01 Aug Doctor’s headshots in San Francisco Bay Area
Gone are the days when professional headshots were used almost exclusively by company executives and actors. A physician interested in promoting their practice, or looking to otherwise advance their professional career, will benefit from engaging the services of a well-qualified photographer to take their professional headshot. Whether your headshot is used on a social media platform, your medical practice’s marketing materials, or a hospital directory, you have a vested interest in looking your best. The easiest way to look your best is through the lens of a professional headshot photographer. Every San Francisco Bay Area doctor needs a professional headshot. Shellee Fisher Photography & Design is your best photographer choice for your professional headshot.
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Why San Francisco Bay Area doctors need a professional headshot
Investing in a high-quality, professionally taken headshot is an investment in you and your profession. It shows you at your best, which is how you want patients and peers to see you. To make sure your headshot captures a high quality image that conveys a message about you and your medical practice, it is critically important to select a well-qualified photographer for your professional headshot. Amateur photography can produce a photograph that barely resembles what you look like in person and often does little to capture you at your best. A professional photographer that specializes in headshots for San Francisco Bay Area doctors knows how to position you for the photograph, how to choose the best backdrop, how to use lighting to get the best shot possible, and how to edit the photograph to make you look your professional best.
In that social media has taken on such a significant role in how we promote ourselves, our business, or our brands, having a professional headshot for every San Francisco Bay Area physician is now more important than ever. Since you have the ability to use a professional headshot as your profile image on most social media platforms, you have a genuine opportunity to market yourself to a broad audience. Your internet presence, coupled with the more traditional uses of headshots (think business card), means that a lot of people are going to see your photograph. You have every reason to look your best.
Make your first impression count with a professional headshot. As a doctor, having a polished professional image speaks volumes about both you and your practice. Look to Shellee Fisher Photography & Design as your doctor headshot photographer of choice.
Professional headshots are important for San Francisco Bay Area doctors
You’ve probably heard of the saying it’s best to “put your best face forward”, especially during the beginning of or while promoting your career. Simply put, people decide all kinds of things about you within the first few seconds of seeing your picture – from your level of intelligence to your skill as a physician. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
So you may be asking yourself does a doctor need a professional photographer to take their headshot just to make a good impression? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” You are making an investment in your practice and that investment pays dividends. Do you want to send a message that you are a skilled physician who is competent and well-regarded? Then having a professional photographer will make all the difference.
So why are professional headshots so important for doctors
Your headshot is essentially the logo of your medical practice. Sometimes, simply getting a new headshot to replace one that’s a little dated can be a boost to your practice. A new headshot is a good way to get noticed by both those around you and a whole new audience of prospective patients.
Your photographer is an expert at their craft – they have the right equipment, understand composition and lighting, know how to “shoot” the subject and are skilled at post-production editing. It is your photographer’s job to make you look great. Don’t leave that task to a friend with a camera on their phone – you are not going to get the same results.
A physician requires professional headshot
Your success as a San Francisco Bay Area doctor depends upon your image as much as it does your education and experience. Just as with any professional, doctor’s have to compete with other physicians to scale their medical practices. If you want to grow your practice so that you can serve as many patients as possible, you need to market yourself by representing your brand. Regardless of how you you use your headshot, you want to make sure your image is polished by utilizing the services of a professional photographer for your headshot.
It’s the age of social media and networking
It’s no surprise that, in today’s world, social media is the go-to source for connecting with others for personal and business purposes. You certainly need to look your professional best for your LinkedIn profile if you are sincere about marketing your talents. A professional headshot lets people know you are committed to your practice and the work you do.
Professional headshots for doctors in San Francisco Bay Area who are serious about their image
A doctor’s executive portrait means business…
A professional headshot is a necessary means for San Francisco Bay Area doctors to enhance their image while promoting their practice. Every physician has made a significant personal contribution of time and money into their careers. The nominal investment in having a professional photographer take your headshot pays dividends many times over the investment.
