Emergency headshot? Are you kidding me? Yes, these exist and they are 100% preventable.
No matter what your reason for having a portrait session is; if you want a dream session with gorgeous gowns, selfcare, hair and makeup done, or a full branding spectrum to show how awesome you and your work are and how you brilliantly stand out from your competition, or if you want a precious photo of you and your best most loving furry pal: I always make sure to get a kick-butt headshot in your session, and there’s a very specific reason why. Headshot emergencies!
It is not uncommon to hear: “But I don’t really need a headshot”, “Oh, this is silly, I don’t care what my business headshot is like, it’s rarely used,” and dozens more comments along these lines.
It’s silly until it’s no longer silly. Queue the panicked calls, emails, texts. “Mariah I NEED HELP!!…Can you get me a headshot today?!?!!”
How on god’s green earth could anyone need a headshot so urgently? That’s what I thought the first time. By the 4th or 5th time, I realized this was a real thing, and I am now determined to save the world from this particular emergency.
Anecdotal stories: a client came in with his wife for a maternity session, I had him sit for a “light test” (ahem, my sneaky way to get the reluctant hubby to sit for a portrait, your kid will love this some day, Poppa-to-Be!). He joked that it was completely useless to have a headshot and went on about how his field (engineer) doesn’t really need the for anything. Three days later I get the panicked call. Turns out his division decided to honor him in a publication they put out annually. And, they needed “a really good headshot today.” Whew.
This week, a worried parent needed a completely different crop, wardrobe, angle, and strict image size requirements for a senior photo. “Please please can you help?!” Woooosh, headshot by ME to the rescue.
The struggle is real folks. Make sure you have an updated headshot at all times, you never know when a villainous publication will come sweeping out of the ether to celebrate you! Or trickster school will give you new parameters. But fear not, I’m here to help.
Where did I put my cape?