Dec
29
A New Year is all about redefining you, not reinventing. Are you looking for a promotion, a new job or to market your business to a wider audience? If so you need to think about the image you put forward. Think of yourself as a brand, how do people feel when they hear your name? Do they know who you are and what you do?
Follow these steps to help you build your personal brand:
What do you stand for?
Are you funny, trustworthy, creative, an expert in your field? What are your passions? What makes you you? What ever you stand for you need to define it and communicate it. Make a list of “key words” that describes you, what you are about and then use these to help you be more strategic in your communication.
Your Domain
Using your own name is important to build your personal brand, therefore branding your business with your name is recommended. Try and secure your domain name for your website or even a blog and make sure you use it across all social media platforms.
Your Personal Style
Create a style that makes you stand out from the crowd or create a signature look that communicates your “key words”, e.g. are you a creative designer or a confident business woman. Make sure you wear your signature look at meetings and in your business profile. If you are unsure where to start, I would recommend finding a wardrobe consultant that specialises in working with executives. Check out Gaye Moore on Twitter
Personal Brand Kit
Your personal brand toolkit consists of many elements, make sure they represent you & communicate your personal brand key words effectively.
- business cards
- websites/blogs
- social media profiles
- professional headshots
- email addresses
Communicate your Personal Brand
Now you have created a personal brand it’s time to communicate it to your audience. Be active online, create original content, join a network group, speak at public events and ask for introductions.
Best of luck with redefining your brand in 2016, if you need any help please feel free to contact me 🙂
Eva
#personalbrand2016
Nov
30
Women in Business Headshot
Blog / business / Couture Sessions / photography / Portraits / women in business Posted by admin
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So you have decided you need a new business headshot as the one you have just isn’t professional enough. Fantastic! Next thing to think about… what to wear for your shoot?
Keep it Simple! No, really simple. A headshot should be all about you, not your accessories.
Avoid anything high fashion as it will date your image quickly and you want to get a few years out of your investment.
What suits your body shape? Are you pear shapped, apple or even triangle.. (didn’t know this was a shape) .Try on different necklines as you may be surprised at what suits you.
Opt for solid colours and please do avoid patterns and the viewers eye will be drawn to your body rather than your face.
***If in doubt…. wear a solid colour, semi fitted v-neck top.
(high v-neck for smaller bust, a deeper but not too deep v-neck for a larger bust)
Have a look at some of our clients images here.
Oct
09
I have been shooting a lot of headshots recently for various business people & artists. Normally i get a call by someone needing a portrait quickly, something has cropped up and they need one asap. But i utterly recommend not leaving it until the last minute, go look at your profile today and make the decision does this image represent you, your business or the potential job you want.
Yesterday I was photographing Bobby O Connor, Chief Executive of Unijobs, and we discussed the importance of having a good headshot, not just for the self employed but also those who are looking for work. Here is what he told me:
The importance of a clear and professional image on social media sites such as Linked-in is not to be underestimated , particularly in the world of recruitment. Recruiters all too often make snap judgements on candidates with the old saying that a picture tells a thousand words coming into play more often that one might expect. Research has evidenced that society buys from the people it ‘likes’, hires the people we ‘like’, trusts the people we ‘like’ and in general makes the ‘like’ decision within seconds of seeing/meeting someone. Getting your picture right to present yourself in the most appropriate manner is critical to achieving that first impression. I personally was extremely pleased with my 30 minutes with Eva Birdthistle Photography – it was simple and quick and the pictures she produced were excellent.
Get in touch as soon as you can to make sure you get the images the best represent you.
Eva
Jul
15
3 years… where has the time gone?
In all the years I was an employee I never really thought i would be brave enough to go it alone. Then over 3 years ago with Shona’s Aspergers diagnosis and my Father passing away, i realised life was too short to be in a job where I couldn’t give my family 100%.
