This could be because you’ve recently changed jobs and your stern, business-like picture you used when working the stock market isn’t doing you any favours now you’ve recently decided to work in executive coaching. It could also just be though because your business is changing direction, are you used to communicating with the business elite and now have a customer facing role that requires a warm and inviting headshot?

The truth is there are many different factors when considering to update your Professional Headshot and the reasons are different for everyone. Ultimately, though, if you look at all different or you are promoting your headshot to a different audience, don’t take the risk of neglecting your personal brand and starting off a relationship on the wrong foot.

If you are interested in having your Professional Headshot taken please find more information at www.theheadshotguy.co.uk

Having your photograph taken can be scary, some of us love it but most of us hate it. We don’t walk around with paper bags on our heads, people see our faces every single day, so why do we have an irrational fear of having our photograph taken? There are three types of people in this world; Lovers, Haters and Avoiders – which one are you?

Lovers, Haters and Avoiders – which one are you?

Avoiders – The most common category of all are Avoiders, they simply avoid any contact, with any camera, ever! There are many reasons why they dodge photographic capture. The first reason is that Avoiders may have never seen a fantastic photo of themselves for one reason or another. Many avoiders may dislike something about their appearance. When presented in front of the camera everybody in this category looses their subconscious ability to control their expressions, which means they find it very difficult to not think about what they look like. What avoiders may not know, is that this is very common and it’s the job of the photographer to bring back that natural expression by working with the client. The best thing people in this category can do, is face their fear and visit a professional headshot photographer.

Avoiders catch phrase: “Sorry, I don’t do photos”

Haters – Haters are those who feel awkward when a camera, that isn’t their own, is pointed at them. This is the second most common category to fall into, which is strange because many people in this category love a good selfie. Haters are those who’ve generally had a bad experience of having their photo taken in the past by somebody else, but do it anyway. For many haters just stepping in front of the lens brings back a whole heap of bad memories. This could be because they are used to seeing a specific image of themselves. The classic school portrait is the one that first springs to my mind. Sat in front of the whole class, on a black wooden box, sweaty palmed, with the worst hair imaginable styled by your mum that morning. “Say cheese”… Haters are the ones who when working with a professional headshot photographer surprise themselves with how relaxed and confident they become throughout the shoot.

Haters catchphrase: “I’m not photogenic”

Lovers – A lover is somebody who enjoys being in front of the camera and has had some experience being photographed. There are some lovers who haven’t had much experience but are often the type of person who is very confident and happy with their bodies. However, people in this category still need some coaching by a headshot photographer to be pushed further and get more out of their shoot.

Lovers catchphrase: “This is my best side”

Do you mess with the camera or does the camera mess with you? Whatever answer you have come up with, don’t worry. It doesn’t matter what category you may have landed in, it is important to understand that a professional headshot is part of your brand image. The professional headshot is not just for actors because people want to see people and that goes for business too.

We aim to work with our clients because after all a great photograph is a joint effort and you are a part of that experience. The Headshot Guy build’s trust and rapport with you during your shoot and will coach you through every aspect, including your eyes and micro-expressions, which you might not even know you’re doing. It’s our job to make you comfortable making your experience as relaxed as possible. Trust us when we say this, you will be happy with the end result.

If you feel you would like any advice about what happens in our shoots, then please give us a call on 0800 234565 – we are happy to talk through the whole experience. The Headshot Guy is here to guide you to the perfect professional headshot.

Check out our top tips to build confidence on camera:

• 6 Tips For Camera Shy Ladies to Build Confidence On Camera
• 6 Tips For Camera Shy Men 

It’s spring and a fresh start, and for many of you, it may even be a new job or challenge. Reputation within business through word of mouth is still alive and kicking, but how can you really make an impact when you start a new job? The first challenge is getting known.

In many corporate roles, employees have told us the first hurdle is making your presence known internally. If you do this right, working effectively with all departments from marketing to finance will be a walk in the park. This is before you can even start to influence shareholders, investors and customers.

There have been some great conversations after shoots we’ve done in recent months, but from the information we’ve gathered, corporate employees within their first year in role say that; the majority of their online profile views come from other internal employees.

Whether that’s employee’s having a nosy at your CV, figuring out what salary you could be on, understanding how they can work with you to push forward plans, or even because they’ve forgotten your name . . . the point is, who cares? At the end of the day, if your headshot isn’t good, it’s exactly that they are going to remember.

Think of it like this, you wouldn’t want to go to a casino with your colleague in a wetsuit, or a massacred ball with your friend wearing shorts and flip flops. Life is full of choices and this one, for sure, you can take ownership of, and trust us, it will do you heaps of favours.

There’s also the flip side of the coin. Once you’ve settled in, and you really have got a name for yourself as the determined and well respected professional you are, it’s the new starters who will have to get to know who’s who. And as a new starter, we’ve all been there  . . .  it can be a hard time. Proving yourself, building bridges and making connections. But you never know what the new starter has in their kit bag, it could be something of use for that business case you’ve been trying to push through for the past year.

