Keeping it Real … Authentic

I provide my clients a list of questions to ponder prior to their photo session. We discuss their thoughts and answers before getting to work in the studio. Understanding what industry they work in, what their job is, where they’ll be using their photos, if they’ve had photos taken before, what they liked about them—and what they didn’t—helps me get an idea of what direction to take.

I also ask them to tell me how they want to portray themselves. What would they like the viewer to think or feel when looking at their photo? This elicits a variety of ideas, many of which are shared by most everyone I work with. People tend to want to appear confident, enthusiastic, honest, approachable, reliable, competent, interesting, successful… .

After working with so many different people and hearing their feedback about what they like about the photos I’ve made of them—and what their friends, family, and colleagues think—I’ve come to realize what trumps—or even better, supports—all these adjectives is simply authenticity.

An authentic person appears to have an effortless self-confidence that’s grounded, not arrogant. Authenticity makes people appear more attractive. We tend to trust them. It’s infectious.

On the other hand, it’s difficult to like or trust someone when you don’t think you know who they are or they’re trying to be something they’re not.

Marketing agencies know this. Authenticity is often a key component in marketing strategy. Over 70 percent of consumers reportedly spend more with authentic brands. Authenticity refers to the extent to which consumers perceive a brand to be genuine, transparent, and consistent in their communication and behaviour. 

So why wouldn’t that be true for you and your business’ brand?

No matter how you want to appear in your business portrait or headshot, let’s make sure we capture your authentic self. If a picture is worth a thousand words, they should be saying you’re genuine. Someone people would like to spend time with.