Professional Portraits: Why DIY Just Won’t Cut It for Social Media

Professional Portraits: Why DIY Just Won’t Cut It for Social Media

If you’re setting up social media accounts for your business or even if you’re trying to get a new job, you do not want to use any old picture from your phone! In this article, we are going to talk about the importance of professional portraits, especially when it comes to business!

Keyword(s): professional portrait

We’ve all seen them and cringed: the photo of an individual where his or her arm is taking up half the picture as they pose for the camera. Even the use of selfie sticks is obvious to anyone familiar with the tricks and poses.

In the business world, selfies and do-it-yourself photos just don’t make the cut.

Here, we’ll explain in gritty detail what you’re missing if you travel the cheaper route . . . and how your business will be impacted. By the end, you’ll be picking up the phone to set up an appointment for your own professional portrait.

Why You Need a Professional Portrait

Recent studies have found that approximately 80% of consumers will place their trust and their money into businesses that use social media.

You want to be taken seriously, right? Then it’s time to let the professionals take over.

First Impressions

Let’s face it. You can take a great selfie that really makes your eyes glitter or whatever, but really? Social media users can spot that a mile away now.

If it’s close or your arm is out of the picture or your hand is conveniently hidden, it’s probably a photo the posing one took him or herself. And that spells bad news for anyone using social media for a profession.

Even using a timer on a camera means you won’t look relaxed or natural.

Studies have found that selfies are almost always viewed more negatively than a photo taken by another person. Even if that person is an alien without opposable thumbs or the photo (taken by said alien) makes you look like a vampire out for blood.

So do you really want your potential client’s first impression to be a negative one?

Look Better

We all worry the bags under our eyes or the extra bit of weight we’ve gained will show like a neon sign reading “I’m here! Look at me!” when we have our social media portrait taking, whether it’s a professional one or not.

But ace photographers know how to make you look good. They know what needs to be tucked, what light makes your eyes shine and which side of your face is lopsided. (Sorry. No one’s perfect.)

Professionals are the one who will make you look and feel like a model. So let them.

Creativity and Branding

Good professionals have ideas to help promote your business, work culture and brand. When the photographer is done, you’ll not only have a fantastic image of yourself, but one that says what your company is all about.

You simply can’t get this with a do-it-yourself type of photo. Plus, photographers will know small tricks to make your portrait unique and creative.

Susan Sullivan of Sumy Designs states, “It’s not just high-end equipment and knowledge of lighting.   Professional photographers bring value to your business because they bring the knowledge, experience, and capability to capture the essence of your business that customers will notice.”

And on social media, images can encourage or deter customers.

Set an Appointment

We could continue, but these three very basic points should be enough to convince any serious businessman or businesswoman that a professional portrait is necessary for a company’s success.

Make cuts elsewhere and invest your funds in a top-notch photo you can be truly proud of. Contact us today to say a thousand words with a single click of the camera.