It seems like the whole world is on Zoom, especially in the past two years. For a while, we were all living our lives on Zoom, from business meetings to family gatherings.

No matter what you use Zoom for, I’m guessing you’d like to look nice doing it. I know I do. Here are a few simple things you can do to show up as your best self on your next Zoom call:

Pay Attention to Your Appearance

Be Aware of your Lighting

Manage Your Background

Look Your Laptop Camera In the Eye

Social media marketing is a part of pretty much everyone’s marketing plan now, and if it isn’t, it should be. If you’re not convinced that social media is where your ideal clients are hanging out, I’ve got a few statistics that might just change your mind…

• There are now nearly 4 billion users on social media

• 57.6% of the world (4.55 billion people) now uses at least one social platform

• Globally, there are 5.29 billion unique mobile users, which means that more than two-thirds of the world’s population now has access to a mobile phone

• On average, people spend two hours and twenty-seven minutes per day using social media

• 54% of social media browsers use social media to research products

• There are expected to be at least 3.9 billion people using social media worldwide in 2022 which is a 4.8% increase from 2021

For entrepreneurs and small business brands, however, having at least 3 images gives you more versatility for not only LinkedIn, but also your Google profile image, Instagram, and Twitter. Each platform is a bit unique and each requires a slightly different type of photo to maximize your connection there. Most people want more images so they can express themselves professionally and casually.

There’s a very small segment of the population who actually love to have their picture taken. If someone pulls out a camera during a party, they’re the one shouting, “Take my picture!” while everyone else groans and turns the other way.

The odds are pretty good that you’re one of the groaners, not one of the ones jumping in front of the camera. Most of us shy away from cameras as a matter of course. It’s why actually volunteering to have your picture taken during a photo shoot is so challenging (and probably why you’ve been putting it off).

I’m sure you’ve been hearing about “branded” professional photos. This is not a new concept, but in the past few years, what’s “acceptable” or “expected” in a headshot has changed. People are more and more creative, and their photos have begun to be more about expressing who they are than making sure they fit into some sort of “professional photo” mold.

As a branding photographer, I love this trend, not only because it makes the photos I capture with my clients more interesting but because it allows my clients to truly show who they are through their photos. Here are a few tips for ensuring your next photo is a window into your personality.

This is my 87-year-old neighbor, Gloria. We lived next door when we were wintering over in Apache Junction, AZ (near Phoenix). She loves to dance and makes her own dance clothes. She is whip-smart, quick-witted and we really enjoy her as our neighbor. I try to join her at 3:30 pm on her porch every day where she has a glass of wine, and I have a cool glass of water.

The number one thing you can do to change that is to find a way to stand out from the crowd with professional branded portraits. That means your personal brand is more important now than ever. People want to do business with human beings, and the more real and authentic you are, the more people will want to do business with you.

Since social media marketing is always visual, your first step toward putting yourself “out there” in a more authentic way is to get awesome, personal, branded photos that allow people to see you and see who you are.

The chances are good that you’ll be going into your next photoshoot fairly “blind.” That means you won’t necessarily know what poses you need or which props to use to get the best possible pictures.

You want to make sure the poses you’re choosing represent who you are and your brand and end up with the right pictures to use for all the things you’ll need them for (website, marketing, profile photos, social media posts, etc.)

Where you have your photos taken for your next photoshoot can make a huge difference in how well they turn out. Since I specialize in branding sessions, my number one priority is to make sure the location you choose puts your brand front and center and tells your brand’s story.

I love locations that take viewers behind the scenes of your business and show them what a typical day in the life of your brand looks like. This might actually be your office, if it’s styled and branded and has plenty of great, natural light, but not always. If you work from home, you might not even have an actual office. If that’s the case, we’ll need to get creative.

I often think it would be ideal if your best friend was an awesome professional photographer. That’s because, the more you trust the person taking your photo, the more relaxed you’ll be and the better the photos turn out.

Getting a great photo is about a lot more than the lighting or the background or even the equipment you use. All of those things are important, but I can tell you, as a professional photographer, it’s the energy and how well you and your photographer are aligned that has the biggest impact on how your photos turn out.

We’re really glad we spent a few days in Fruita, Colorado. It had a 26-mile bike trail along the Colorado River, which we rode and then ate at the infamous Hot Tomato Cafe. We had delicious pizza for dinner.

We checked out the Colorado National Monument for our evening drive and Dinosaur Hill where Elmer Riggs excavated big, huge dino bones in the early 1900s. They’re still admired at the Chicago Field Museum today. I probably saw them as a teenager.

