Photography by Nikki Cole
Jun 18
by Nikki Cole in head shots 0 comments

Should You Wear Accessories During Professional Headshots?

Accessories can make or break an outfit, right? The right necklace, earrings, scarf and even pair of sunglasses can turn a regular ensemble into one that wows. But, when it comes to professional headshots, sometimes less is more. After all, the main focus should be on you, not what you’re wearing. Earrings – A nice pair of studs can actually help to brighten up your face; however, anything much more flashy can actually draw the attention away from your face. Necklace – The goal with a necklace is to not intersect with the neckline of your top. It should be shorter than that. If you really want to wear a necklace, where something with some substance to it so it adds to the photograph, such as a nice set of pearls. Scarves – A scarf can end up looking bulky in a photograph; however, if this is a part of your signature brand look, by all means bring it along. Sunglasses – Generally speaking, we want to see your eyes in your photograph so it’s best to leave your sunglasses at home. Tie – Ideally, your tie will match or compliment your outfit without drawing the attention away from your […]
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Jun 04
by Nikki Cole in head shots 0 comments

Makeup at a photography session

Makeup. Do I apply darker Makeup? More Makeup? Less Makeup? How Do I Know? The question of make-up comes up often before a photography session. Will the lighting wash me out? Will the lighting make my makeup look bad? How do I know how much to apply? The best tip I have regarding makeup and photography is to have a professional make-up artist do your make-up, rather than yourself or a friend who dabbles in make-up for fun. The reason is that light and the camera can either enhance a subject’s make-up or can actually make the make-up look worse than intended. Less is actually more. We’re not dealing with stage lights on a Broadway stage where you need to apply make-up a few shades darker than what you’d normally wear so your features can be seen by those in the back or balcony. Eyeliner – lining both top and bottom of your lids can actually make your eyes appear smaller. If you like the look of eyeliner, keep it to the top lid only. Foundation and Highlighter – Blend! And ensure you have a nice and even light layer. Anything more can make your face look cakey. Blemishes – […]
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Feb 20
by Nikki Cole in head shots 0 comments

Headshots – The importance of professional headshots of your employees for your website

Your company website showcases your business to the world. It provides a good representation of your products, services and it gives your website visitors a good idea of your company values, culture and people. Ultimately, a website is a great way to sell yourself to a wide audience and you can do this by providing a service or product. But, in order for visitors to trust your business, they often want to learn more about you. For most businesses this is done on a team page on their corporate website. This is your chance to show how your employees shine. This is your opportunity to give your web visitors an inside look at the people who are at the heart of your business. This is where you can showcase your professionalism, brand, values and vision. One of the easiest ways to do this is with photographs. Providing images of your key employees offers your web visitors a way to really get an inside look at the people who move you forward. The best team pages do a good job balancing professionalism with personality. Perhaps the image changes when hovered on. The first image showing a professional photo and the second […]
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Feb 05
by Nikki Cole in Corporate Photography Blog, General, head shots, Uncategorized 0 comments

Capturing Memories of Proud Moments and Accomplishments

You work hard and you play hard; that’s often key for a successful career. In fact, those same qualities that make you valuable in your career often keep you busy in your personal life: drive, commitment, and goal-setting.  So, it’s fitting that when you achieve a business or personal goal or milestone that you capture the moment. After all, you should be proud of your accomplishments.  When it is a personal achievement, often your clients will be proud of you too. Whether it’s running a marathon, completing a triathlon, finishing a painting, performing on a stage, golfing, or anything, your proud moments matter. Just like with corporate headshots, Nikki Cole is there to capture your personality with portrait services. A well-shot portrait does more than show people what you look like, it helps them learn who you are. It showcases your personality, your talents and your commitment. It’s good to think beyond a corporate headshot. A professionally photographed portrait or capture of your accomplishments stands out among the candid shots. The lighting, the feeling and the moment all come through in a way a cellphone camera just can’t quite capture. If you’d like your client base to learn a little […]
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Dec 04
by Nikki Cole in head shots 0 comments

Top 3 Things You Can Do To Make Your Head Shot Stand Out Among Others

The goals of a good corporate, business or portfolio headshot are to look your best, bring out your personality and of course, stand out among others. Nikki Cole is a professional photographer with years of experience providing professional headshots for businesses, professionals, actors and models in the Boston Massachusetts areas. Throughout her years, she has uncovered the best ways to ensure your headshot stands out. Beyond smiling, here are the top three things you can do to ensure your professional headshot does a good job sharing your personal brand story. Hire A Professional Photographer – Together, you and a professional can discuss the style of headshot you are looking for. Perhaps you want a clean, simple backdrop or perhaps you want to be outdoors or in an environment that showcases your work. A professional has the tools and camera to ensure proper lighting so you look your best. They will properly position you at the best angle. Smile With Your Eyes – A professional photographer will know how to bring out your personality and then capture the right moment. When being photographed, it is important to ensure your smile extends far beyond your mouth. What You Wear Matters – Avoid […]
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Oct 19
by Nikki Cole in head shots 0 comments

