8 tips to nail the perfect profile picture
With fun examples 🤫😉
One of the first things I do with clients is ask them to show me their profile pictures.
No, I don’t want to see your cute dog, save that for Instagram.
Let me see your professional photo.
No, I don’t care about your significant other right now. Congratulations, on being loved.
Again, show me your profile picture.
Cute kids… profile pic. Sheesh!
Reputation management is kind of a thing, you know.
It’s the practice of influencing stakeholder perceptions and public conversations about you, your organization and the brands in which you represent.
First impressions determine how people interact with you or disengage completely.
Unfortunately, most people are hard-wired that way.
So, in a digital world, this digital gal curates her profile pic.
While discussing the topic with our intern, Kat, I asked to see hers. She didn’t have one. (Crickets. Mmmkay.) Well, let’s do something about that right now.
Right now, right now? She asked.
Yes, let’s go outside.
She was fresh-faced, no makeup. Hair was clipped back in a tight bun. She was also
sporting a uniform polo, provided by her internship placement program. We’ll tackle
wardrobe at a later date.
The office door swung open. Ah, yes, great lighting. Yes, diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but so is phenomenal lighting. Just as any selfie-snapping influencer.
Fortunately, Kat had me that day to help her create amazing looking portraits.
A few tips I shared with her that day are as follows:
GET A PHOTOGRAPHER IF YOU CAN
They’re in the business of making you look great. A photographer can recommend settings for the photo shoot. Position you to get your best angle – and make sure you don’t end up with blurred, out of focus photos.
But not everyone can afford a professional. Never fear – my iPhone 13 is always near. It’s what Kat and I used that sunny day.
DON’T USE A SELFIE
Selfies look like selfies. Despite your best efforts, you’d have to be a rock star selfie Queen like myself to master angles. Most amateurs have that surprised cat-eyed look or the dopey big nose look. Just hand the phone to someone else.
LIGHTING, LIGHTING, LIGHTING
Lighting is everything. If you stare dead straight into the sun, you’ll be squinting. No bueno. If the sun is positioned behind you, your face won’t be visible. Good lighting enhances your features. Bad lighting gives you racoon eyes and can age you – yikes!
So, try experimenting with natural light.
Face a window: Pull out your phone and look at how, damn, sexy you are.
Find shade: Find a spot outside without direct sunlight. At some point, all bright areas and shadows disappear. That’s your cue. Snap to it!
Golden Hour: The last hour before sunset is “Golden Hour.” Take advantage of the warm, soft sunlight which is hands down the best opportunity to take a pic.
KEEP SNAPPING
Out of 20 photos, you might – just might – get one good photo. Don’t feel bad. Just ask any professional photos how many unused (or bad) photos they have in their memory cards. Bruh, it’s ridiculousness.
USE THE RULE OF THREE
It’s a writing principle I live by. A trio is more satisfying than any other number. Same concept goes for photography. Pictures in which 1/3 rule is applied are more engaging and well-balanced. When you take a photo, imagine two horizontal and vertical lines that run across the screen. Position your subject (if that’s you) along those lines.
SHOOT YOUR GOOD SIDE
Personally, I think any side is your good side, but Wake Forest University says otherwise. In a 2012 study, researchers found that people consider others more attractive when in their pictures a left side of the face is shown. I’ll let you decide the reality behind that one on your own.
SHOW YOUR FACE
Please don’t hide your face. We genuinely want to see your true, authentic self. So, have fun with the photo. Smile. Laugh. Show your personality in a way that captures your true essence. Faces are a uniquely powerful type of imagery. In fact, studies about the psychology of images show that faces leverage a cognitive bias built into our brains.
Show us your face with your passion behind you.
DON’T SHOOT STRAIGHT ON
Everyone shoots profile pictures straight on. That’s boring. Tilt your head. Move the camera. Mind your posture, and then use angles, baby, angles. Have fun with this, trust us, you’ll have more fun if you don’t overthink your smile. Just act natural.
Fun Examples
