Madison’s headshot.

Skilled hands and a grounded presence are paramount in the world of medicine. That’s where Madison, one of our most recent clients, is venturing with her life. She is currently heading into her residency. With her love for working with her hands, she wants to end up somewhere in the field of surgery. In order to put her best foot forward with her residency applications, she came to us for a professional headshot.

From the moment Madison stepped into the studio, her body language communicated authenticity and grace. Her warm, easy-going nature and smile - which reminded me of the beloved character Winnie from The Wonder Years - exuded a sense of approachability and professionalism. Her personality, coupled with her choice of a classic navy blazer in a modern cut and paired with a minimalistic ivory satin blouse and simple gold necklace provided cohesion to the personal brand Madison wanted to exemplify. By avoiding distractions in her clothing choices, the focus remained on her captivating gaze, which mirrored her determination and enthusiastic dedication to her craft. These elements helped highlight her refined elegance and would, most certainly, appeal to her industry directors. The resulting headshots beautifully portrayed her as a skilled professional with a commitment to excellence and a strong desire to build trust with her employers, peers and future patients.

Madison's headshot session was a true reflection of her unique qualities and aspirations. With her grounded presence, love for working with her hands and warm demeanor, she epitomizes the ideal candidate for surgical residency. As she ventures further into the world of medicine, Madison's headshots will serve as a visual representation of her remarkable qualities and inspire confidence in those she encounters along her path of healing and care.

I am feeling so guilty!

My old headshot.

I’ve recently started utilizing LinkedIn to connect with more people. You know, build my network and such so I can meet more amazing small business owners and professionals like you! Now, as a professional headshot and small business photographer, one might think I am constantly up to date with my own branding photographs and headshots.

[Nervous laugh]

Vulnerable truth? I’m not.

I’ve had the same headshot on my LinkedIn profile for a few years now. I love that headshot. As much as I love it though, so much has happened professionally in the three years since I changed it.

I’ve moved to a new studio.
My brand voice has shifted slightly.
I wear different styles of professional clothes now.

On a personal note, I’ve changed physically too. I have a new scar on my forehead, more freckles, more weight, a filed tooth. I look more mature.

I’ve let my headshot stay because I like it so much. It feels fresh and happy and a bit wild. So, whenever it came to changing my headshot out, I easily told myself I could wait a little longer - wait until I lost a little weight, learned how to style the right side of my hair, found a shirt in my favorite shade of green that didn’t make me look chesty, felt more rested. I had all the reasons.

I’ve been in plenty of behind the scenes captures from my team and social media clips but those were all of me working. That extra action of having a task to do inside of the photograph served as a safety blanket. It’s been a long time since I’ve had photographs of me that are a true portrait - where the content of the photograph is the totality of who I am.

That kind of vulnerability is intimidating.

Well, I finally did a session for myself with a good friend - (because we’re working on something really, really awesome together and we needed photographs to share our collaboration!) ! I embraced myself as best I could, taking time to breathe, shake the nerves out of my arms, mentally encourage myself and let my walls down, I acknowledged that I wasn’t going to like every photograph of me but had the goal to be authentic. Because, so long as I was authentic, I would enjoy seeing Me and I know that the people I love most in life are the ones who see the person behind the body. So, if I could see Me, I knew others would see Me.

It was refreshing to treat myself this way but also incredibly nerve-wracking. My self confidence isn’t at a high point right now and I didn’t want to battle my inner critic. But I did it. I did it and I’m proud of myself for the inner work I had to do to show up fully me. In the end, there were some not-so-great images to cull out but, there were a surprising amount of photographs I did like!

This whole process of photographing myself made me all the more sensitive to how some people may feel when they have their photograph made. It truly hugs my heart that you trust me to photograph you - especially if you’re like me and don’t like having your photograph made.

Thank you. I am so grateful for your trust!

Who knew that updating my LinkedIn headshot would be such an important opportunity for growth?? Certainly not me. It was a rollercoaster of emotions - from guilt and hesitation to vulnerability and self-empowerment. I both hated it and loved it. I am glad to have experienced my own growth and heightened my sensitivity to the feelings of others who may share similar discomfort with being photographed. I am deeply grateful for the trust that others place in me as a photographer and appreciate the opportunity to capture the essence of those I work with.

The guilt is now lifted. My LinkedIn profile reflects the current me – a slightly less traditional version, but one that feels genuine and empowering. So, to everyone who, like me, might have been postponing updating their headshots, I encourage you to embrace your authenticity and take that step. It's worth it!