Understanding the Difference Between Portraits & Headshots

People often confuse headshots with portraits and while they’re very similar, there are some major differences. All About Headshots in Boston, MA A headshot is self-explanatory as it’s a close-up photo of the head and shoulders. This style of shooting is typically used for branding and marketing. You’ll often find these photos on the About Us section of a company website or on an actor’s profile. The main goal is to be able to easily identify the subject. Headshots are also used on social media channels, particularly Linkedin. One of the key elements of a headshot is that subject must be looking at the camera. Below are some tips on how to pose for a headshot: Keep your appearance simple Try to communicate with your eyes Have good posture and breathe beforehand Push your chin out Understanding Portraits in Boston, MA There’s a bit more wiggle room when it comes to portraits as you can select from closeups, full body shots and more. Additionally, portraits can include more than one person. Portraits usually aren’t very formal and are used to tell a story. The photographer as well as the model involved can make things more dramatic and involve artistic expression. […]
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Sep 14
by Nikki Cole in head shots 0 comments

Why a White Background is Perfect for Head Shots

Choosing a background color for your head shot can be quite tricky, especially for a corporate head shot. I always use white backgrounds as this is a tried and true method. A majority of corporate head shots actually require a white background. White provides a neutral color reference and it does not interfere with the person being photographed or other colors that could potentially be involved. For those who need print ads or online graphics, white is ideal as it can be altered to generate composite images. One of the major benefits of using a white background is that the shade and color can be adjusted with different lighting. White backgrounds also offer the least amount of distractions so you can really zone in on the subject’s beautiful features. Now with social media rapidly increasing in popularity, professionals are seeking high-quality LinkedIn photos. White background is perfect for this as it allows the client to stand out in the photo. You’ll notice many catalog prints and beauty blogger websites feature head shots with a white background. Again, this allows viewers to really focus in on the model. Whether they are advertising accessories or makeup, there are no distractions with the […]
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Sep 08
by Nikki Cole in Corporate Photography Blog, head shots 0 comments

When Would I Need a Headshot?

Those in the entertainment industry are already well-aware that a headshot is critical. If you’re trying to get auditions for acting or modeling, the first item to be looked at is often the headshot. Headshots aren’t just for aspiring actors and actresses, however. Businesses can really benefit from professional headshots. You’ll often find professional business photos on Linkedin as well as the About Us section of a business’s website. Let’s check out some other instances of when you would need a headshot. To Present a Professional Webpage If you’re going to be positing photos of yourself and your employees, your audience will know when you are grabbing photos from their social media profiles. By hiring a Boston headshot photographer, you are keeping every photo consistent. This means if you have separate headshots for every employee on the website, they’ll all have the same background and the same style of photography which makes the website appear cohesive.  Take a look at the Santa Fe Group site.  I shot each of these headshots, but one.  Can you tell the odd man out? When You’re Creating Multiple Business Profiles A headshot is ideal for Linkedin but you can also use it for your […]
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Apr 03
by Nikki Cole in Corporate Photography Blog, head shots 0 comments

Common Mistakes People Make When Taking Headshots

If you’re planning on taking a head shot, whether it’s for your acting career or company “About Us” page, there are several things you should avoid. Smiling Too Much This might be the first time you’ve heard that smiling can set you back but you actually want your headshot to be neutral, especially if it’s a headshot for acting. A neutral face means your lips won’t be tightened and your eyes will be opened wider. If you want to show off your pearly whites, go for it.  But then try a softer look to round out your portfolio. Hair in Your Face When you have too much hair in your face, it’s going to be difficult for people to see your gorgeous face! Same with beards, gentlemen. If you’ve shaved or trimmed your beard, make sure there aren’t any stray hairs. Distracting Attire Clothing that shows off too much skin is clearly distracting but so are visible logos and patterned clothing. Ruffled and messy clothing can often be distracting. Doing Your Own Makeup Leave this one to the professionals.  Skin and makeup can look very different under professional lighting.  It’s best to leave your makeup to a makeup artist with […]
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Mar 27
by Nikki Cole in Corporate Photography Blog, head shots 0 comments

Tips & Tricks for Corporate Headshots

Taking a headshot for work is much different than taking a photo for your company. Let’s explore some tips and tricks to nailing your corporate headshot.   Clothing for Men Wear clothing that reflects the level of formality in your company and profession.  This could be a suit jacket, nice dress shirt and matching tie or if you want a casual business look, wear a jacket and open dress shirt. You can always opt for a polo or cool Tshirt if your company is casual but make sure your shirt is in perfect condition. Avoid wearing a white dress shirt unless it’s under a jacket or sweater. If you wear a white shirt, sweat stains can show up which is quite embarrassing.   Clothing for Women A unique neckline might alter the shape of your face so bring multiple shirts to see what works best. If you are bringing a blouse, wear one that is darker than your skin tone. Your clothing should be seasonal neutral.  So you may want to avoid sleeveless shirts.   Jewelry Keep your jewelry as simple and small as possible, unless you are trying to make a statement with it. Your jewelry should enhance rather […]
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