Should you have a traditional or modern corporate headshot? It really depends on what your audience 
values most.
That’s where the skills of an experienced corporate headshot photographer come in. While many corporate headshot photographers simply take your picture, more experienced ones can help you think through those ins and outs.
While your headshot does feature you, it has to appeal to your audience too. Imagine if you dressed up in your favorite Halloween costume for your headshot…what would your audience’s reaction be then?
That’s an extreme example. But your audience may run the other way if you take a headshot that doesn’t appeal to them.
So, what’s the difference between a traditional and modern headshot?
Here’s a few:
- Setting
Traditional headshots are often set in a studio. They could happen on-location too. But, the general idea is they have a controlled setting. Modern corporate headshots happen outside in natural surroundings. They can also be done indoors. But, they’re more spontaneous than their traditional counterparts.
- Pose
Traditional headshots pretty much use the same pose every time. You look directly at the camera, are at a 45-degree angle, and smile with confidence.
With modern corporate headshots, you don’t have a consistent pose. The goal is to make them look more natural and fun.
- Personality
Traditional headshots don’t have as much personality. That may be perfectly okay, depending on the type of business you run and what your customers want to see.
If you’re an accounting firm, clients probably want to see that you are straightforward, organized, and disciplined. If you took a fun, wacky, whimsical approach in the great outdoors, you might scare potential clients away.
However, that latter approach may be appropriate for a modern creative marketing agency. Neither way is necessarily “right” or “wrong.” One is simply more appropriate for certain audience types than others.
- Standing Out
One advantage of modern headshots is they do help you differentiate from the competition. In a business world with lots of companies, differentiating yourself from the competition is important. Traditional headshots won’t stand out.
Know Your Goals and Your Audience
You heard me say it several times in this post. You have to know your audience to get the best corporate headshot. In some situations, traditional headshots make more sense, while modern headshots work better in others.
Know your goals and your audience, and you’ll do well.