They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
Amy Peloza and Gabriela Henriquez
I agree. The most important and unique asset we all possess is a smile.
A smile welcomes a stranger.
A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.
It opens or closes a conversation.
It sends a positive message.
Top to Bottom/L-R: Lakesia Campbell, Alyssa Snider, Jennifer Emerson, and Claudia SanJuan
It's a sign of confidence and radiance.
The world always looks brighter from behind a smile.
In a lot of the mentoring I do, I often find women (and men) want to know more about how to develop a personal brand. Today's social stage requires us all to build a presence. Before anything, else, it's about putting our best smile on for the camera.
And that means taking a quality headshot.
So, I put the word out, and last Friday I had six takers.
And we held a Pretty Power Women in the Park Photo Shoot.
Pathik Shah, my wedding photographer and Apple iGenius came out and set up shop at Terry Hershey Park.
Three Steps to a Successful Shot:
Top: Claudia and Gabriela take a pose together. Bottom: Jennifer and I take a BFF shot.
1. No selfies. Hire a professional. I've seen awful photos on LinkedIn profiles ranging from vacation shots to soft porn. Yes, I love Disney World too, but there's a place for those photos: Facebook. The best investment you can make in taking a quality shot is to hire a pro. It used to be that meant spending lots of money. That's changed. Most photographers charge $150-250 for a session and if you can arrange a group session, you can save even more. So just put aside a month of lattes and the calories you'll save, and make the investment.
2. Your clothing choice is important. The goal of taking a nice shot is to bring you to the forefront. You want to wear flattering clothing so avoid anything that's distracting. Go for muted tones that are a bit subdued and bring colors that compliment your skin tone.
3. Have fun. Pathik says the best shots are usually the ones where you feel the most awkward and he's right. We shot a session not too long ago and I did some action shots that I've used for the launch of my new website. I had a lot of fun taking them and found many of these to be personal favorites.
All six women walked away happy saying they wish they had done it sooner. See the whole shoot here.
Don't they all look simply fabulous?
Looking for a great photographer in Houston? Give my buddy, Pathik Shah a ring. He's been photographing our family for five years. Or, connect with me if you want to be a part of the Fall 2014 group shoot. We're definitely doing this again!
