I leaned from Shama Kabani the importance of a good profile pic when I was reading the e-book version of her new book, The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue.  In the book, she talks about having a professional head shot taken to use for your profiles.  Now, there might be some exceptions to this suggestions, but it is my opinion that having a professional head shot made for any professional profiles is the best thing to do.

I had used a picture taken with my camera, which is not a great camera, by someone who was not a professional photographer.  It served me well, but it was not a professional head shot.  Therefore, the first time I had the chance, I had one made by a professional photographer, Amy Jones Design, from Conway, AR where I now live.

Before

Before

After

After

A professional photographer can make you look so much better.  You can actually see less hair in my second pic than the first, but I look better!  They know how to make the setting and the back ground and the lighting work.  They use professional grade cameras, and they will touch it up on the computer to enhance the image.  I use the head shot in all of my professional social media profiles such as my twitter background.

The lesson?  Get a professional photographer to do a head shot.  Head shots are not as expensive as a normal session would be, especially if you just want digital copies.  I know photographers in Central Arkansas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  If you need suggestions, email me.

By the way, Amy has a contest going on through her Facebook page.  She is utilizing her social media profile creatively.

Central Arkanasas

Amy Jones Design

Chris Nolan

Bruce Allen

Brian Davis

DFW

Karyn Kelbaugh

Michael Rettig

Rodger James