The Headshot Collective
It’s estimated that at the moment, approximately 8000 photography businesses are working across the UK, offering many services, including headshots, portraits, weddings, events and commercial work. Clients often book with a makeover studio or a general portrait photographer when looking for professional headshots. While these may be great for some uses, for professional actors and business individuals looking to update their profiles, there may be better investments. The market is becoming more defined into niche pockets, which rings true more than ever across photography for both private and commercial. At the same time, many photographers are looking to “do-it-all”, from wedding photography to property images.
Those that are excelling the most are finding their area of expertise and mastering it. There are many advantages for a business specialising in a particular niche, but what does this mean for you, our client? In short, it usually means an overall better product for the consumer. Why is this? The main reason is focus and experience. For example, there is a reason why we go to an ear, nose, and throat doctor when we have an ear infection versus a podiatrist. Both are medically trained and entirely competent, but one sees this type of problem day in and day out and is more readily equipped to get the best results the fastest. It is no different from the world of photography and indeed, the visual arts.
However, the skills and even the equipment for wedding photography differ a bit from landscape photography as it differs from commercial headshot photography. A great wedding photographer has the expertise necessary to document your wedding day with their creative flair in the best way possible. On the other hand, a headshot photographer should be able to light, recognise and capitalise on your best angles and, most importantly, direct you into looking your best. The main mistake is when clients are looking to update their headshot and end up choosing someone who does not specialise in it. For example, a photographer who shoots real estate primarily looking to do headshots on the side will not have the same proficiency level as someone doing it constantly.
This can mean the difference between you looking less than your best and looking the best you can. For something that everyone online will see, why would you even take a chance on the former? To sum things up, we recommend that those looking to update their headshot hire someone who is a pro that specialises in this service. The difference will be evident in the end product. As a collective group of commercial headshot photographers, we specialise in providing individuals with a vital visual element to their brand. Whether a self-employed entrepreneur, actor, public figure or an executive within a company, your image will be doing the initial handshake for you well before you ever meet your business partners in person.
Our goal is to give you the confident yet approachable look you need to attract the best clients and elevate your engagement activity. It is our job to coach those who don’t feel comfortable in front of a camera to look like the absolute best version of themselves and be shown in a positive light and in line with the rest of their brand. For more information on any of the members of the UK Headshot Collective, follow their link. If you’re a specialist commercial headshot photographer looking to join our network, get in touch.