Choosing between studio or outdoor headshots-
Most professional headshots I do are for business and professional use. People applying for new jobs, starting new businesses, new careers, and needing flattering representation of themselves to help propel them into their next journey. Or else, their look changes and they want to keep their headshot current and relevant, which is also a good and responsible idea. Some clients are in need of a corporate style headshot, which is usually done in studio. Others are in a more creative or freelance field and may prefer an outdoor, ambient vibe to their headshots. I will share some thoughts that may help you decide between studio or outdoor headshots. If you can't decide, there's always chocolate vanilla swirl if you can't pick a flavor. :)
That was an example of a studio headshot. It's hard to go wrong either way. A professional headshot shows effort and commitment. A cell phone snap doesn't show the same level of seriousness. The first man is an optometrist, so the vibe is best left corporate, with no distracting backgrounds. Also, depending on the time of year, the studio being climate controlled helps avoid sweat or looking like the abominable snowman in cold weather. The next subject, a studio headshot would have worked for this young realtor. However, he preferred the more casual vibe of an outdoor setting that may appeal to younger home buyers, and making it a casual and fun experience. I think it worked perfectly for his goals.
I remember him asking where the best outdoor location would be. He said he would be in West Nashville that day, so I randomly suggested Richland Park. In short, it makes NO DIFFERENCE where we do it. We're talking a headshot that ideally is from the sternum up. If an outdoor headshot is desired, an outdoor vibe without a ton of background distractions is close to where we are. In my opinion, if you can identify buildings in the background, it defeats the purpose of a headshot, which is supposed to showcase the face of the subject. For portrait work, I can better understand location importance. I'm not all googly over shallow depth of field, as a general rule, but it helped accomplish the goal here. He got his outdoor headshot without tons of background distractions. K.I.S.S. (we all know what that means)
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