Top Headshot Trends In 2022
Headshots are an important part of advertising your business. Confidently displaying a friendly, professional image of yourself helps establish familiarity with potential customers and other industry professionals. Putting a face with a name creates a big difference in building business connections.
It’s likely that your intended audience sees a lot of headshots weekly or even daily–everyone has them and headshots are typically all taken from the same angle and distance from their subject. How can you ensure yours stand out?
An easy way to make sure your headshots are more eye-catching than the rest is to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in headshot photography.
Without further ado, here’s what’s hot in headshots for 2022:
Avoid a Boring Backdrop
COPYRIGHT_WI: Published on https://washingtonindependent.com/top-headshot-trends/ by Kenzo Norman on 2022-06-29T02:25:43.170Z
While there’s nothing wrong with the usual black, white, or grey background that you usually see in headshots, 2022 is about ushering in change. Utilizing a more lively background can bring more energy to your photo without distracting from the subject: you.
You can use any number of colored backdrops, or try a live setting like your office space or an outdoor area to add color and create more visual interest.
Use Your Office Space
Utilize the environment you work in every day as your backdrop! No need to worry if your office is on the smaller side: you only need enough space to set up some professional lighting, a tripod, and an optional chair or two. Using your office space in your professional headshots comes with the added benefit of working with a space you’re comfortable in (and shows your potential clients a little more of what to expect when they work with you).
Try a Nature Setting
You can never go wrong with the natural blues, greens, browns and greys tones of the earth around you. Nature has a way of creating the perfect canvas for you to use as a backdrop for your ideal headshot. Natural light is great for illuminating your features. Work with your corporate photographer to select a scenic location – even a picturesque space in a nearby park or courtyard is enough! Make sure there are no bystanders in the background and take a few shots outdoors for stunning nature-inspired portraits.
Black & White Edits
Black and white headshots may not be a new concept, but they’re a classic option for a reason: they really work. Black and white headshots can be striking if done well. The lack of color and the stark contrast helps eliminate any distractions in the photo and showcases your image without all the noise color can bring.
It’s also more likely to make you stand out from the crowd – it’s just different enough from the standard style your competition is using without looking out-of-place. The lack of colour can also convey emotion by showcasing a more serious expression or freezing a brilliant smile in monochromatic tones. If you want to be different without deviating from the norm too severely, going with black and white headshots could be a great choice for you.
“Candid” Poses
A little variety never hurt anyone. After you’ve gotten your straightforward shot, your photographer can pose you in a natural-looking way that offers a little bit more interest than the usual stare-and-smile option. You don’t have to pretend you’re a professional model – a little goes a long way to change things up in the headshot world. Maybe change the direction your eyes are looking, move your hands in a way that feels natural and mimics real-world expression, use an understated prop like a pen, or lean casually against a wall, chair, or bench.
Zoom Out (but only a little)
The old rule that only the top twenty-five percent of your torso can show in your headshots is no more. There’s more to you than your head, shoulders, and crossed arms. It’s okay to get a little more distance between you and the camera!
The trick here is to keep the extra distance small and make sure your face is still the focal point. Try to keep it all at waist-level or above so your features are still easily distinguishable – getting too much body in the shot dabbles into other kinds of portraiture and branding photography and will technically disqualify your image as a headshot.
Forge Your Own Path
The final trend? Break all of the rules (actually, most: remember the headshot rule above) and create your own trend! As long as your face is the feature, you can bend the guidelines. Try different angles and experiment with different backdrops and posing. It’s great to have the standard, straightforward photo on hand for things like press releases and your resume, but you can also let a little of your personality out and express your identity in a tasteful and professional way.
Ready to Book Your Headshots?
High-quality, professional headshots can’t be done by just any photographer – they should be seasoned and have plenty of experience capturing a wide variety of headshots. If you feel like you have an idea of what you want out of your headshots–or if you feel like you need a professional’s opinion–reach out to the team at Schmittat Photography - Corporate Headshot Photographer in London to schedule a corporate headshot session!
About The Authors
Kenzo Norman - Kenzo is a journalist-turned-marketer who is fascinated by how storytelling and targeted marketing can result in content that changes businesses. He is responsible for implementing inbound marketing strategies that help his clients raise brand awareness, generate leads, and gain new customers as an Account Executive. Jason enjoys reading on the beach, tracking down mono records, and playing guitar when he is not working.