I first started with Marketing and Photography for creative industries, but soon after began getting requests for portraits. My first few were ok, they did the job. But i was hungry to learn quickly and develop a style. I absorbed as much information about Photographers i loved. Sometimes i got it right and sometimes i didn’t. It took nearly 12 months before i could honestly say i could see a style starting to develop.
When i introduced the Couture Sessions i knew this was the right path for me. I was getting as much out of the session that my client was. My creativity was flowing and i adored the images i was creating.
What have I learnt most in 3 years?
I have learnt most of all that every day has potential to grow and evolve my business. Every day i try to do something creative, every day i try to learn something new.
Always grow and learn not just from others but from what you do too.
Service is so important. Being a one (wo)man show it can be difficult to do it all and sometimes I make mistakes (eek) but i strive to do it better every time.
I have goals i set every year, i even have a 5 year goal. My path isn’t always straight and can take me off in other directions but i just re adjust my settings and move forward.
What’s happening in the Studio
I will be working more and more on Fine Art portraits for children, this is a passion of mine. To create works of art in their own right. Keep eyes peeled during the Autumn & Winter for these images.
You will see more maternity portraits coming through the studio. This is such an important time to capture, the quiet before the storm (hee hee).
What I have loved recently is the project i have taken on with my daughter to photograph animals. I am trying to teach her how to take a photograph… she doesn’t always listen but when she does she captures a wonderful image. I have even learned that i love capturing pet portraits, so much so we have introduced it to the studio.
As ever i love working with women, whether its for the Couture Session or for women in business. I will be working on an exciting session shortly, so keep an eye out for the results 😀
Click here if you want to get in touch. I would love to hear from you.
Eva
Jun
14
Like most small business owners, we tend to do everything ourselves. Designing, Production, Bookkeeping, administration, cleaner and sometimes even our own product photography. Thats great if you have a fully equipped photo studio but what if you don’t… you can still take great pictures with what you have.
Kate Ramsey of Fabulous Felt asked me recently to help tweak how she was taking her images for her etsy shop (please check it out, i love her scarves so much!). She was taking great shots but they weren’t representing her gorgeous colours properly and the clean up in photoshop was taking a little longer than she wanted.
She already had a great set up, with white backdrop and 2 contsant light sources, both pointing to the product. This creates an even flat light with a little shadow behind the mannequin.
the original light set up
We changed the set up be moving the mannequin forward, Light 1 pointing to the backdrop to eliminate shadows and Light 2 closer to the camera to cool down the “hot” light. We also made a few changes on her camera settings to make the images sharper and bring out the true colours of her scarves. This will also make the photoshop is a lot quicker.
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- the new light set up
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- Kate & her simple but effective set up
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- me shooting Kate & the simple change to her layout
Even if you have a point and shoot camera, there are a few changes you can make to improve the quality of your images, location, light reflection and sharpness. Give me a buzz to have a chat about doing it yourself 😀
Kate’s final product image
Apr
24
I’m always delighted to be asked to capture business headshots, and I’m often asked questions about what to wear, how the image should look etc. I’ve answered the most popular questions below and hope they are of use the next time you decide to update your business portrait.
- Your business portrait should be used to put a face to your business and reflect the industry you are in. For example, if you are in the corporate world then you should look professional and welcoming, if you are in a holistic business then your portrait should be soft and welcoming.
- Body Language: If you cross your arms make sure you are smiling. When you close off your body it looks like you’re not approachable, by smiling you can look professional and open.
- Business or casual? What you wear should reflect your business. What would you wear meeting a client for the first time? Your business headshot is more than likely the first impression they will get of you, so make sure it’s a good one!
- What to wear? Keep your style simple and avoid high fashion and anything seasonal clothing (short sleeves) as it dates the image. Go for a look you know suits you. Opt for solid colours and avoid strong patterns. And if possible bring a change of clothes/colours to maximise your investment with a photographer, you might get a second or third image.
- Lastly, where can i use them? You can use it on your website, blog, business cards, social media, press releases, company brochures, marketing material, industry papers…. the list goes on.