There are many uses for, and several reasons why, every San Francisco Bay Area doctor needs a high quality, professional headshot.
- Establishes a professional image with colleagues and prospective patients
- Makes a consistent and positive first impression
- Immediately presents you at your professional best
- Provides an additional element to online profiles
- Conveys a message of capability, confidence, experience, and trustworthiness
- Used as an enclosure with public relations folders, community event materials
- Promotes internal awareness with colleagues and staff
- Used for medical or clinical conferences or association meetings
- Personalizes, reflects personality and extends rapport
- Reinforces your reputation and your personal brand
- Showcases an individual’s personality
- Used as support for resumes and prospective employment opportunities
- Used in print and broadcast media
- Used online via social media, website, blog, advertising
- Useful with news releases, announcements, reports to stakeholders
- Accompanies author bio for publications and used in speaker/speaking event announcements
How to prepare for your professional headshot
There are many things to consider when preparing for your professional headshot. You will want to give some thought to everything from hair and makeup to posture and pose in advance of meeting with your photographer for your professional headshot. The most important tip is to relax and have fun with your photographer.
Think about what you are going to wear
Most medical professionals are photographed in a lab coat or scrubs. The white lab coat symbolizes professionalism, integrity, and the highest commitment to caring for the sick and suffering. That said, some doctors, pediatricians for instance, may shy away from wearing a lab coat if it creates perception issues for their patients. If you choose not to wear medical garb, keeping it simple in business attire is the way to go. For instance, a navy or charcoal suit for men are pretty much the gold standards for outfit selection for men. Paired with a simple tie and understated shirt, these color options are always going to photograph well. The same holds true for women; something simple – a business suit with a complimentary color pattern usually works best. It’s also not ideal to over-accessorize.
Shiny skin
A professional photographer will likely be using artificial lighting for your headshot. One of the downsides of studio lighting is that it will often make your skin look shiny or greasy. While some of that can be addressed through editing, you will want to take some steps to minimize how shiny your skin appears. Whether it is using a little concealer or foundation or simply patting your face dry, do what you can to make sure your face is looking its best. And be well rested!
Your hair
Photoshopping hair can be difficult, so you will want to show up for your headshot looking like you just stepped out of the salon.
Makeup
As with all decisions for your headshot, less tends to be more. You want the image to be a high quality representation of your professional self.
Glasses
It is up to you whether or not you wear glasses for your headshot. While wearing glasses can create a glare, it’s probably wise to wear them if most people see you in glasses. If you wear your glasses sparingly, you may want to consider not wearing them. You should do what most accurately reflects you professionally.
If you decide to wear your glasses, there are a couple of things that are really worth doing. First, make sure your glasses are good and clean and free of any smudges. Make sure your glasses have a good fit snug for your shot; you don’t want the glasses sliding down the bridge of your nose and covering, at least in part, your eyes from a clear view.
Your best side
It is important to share information with your photographer. If you have a “best side”, let your photographer know. If there is a particular feature you would not like emphasized in the shot, it’s best to communicate that to your photographer as well.
Relax
Have faith in your photographer and trust in their expertise for your headshot. Many clients come in nervously and need a little time to relax. Practice your best relaxation techniques so that you appear natural in your headshot.
Smile
Smiling can be a tricky proposition for some people. Trust me, it is easier than you think. The most important thing is for your smile not to look fake which is why it is best to relax. It helps to think of something funny that will bring out your genuine and natural smile. There are, however, decisions to be made: do you smile with your lips open or closed? Or do you avoid smiling altogether. Ask your photographer what they think suits you best. You can always select your headshot from a few options after reviewing with family and friends.
Don’t forget to look in the mirror
Lastly, don’t forget to look at yourself in the mirror before meeting with your photographer. So just give yourself the once over to make sure that you’re happy with the way you look – your hair looks good, your jewelry is properly positioned, your tie is straight, your lipstick is smudge-free, and, of course, there is no food in between your teeth. Then it’s time to turn everything over to the trusted hands of your photographer.