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How To Get A Great London LinkedIn Profile Photo

5th October 2021/in LinkedIn Headshots, LinkedIn Photographer, LinkedIn Profile Photo, Uncategorised /by Editor

If you want your LinkedIn profile photo to show that you are a London professional then the best way to achieve this is to have a London cityscape as your profile photo background. The first way to achieve this would be to simply have your headshot taken with some London landmarks behind you. This is certainly the easiest way but this has several reasons why it can fail to produce a great London LinkedIn profile photo. The great British weather is always a factor and wind, rain and bright sunshine can all conspire to the headshot not working. The ideal weather needs to be a calm day with soft hazy clouds which as we all know can never be guaranteed.

The ideal weather for a LinkedIn profile photo outside with a London landmark in the background.

Another problem is that you need your London cityscape in the background but most areas of London are packed with tourists and business people who are not really interested in keeping out of your way and are more concerned with getting to where they want to be. This means a constant stream of traffic walking between the photographer and the subject. Also, the photographer is unable to set up and studio lighting as you need a permit from the local borough and an assistant to secure the lights. This increases costs and makes the process not viable.

Our solution to getting a great LinkedIn profile photo is that you come to our studio or we bring our studio to your London offices or home. We capture a headshot using our white background and professional lighting sets which gives you a high-quality professional headshot. Follow this process we then add a London cityscape in post-production. We have a photo library of London views around The City and West End and can digitally drop them in behind your new headshot.

Studio LinkedIn headshot captured with professional lighting and a white background

LinkedIn headshot with London cityscape added in post-production

How to pose for your LinkedIn profile photo?

30th September 2021/in LinkedIn Headshots, LinkedIn Photographer, LinkedIn Profile Photo, Uncategorised /by Editor

Tips and ideas on how to pose for your LinkedIn profile photo

This is not the most common question we are asked when receiving a LinkedIn headshot commission but it is the first thing we discuss with the sitter when we begin the headshot session.

If you decide you prefer to stand for your Linkedin headshot then do not follow the advice you were given as a child to stand upright with your chin in the air and grinning at the camera. It is much better to take a less upright pose as lowering the head gives a better view of the face and especially the eyes. We suggest that you stand at a 45% angle to the camera and then bring your head around to look at the camera. This stance makes you look more approachable and less confrontational. The LinkedIn profile sample photo below shows the ideal stance for your headshot.

How to stand in your LinkedIn profile photo

Most of our clients tend to want to stand up for their LinkedIn headshot but some prefer to be seated. We think this is because they feel more relaxed and this can help get a more natural and informal pose. This most common mistake is that when people sit down for their headshot they tend to lean back in their chair. Although they feel more comfortable leaning back has the problem of making them look less engaged and almost like they are withdrawing from the camera. We always suggest that if you are sitting that you should lean forward and this makes you look like you are interested in the person who is viewing your profile photo.

How to pose for your LinkedIn profile photo

When you first stand or sit for your LinkedIn headshot do not be afraid to ask the photographer for any suggestions on how to pose. It is very hard without a mirror to know if you have the correct stance and as you are spending money and time to get a professional LinkedIn profile photo it is worth asking for all the guidance you require to get a great headshot.

Further suggestions on how to get a good LinkedIn profile photo.

Five LinkedIn Profile Photo Mistakes.

8th September 2021/in LinkedIn Headshots, LinkedIn Photographer, LinkedIn Profile Photo /by Editor

Follow these tips to avoid making LinkedIn profile photo mistakes. Do not use your I.D or staff photo. This type of photo is normally taken on a poor-quality office camera and is only meant for identification purposes. It might be handy to snap a photo of your staff badge but it will not be helping your LinkedIn profile page and best leave it blank until you can get a decent business-related headshot.
Do not use a distant photo of yourself. A LinkedIn profile photo is approx only 4cm wide and using a full-length or distant photo of yourself means people will not really be able to see your face clearly. As the whole purpose of the photo is to let the viewer see what you look like this is not a good idea.
Do not use a cropped photo where you were in a group with friends. This looks so unprofessional and is often seen on LinkedIn. Normally people like a photo of themselves with a partner or friends but however you try and crop the photo you can always see elements of other peoples heads or arms. You want a headshot with a clean background and should be dressed in business attire.
Do not use a party or wedding photo. This is very common and we strongly advise against it. There are lots of good photos taken at big parties and weddings but your clothing and your surroundings are not suitable for a business profile page photo. Make sure you think carefully about what you want in your profile photo as using a photo that you think you look good in might be sending out the wrong message to a potential client or employer.
Do not use a selfie captured in a mirror with your phone. This type of photo is very common on Instagram and Facebook but not suitable for LinkedIn. They look very amateur and therefore you will appear not to have been putting much effort into your LinkedIn profile page.

Above is a good example of a professional LinkedIn profile photo with professional lighting a clean plain background and captured with a long portrait lens.

To avoid LinkedIn profile photo mistakes, follow our suggestions on how to improve your LinkedIn profile photo.

Tips and ideas for a great LinkedIn profile photo.

30th July 2021/in LinkedIn Headshots, LinkedIn Photographer, LinkedIn Profile Photo /by Editor

Your LinkedIn profile photo is the first thing an employer or client will look at when visiting your profile page. It is your digital shopfront and it needs to look professional. Here are some tips and ideas on what to do and what not to do.

Dress in your usual business clothing. Do not get overdressed or go out and buy a new outfit. You will look overdressed and therefore not like the real you. You want to wear your day-to-day wardrobe. Make sure it is clean and free from any creases or stains.
Have a natural expression. If you are the type of person that smiles all the time then smile. If you are the type of person that rarely smiles then do not smile in your photo. It will look unnatural. Be yourself it will work better for you.
Get someone else to take your LinkedIn profile photo. Selfies are not suitable for LinkedIn. They look amateurish and unprofessional. Ask a friend to take your headshot and do a few varieties so you can choose which looks best.
Be careful what is in your background. You do not want a vivid pattern or strong colours behind you as these will distract the viewer. Have a plain background or a business environment behind you.
Choose a recent photo. It is best to take a new headshot for your profile. You want it to relate to your current position.
Do not show your hobbies or friends in your photo. This is not the place for your interests. You can add these as a part of your CV in the profile copy.
Do not pass the photo through Instagram filters. You want the profile photo to look natural and original. Adding filters using any photo software or app is unprofessional.
Go professional and hire a LinkedIn photographer. It is a very important part of your business marketing so it is worth getting it done properly.
Get a profile photo that is taken straight on. Do not have it taken looking down or up into the camera. You do not want a creative or arty headshot. This should look realistic and business-like.
Make sure the profile photo is close up as when it appears on your LinkedIn profile the image is small. We would suggest that your face takes up over 60% of the overall area.

A selection of LinkedIn profile photos that show a variety of different expressions, poses, and backgrounds.