A professional Headshot from Werkit Photo costs $150.  If you are unemployed and living off unemployment insurance you are probably struggling just to pay your rent in Orange County, California.  This blog will help you figure out how to take a decent headshot while you are struggling with the Pandemic induced shutdown that cost you your job.  

Normally, I would never suggest taking a selfie for your headshot.  If you have time and if done properly you will probably look better than that photo you grabbed that currently occupies your LinkedIn resume page...  

Here is some advice that I found on Hubspot (CRM) with a few added pieces of advice from Werkit Photo.  

What Makes a Good Headshot?

There is a reason photographers can charge so much for headshots: There's an art to taking good ones. So before I get into the step-by-step, let's quickly go through the elements of a good headshot. These'll help put some of the steps in a better context. 

A good headshot ...

• Is framed from the chest up.
• Captures you looking directly at the camera. Eye contact is one of the most important elements of a great headshot.
• Has good lighting on your face. Beware of weird shadowing.
• Showcases the personality and aura you want to give off. This is what makes it memorable.
• Is easy to see and notice even when it's small.

How to DIY your Headshot:

• Grab a friend or a tripod. Most people don't have a tripod, but there are plenty of friends or family members you can probably recruit. 
• Location: here's where I differ from the Hubspot article.  I do NOT recommend taking your headshot indoors.  I suggest going outside, but you must control the situation. 
• Do not pick a location that has a nice view behind you.  This isn't your vacation photo.  A pretty bush. An industrial wall. Solid and consistent backgrounds will look good while not distracting from the subject = YOU. 
• Don't look towards the sun.  Use your phone's flash to lighten your face.
• Never take your photo in the middle of the day unless it is cloudy outside.  The clouds actually simulate professional lighting techniques somewhat by diffusing the harsh sunlight while providing enough even light to highlight you.  You still need to make certain that you use your phone's flash for your face. 
• Equip your phone with an application that will provide some level of skin repair (softening, ironing out, blemish hiding, etc...). 
• Publish your DIY photo on your other social media and/or share it with friends and family and ask for candid feedback.  Black and White is fine also.  It masks the fact that you used your phone as opposed to visiting a professional headshot photographer like Werkit Photo. 

If you live in Orange County, California and would like to discuss your headshot with us.  Please reach out [email protected]