And if we haven't connected yet or you simply want to see what my fresh new LinkedIn profile looks like check it out! Make sure to send me a request while you’re there. I’d love to keep in touch with what you’re up to!

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with Joan creating personal branding portraits for an upcoming talk she was giving with a peer. While Joan holds an esteemed position in her field, she was struggling with her image. Her peer, whose photographs would be next to hers on all the marketing material for the event and who would, of course, be standing on stage with her - in a word - polished. While Joan knew that her personality was different than her peer’s, she still felt like she wouldn’t measure up to her peer's pristine appearance. Determined to feel like she belonged beside her companion both in her own eyes and the eyes of the audience, she decided to invest in portraits that would elevate her presence while building her confidence, helping her feel like a true equal.

Often, when I speak with someone and they are vulnerable with their insecurities, I anticipate body language that matches the mindset. Body language is more of an opportunity than an issue, as I know we can work together to establish an authentic, confident presence. As we began Joan’s session, however, I was immediately struck by her poise. She exuded confidence - in every angle and expression. I was a bit baffled, wondering if I’d accidentally mislabeled my consultation notes. The empowered woman I saw before me was nothing of what I expected. She effortlessly settled into herself.

Bemused and smiling, I showed Joan the photographs on the back of my camera commenting on how stunning and confident she was, expressing how assuredly she moved. She couldn't believe it. She looked at the photographs with a mix of relief and disbelief, exclaiming, "Really?! That's a relief. I feel so fake and vulnerable." It was a moment that spoke volumes.

Imposter syndrome is a sneaky creature that affects so many high-achieving individuals, regardless of their talents and success. We all have moments when we compare ourselves to others, thinking we fall short. But here's the thing—we rarely know the full story behind someone's seemingly perfect image. We don't see the struggles, the doubts, and the insecurities they may be grappling with. We're all on our own unique journeys, and it's essential to remember that.

So, as Joan smiled in front of my camera, I couldn't help but admire her tenacity and determination to overcome her self doubt. She was a reminder that true beauty and strength come from embracing our potential, not belittling it; from seeing who we are and what we have to offer and moving towards being the best of ourselves despite what insecurities may be gnawing at us. It's about recognizing our worthiness, celebrating our accomplishments, and showing ourselves some much-needed compassion.

In the end, Joan’s portraits showed a woman who was resolutely overcoming her doubts and fears. They were a testament to her journey and a reminder to us all that we can have success in every opportunity that comes our way if we allow ourselves. Each of us has our own unique brilliance and inner strength, waiting to be discovered and shared with the world. Embrace your confidence, embrace your authenticity, and embrace the beauty of your own remarkable journey. It is through embracing our true selves that we shine the brightest.

With a laugh and mischievous grin, Martha looked across the table at me “Do you know someone called me disarming?” Her smile grew. “I didn’t know what to think when they said that but they finally explained that they see me as someone who easily takes down [people’s] walls.” After knowing Martha for almost a year, I had to agree. She’s someone who you instantly relax around and want to share a sweet tea with, sitting in rocking chairs on a front porch staring at the humming birds that are frequenting the bushes along the railing. At the same time, however, Martha is as professional as professional gets. She cares deeply for the clients she serves through SpotOn, only wanting them to have the helpful tools at their disposal.

Not too long ago, Martha and I got together to plan out her headshot session. “I want two photographs - one that shows my serious side and another that reflects a not-so-serious Martha. I need to look professional but I like how I look when I laugh and smile.”

“I need to look professional but I like how I look when I laugh and smile.”

— Martha C.

To best serve her needs, I decided to take a few contemporary headshots without her SpotOn equipment that could focus on her friendly demeanor. Then, I wanted to incorporate her SpotOn equipment so she could have personalized photographs that matched the content she shares online, to use in her marketing materials and for a unique way to stand out in her Zoom conference calls.

Since delivering her final headshots, Martha has been using them any place she can. She even shared that she’s never gotten so many compliments on a photograph of herself. I was with her one day when she was sharing about her new headshots to some peers in our networking circles and she began to tear up as she expressed her gratitude for putting her insecurities to rest. “The photographs are wonderful and I'm happy to have them, especially since I've been using the same single photo across the board for way too long.” 

It’s always a special opportunity to help boost someone’s confidence and give them an extra mental edge when they market their work using one of their new headshots. It’s even sweeter when we get to work with people we know and get to see the continuing results!