Have you ever needed a photo for your blog post or LinkedIn article and searched Google Photos to find it? I’ll admit, it’s the quickest and easiest way to find that perfect image to make your content pop. You may even avoid any photos that have watermarks, knowing it’s not okay to share them without buying them first.

But did you know that not every licensed photo on the internet has a watermark? If your Google search leads you to a photo on someone else’s blog, for instance, and you download and use it without a watermark, it can lead to a huge headache for you if you’re not clear about the etiquette and rules around giving proper credit for photos you use for your content.

On my recent work trip to Virginia in March, I was interviewed for a local morning television show, “Virginia This Morning” on CBS 6. It was a little nerve-wracking, but also a blast!

During the interview, I shared with Jessica Noll my top 6 tips for getting you the Perfect Picture of Yourself. These are all simple and guaranteed to make a difference in your next photo shoot.

Having your picture taken is something virtually everyone (especially every woman) I’ve ever worked with has expressed some level of anxiety around. It’s an emotional thing to do (even for me).

It seems like all of my insecurities come straight to the forefront when I step in front of a camera and I’m plagued with negative self-talk about my hair, my face, my body, my wardrobe, you name it.

If that happens to you as well and you’re not careful, those voices can be so loud they become overwhelming and they shut you down (exactly the opposite of how you want to show up to get authentic, beautiful photos that allow the real you to shine through).

I’m here to tell you that those voices are liars. I’m here to tell you that you matter.

Let me repeat that for those in the back who may still be hiding behind their hands, afraid to “smile for the camera.”

❤️ You matter ❤️

Client attraction requires trust

It’s easier for potential clients to trust you when they see a professional photo of a confident, authentic person smiling at them from your social media profile. Good branded photos capture exactly who you are and what your business represents.

The number one thing you can do to change that is to find a way to stand out from the crowd. That means your personal brand is more important now than it’s ever been. People want to do business with human beings, and the more real and authentic you are, the more people will want to do business with you.

Since social media marketing is always visual, your first step toward putting yourself “out there” in a more authentic way is to get awesome, personal, branded photos that allow people to not only see you but, more importantly, to see who you are.

Chances are good there are some areas of your online branding that you just sort of take for granted. If you’ve worked with a branding expert, “personal brand” is probably something you’ve checked off of your “to-do” list.

That’s fine for most elements of your brand (like your logo and signature brand colors and fonts that you use consistently online), but there’s one area where you need to continually stay up to date. Your headshots.

I get it. When you created your brand, you probably invested in professional headshots. Isn’t that also “done?” Probably not. Your personal image and how you look are the one part of your brand that’s constantly changing. Old headshots can hurt your brand. Outdated photos show a lack of investment in your business and damage your credibility with current (and more importantly, potential) clients.

If you use speaking as part of your personal brand, you’re an expert at showing up and connecting with your audience live (either in person or virtually). That’s great once you’re actually in front of people, but in order for your brand to reflect who you are as a speaker, you need still photos that capture the essence of your speaker persona.

You want your branding images to make people feel like they’re already part of the conversation you have with your audience from the stage. Without these photos, your dynamic speaker personality won’t come through to potential booking agents or clients who are looking for exactly what you deliver from the stage.

Key Reasons to Keep Your Headshots Updated

Here are some recommendations and reasons to make sure your headshots are always updated and on point for your brand:

• Ideally, you should update your professional images every one to three years. NEVER use a photo for your business that’s more than three years old

• Professional photos are a must if you’re doing business online. No matter how great you look in a candid, amateur shot, there is no substitute for professional-looking images when it comes to your business brand.

• Not only do your looks change over time, but so does your life experience. A good photographer will make sure your personality and interests shine through in your headshots. The only way to ensure these reflect who you are NOW (and not who you were ten years ago), is to have updated professional photos taken.

• An up-to-date anchor image (or headshot) that you love and are proud of builds your confidence, which is also a huge business asset. I've seen my clients put themselves out there more often once they’ve gotten images they’re proud of.

• Photos that are updated regularly are a clear indication that you’re active and engaged with your business, something potential clients want to know and is looking for.

Happy February! It’s been an awesome few weeks down here in the Arizona desert. In between working with new clients, my husband and I found time to attend “Quartzsite RV Show” a few weeks ago. If you saw the movie “Nomadland” this should ring a bell.

Every January, as many as 750,000 to 1,000,000 people (mostly in RV’s) converge on the sleepy little desert town of Quartzsite, located just 20 miles east of the California border on Interstate 10, for the rock, gem, and mineral shows and numerous flea markets. The main attraction, though, is the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show. This phenomenon started over 40 years ago and is now billed as “The Largest Gathering Of RVers in the World.”