Within the digital sphere especially it’s not easy, and it’s these new starters that can often teach us a thing or two to really help you in those day to day situations, from presentations to reports and even innovation. It will most likely be on their radar to link up with you, but with so many employees present within the corporate castle, new starters can have the upper hand of being choosy. Let’s face it, it’s a blank page, they’ve made no connections yet, so you can’t really get offended if they begin making business plans first with the guy sat opposite you. There can be big ego’s in the corporate office, but it takes a new starter a good few months to figure out who’s who and understand the hierarchal structure. Furthermore, within this period, the people that the new starter networks with and builds relationships with first, can last a lifetime.

In order to figure out who YOU are though unless the new started as been told, would be through a quick Google search, and BAM there you are, in all of your business glory. And I don’t know about you, but I want to show my warm personality, which beams success, through a well thought through headshot. But giving away that I wrestle on a Saturday night isn’t something I particularly want to portray. That headshot is key.

We can give your face more reach than it’s ever had before, a photograph that will network with people before you’ve even met. With people turning to the internet to see who’s who, make sure you have a presence and demonstrate your true character, and that fresh start will stay fresh throughout your whole career.

Abraham Lincoln once said; “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing” Make sure people love your headshot and reputation will naturally follow (as long as you’re good at your job of course!)

The best headshot is the headshot that stands the test of time. When that dreaded email comes through, and you’ve just found out there will be organisational restructure, do you really think the CEO knows everyone in the business? And there’s only one place they will go have a quick search. Online.

Book in a professional headshot with The Headshot Guy now.

How to Build Confidence In Front Of The Camera.

Gents If you find yourself running away from the camera here are our top 6 tips to help you build your confidence and start creating some awesome memories and excellent professional headshots.

1. Before your shoot raise your arms above your head for 30 seconds. This may seem like a strange thing to do especially if you are already a shy person, but it has been said that Silverback gorillas do this in the wild to build confidence and assert their authority. So wave your hands in the air, get in front of the camera and absolutely smash it! (Metaphorically please don’t smash our cameras)

2. Wear something that makes you feel like James bond, Smart sophisticated and ready to take on the world. Professor Pine from the University of Hertfordshire discovered that ‘Putting on different clothes creates different thoughts and mental processes.’ So wear something that makes you feel awesome and confident, this could be as little as a favourite pair of pants or why not go all out and wear your superman PJ’s underneath your clothes.

3. A good photograph uses the whole face and body. While you’re in a shoot or having your photo taken, think of the last time you cried with laughter and let that memory fill into your whole body.

4. Let the lens be your friend – Change your actions and it will change your mindset. When somebody gets out a camera to take a photo it’s easy to run away and hide. It’s even easier to say yes and get used to having your photo taken. Saying yes to having your photo taken helps you dramatically in three different ways. Firstly, it boosts your confidence, secondly, it stops the rest of the party asking “why don’t you like your photo being taken”, and finally you will have a wonderful image to make a great day last a lifetime.

5. All the celebs do it, so why can’t you – don’t be afraid to wear a bit of makeup! A first photo shoot can be a little nerve-wracking. And all of us get a little bit sweaty from time to time, especially when we’re nervous. There’s nothing less shameful than dabbing a bit of powder on your forehead, to stop that glistening sweaty shine. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo Di-Caprio all wear makeup during their films and photo shoots to enhance their appearances, why else do you think they look so good!

6. Take a few minutes to relax with a few relaxation techniques. The facts are that simple breathing techniques reduce stress and muscle tension, they also slow your heart rate and build your confidence all at the same time! Here are two of our favourites you can do anywhere: 1. Breathe in through your nose for 6 seconds and hold for 6 seconds, and then out through your mouth for 6 seconds. 2. Close your eyes and imagine that your body is filling up with hot gold, imagine that the hot liquid is filling every part of your body right to the top. These two short exercises will make you feel more relaxed and empowered in minutes, plus you can do them anywhere!

Our friendly team have worked with every type of person imaginable so as long as you bring yourself and be open to being coached and directed, you won’t be disappointed. The tips above are not essential, but if you want the very best headshot they can help transform your confidence and make you think positively about having your photo taken.

We will continue lighting people up and if you ever think that you may want to give a shoot a go, to boost your confidence and to create a great new headshot, get in touch with our team and we will create the perfect look you are looking for. If you would like to find out more about professional headshots and where you can use them click here.

Would you risk turning up to a business meeting dressed in your office wear and trainers? Me neither, and just like a pair of shoes completes your look, so does a great headshot.

 A professional headshot is a long-lasting first impression for when you are not around.

 Having our heads attached to our bodies is a star quality we all have the privilege of living with. The face is one of the main features we as humans recognise each other by every day. However, professional headshots are much more than just a picture of your face.

A great professional headshot photographer considers body language, your smile, your brand colours, even the way you want to be perceived by your target market. Many people have forgotten the importance of first impressions online. The same way that you wouldn’t risk turning up to a business meeting in your trainers, some people risk their first impression being compromised, through lack of knowledge of just how dramatically influential a professional headshot has in association with you and your business. The fact of the matter is the quality of the visual representation affects the way people perceive the overall product or service, that product or service being your personal brand image.

If you are considering having your headshot taken for any purpose, have it taken by The Headshot Guy because It’s not worth turning up in trainers.

Click HERE to book your professional headshot