LinkedIn is a professional network yes?

Then why is it so many people don’t get that, or they get it they just don’t value it?

Let’s just get one thing straight, you will be judged by the standard of your photo first, prior to all your written content on your profile. It is the first thing that we look at regardless of whether you are a student or a CEO and let’s face it we have different levels of acceptance depending upon your status. Based on the evidence on LinkedIn, the value people place on quality profile photos knows no bounds, regardless of status. I have seen CEO’s with selfies showing their latest catch on their boat, and students who have just graduated with photos on the beach or at a party.

It’s a social network for working professionals, are you so secure with your status that you base no value on potential lost opportunities. Whether you are selling, looking for a new role or networking, the lost engagement opportunities and judgements made are damaging.

LinkedIn is no longer all about you and your career, your employer is now invested. When I first used LinkedIn, the company I worked for would not allow they employees to access LinkedIn during working hours, for fear that everyone had their head down looking to secure the next best role. 

Times have changed now employers have an interest in its employees looking professional and presenting well online because it reflects on the company. The marketing departments often do employer branding campaigns and want all employee photos to have the same look. They invest in a professional photographer to take photos of its employees to use on LinkedIn, along with incentives to encourage them to actually use it. If this is done well, most employees would be happy to use them

LinkedIn 2017 stats state that LinkedIn profiles with professional head-shots get 14 times more profile views. Studies show it takes one-tenth of a second for someone to make all the judgements about you based on your photo. 80-90% of that first impression is based on two qualities 1. Trustworthiness and 2. Competence. How are you going to win someone over in that time? Simple, engage with a professional photographer to get the right headshot. 

What does the perfect LinkedIn photo look like? Do you know? Best leave it to a professional who understands the criteria. Someone who is looking at visible elements, lighting, pose and posture, styling, background and colour. Someone who has the equipment and experience to coach and direct you through the process to get the best result.

The research is clear, it is everywhere online, good quality images speak volumes about your level of professionalism and are the key to making yourself appear trustworthy and competent. Put your best foot forward, stand out from the competition and represent your company in a professional way. It is 2017 and your personal and professional branding matter more than ever if you want to nail that crucial first impression and future proof it.

Contact me if you would like to discuss a headshot session with me.

My obsession with mother and daughter images

Anyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with mother and daughter photos. My obsession has evolved over the last 13 years alongside with my family. When my kids were small I was fascinated with mums with their babies, then toddlers and tweens. Whilst I have a tween of my own and love to capture that bond between us, I also think now more about the bond I have with my mother. My mother is now in her 70’s and when I look through my collection I find I have only a few photos with her, normally at Christmas when we are all dressed up.

When I am taking photos of mothers and daughters it feels like a very special experience. I look through my camera and see the clarity of the love close up, I feel very blessed and honoured that I get to witness that. I am not sure that my photos tell a story but they definitely support a narrative in time.

During these photoshoots it’s like an emotional rollercoaster, mums come in feeling highly nervous, and the daughters arrive with much excitement. After hair and make-up, the energy has lifted, both feeling and looking pretty amazing. Then the session begins, they are nervous again because now they are looking down the barrel of my lens, not in a mirror. It’s all ok, I coach them and calm them down. I bring the energy levels just where they need to be, so the laughter lines are reduced and the eyes are bulging with love. Everyone is now present and aware of the unconditional energy in the room, and that’s exactly what I capture in the photo.  

I imagine the mum’s just busting with pride “yes this is my daughter, look how gorgeous she is, and phew we all survived life, we got through it, and here we are”. I imagine the daughters thinking “look how amazing my mother is, she got me through it, she equipped me for adulthood, she is my rock and my idol, I can’t imagine life without her”.  All the in-between emotional noise we have to deal with to get to this point in life is kicked to the curb, this is what we are left with, unconditional love and gratitude.

We all know that this picture will change, people will no longer be with us. When someone dies, their branch of the tree doesn’t just fall off, their memory is not simply erased. They exist in our memory and continue to influence us always whether we have photos or not. But capturing moments and having them in our homes not only allows us to preserve memories, they also allow future generations to connect with our family history.   

So I asked myself, if I am so emotionally charged and passionate about mother and daughter imagery, why is it I don’t have many of my daughter and I or my mother and I?

Being the photographer in my household I tend to take the photos, or I grab selfies on my phone with my daughter. Lately I have been listening to the mothers in my life lately and asking this question also. I find that we are always making excuses, hiding behind the kids, too much weight, feeling old, not as photogenic as the kids. I laugh because the number of women I meet who say to me “I would love some new photos of me but I just need to lose 10lbs first”. Gosh, do you think when a daughter is grown up and looks for photos of herself and her mum that she will care how her mum looked in the photo? Not at all, all she will care about is that her mum was there and was present.  I imagine no daughter in the history of daughters has picked up a photo of their mum and said “gosh that’s a great photo only to be improved if my mum had lost 10lbs”…

So, in the theme of mothers and daughters, I am offering a complimentary mother and daughter photoshoot with a $100 credit towards products for anyone who would like beautiful photographs with their mum or daughter.

In the meantime, I am going to make sure that I get our photos done also. I am not waiting until I loose 10lbs or I have grown my hair to my favourite length.  I am going to bring myself and be present with my daughter and with my mother.  

If this is you or you know someone who would love such an experience, please contact me before December 23rd 2017 to organize your voucher.

I look forward to hearing from you!