Let’s get one thing straight: your personal brand starts before you open your mouth. People see you before they hear you. They form an opinion in seconds. And like it or not, your headshot is often the first handshake you never get to make.
This blog is here to stop you from cocking that up.
I’m JohnB – I shoot headshots for real people who want to look like professionals, not polished robots. And I’ve seen it all: the “just got out of bed” look, the over-edited waxwork, the LinkedIn photo from a mate’s wedding in 2011. None of that builds trust. None of it says “I know my stuff.”
But here’s the thing = it’s not about just looking pretty. It’s about looking like someone your clients can trust, someone they’d actually want to speak to. That’s personal branding. And your face is the billboard.
What You’ll Get Here
On this blog, I’ll give you the unvarnished truth about:
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How to prep for your headshot session (and what not to do)
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Why your profile picture could be losing you business
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Personal branding myths that need a good kicking
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The subtle power of facial expressions (and how to get them right)
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How different industries need different styles — it’s not one size fits all
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What AI sees in your photo — and what humans pick up too
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Behind-the-scenes nuggets from real sessions with real clients
Should Your Headshot Match Who You Are Now or Who You Want to Become?
This is where most people get themselves tied in knots, because they think they have to choose between being honest or being aspirational, when in reality neither extreme works on its own. If you photograph someone exactly as they feel on an average day, especially if...
What Makes a Headshot Work for Business?
Most people do not go hunting for your headshot. That’s not how it works in the real world. What they see first is your content. A post, a comment, something you’ve written or shared that lands well enough for them to stop scrolling. That is the entry point. If what...
I’m not photogenic
There is a common belief that some people are simply not photogenic, and most people accept that idea without ever questioning it. You hear it all the time before a session has even begun, almost as a warning. People say they never like photos of themselves, that they...