Sunday October 6 2024
Swindon & Wiltshire News
Photographer Lis McDermott has published her first business book about the value of a good headshot.
Lis, who has worked as a professional photographer in Swindon for seven years, has written Headshot Diva – Why Your Business Profile Affects Your Bottom Line.
Lis said: “I’d been thinking about writing a book for a long time after seeing many, many business people – both in small business and in a corporate environment – use very poor imagery.
“There seems to be a need to educate people about how important it is to engage someone to provide quality images that present the best of you and your business to potential clients.
“The first thing people see when searching online is your website or social media image – is that representing your brand and personality?”
The book contains Lis’s story of becoming a photographer in her 50s after a long career as a music educator.
She also talks about the dos and don’ts of taking headshots and shows examples of poor images and the impression they can give of a business person which might be unintended.
Lis said: “With the rise of social media, it’s more important than ever to realise that potential customers will see your image, and make judgments about you before they’ve even met you.
“If your image is poor what does that say about your business? If your image is bizarre, will that potential customer feel confident about doing business with you? If your image is inappropriate, what does that say about you as a professional person?”
Headshot Diva includes examples of shots which are blurred, too dark, overexposed or simply odd.
Her top three tips for getting the best business headshot are:
Headshot Diva is published by Onion Custard Publishing Ltd, and is available on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1nKJBLS
