Canuckflack
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the social media aesthetic - the headshot
- Author: Colin
- Filed under: Promotion
Jan 15,2008
Last week, three separate publications asked me for a headshot (because I’m a spokeshead, not because I’m a popular blogger with an extremely photogenic mug). I have several options available, and I found myself flipping between the professional and the amateurish: a headshot prepared by a professional photographer, and a handful of profile pictures snapped with a number of camera phones.
You see, I’ve been in public relations long enough to remember when professional photo shoots were required for all your spokespeople. You always had to have a ready selection of half grinning/mildly worried looks on hand, just in case.
As I was sorting through my options, though, I realized that the bar had moved. The public no longer expects a formal upright, slightly angled shouldered look to their authority figures. In fact, I had to screw around with my headshot in Photoshop before sending it off to one publications.
A co-worker of Jason Oke has noticed that the younger generations do not have a problem finding a headshot - in fact, there seems to be
“… an age-related gap on social networking sites like Facebook in personal photo quality - anyone under 25 looks really good in all of their pictures, while the rest of us look pudgy and a bit stunned.
His theory is that it’s because those of us of a certain age grew up with pictures being taken mostly on special occasions like birthdays and holidays, and usually with some warning of “say cheese.”
We never really learned how to have our picture properly taken. But with ubiquitous casual digital photography, the young ‘uns grew up being used to taking and seeing many more photos of themselves, and have learned to quickly throw a pose in any situation. They are photo-literate.”
Me? I can’t quite pull of the casual concentration look. I don’t really like Starbucks, so I’m never at ease enough to pull off the “working in casual luxury while sitting on a loveseat” look. And every time I try the “you caught me in mid-action” pose, I look like an out-take from a Sears catalogue.
Technorati Tags: photography, headshot, publicity still, corporate look, spokesperson
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4 Responses for "the social media aesthetic - the headshot"
“anyone under 25 looks really good in all of their pictures, while the rest of us look pudgy and a bit stunned”
Is it because we’re not photo-literate, or is it just because we are pudgy and a bit stunned? It’s called “aging.”
While I agree with Alan, I think the best answer for a great picture is to have a photo shoot with an artist photographer and spend an afternoon experimenting angles and lights. This way, you’ll know what works and what doesn’t.
After doing that, I know that my left side looks better than the right and pictures have to be taken from above or else, my double chin shows… (party pictures are always horrible!)
Good luck! :o)
I think you should have initiated a canuckflak photoshop contest. Surely at least one of your loyal readers could have transformed you from “suburban dad/civil servant guy” into “hunk-a-rific piece of man-candy”.
[...] Another datapoint to add to the discussion about how youth treat their online identity. Remember when the Smoking Gun was a revolutionary resource, opening up celebrity mugshots and notable court cases for public scrutiny? Do you remember when it was an embarrassment to be arrested and booked? “…Finally, through the state police barracks, where Sergeant Hodsden had more than two dozen young people photographed, fingerprinted and cited for unlawful trespass, with a few also cited for unlawful mischief. He cannot shake the indifference of one youth in particular, who asked whether he could use his mug shot on his Facebook page.” [...]
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