In the digital age of real estate, a dynamic, professional headshot isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s an absolute must. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran looking to refresh your brand or an industry newcomer eager to make your mark, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the art of creating exceptional real estate headshots.
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Why do you need real estate headshots?
In the ever-competitive world of real estate, your professional image is a key component in setting yourself apart from the crowd. Quality real estate headshots serve as the cornerstone of your personal brand, acting as a visual representation of your commitment to professionalism and excellence. It’s not just a photo—it’s the first impression potential clients have of you, and in a field where trust and credibility are essential, this impression matters immensely.
Your real estate headshots extend far beyond your business card. In today’s digital-driven market, your online presence is a crucial aspect of your marketing strategy. From your real estate website and LinkedIn profile to your property listings, your headshot communicates your professional identity, underscoring your credibility and approachability. It becomes the face that clients associate with your name, building a sense of familiarity and recognition.
A great headshot also plays a significant role in your broader branding strategy. By providing a consistent image across all marketing channels, your headshot helps solidify your brand identity, making you more memorable in the minds of potential clients.
A well-done headshot also allows you to attract your ideal client. By tailoring your image—whether it’s approachable, sophisticated, or confident—you can appeal to your target demographic and increase the likelihood of connecting with the clients best suited to your expertise. In essence, your headshot is more than just a photo—it’s a powerful marketing tool that should not be overlooked.
How to get started on your real estate headshots
From working with a professional photographer to nailing down the right location and outfit, below is everything you need to know to capture a photo that best represents your brand.
Hire a professional photographer
The first step to capturing effective real estate headshots is finding the right professional photographer. An experienced photographer will not only bring out the best in you visually, but they’ll also understand how to portray your personality and professionalism through the lens. Take time to review portfolios, read reviews, and conduct interviews before settling on your chosen professional. Remember, the aim isn’t just to capture a photo—it’s to create an image that represents your brand.
Schedule time to align on details for the photoshoot
After you’ve found a photographer whose work matches your brand, see if you can schedule a time to talk about your goals and intentions for the photos. Here are a few things to chat about with your photographer before the day of the photoshoot:
- Your brand: Explain your personal brand, your target audience, and what message you want your headshot to convey. Share your professional goals and how you see your headshot contributing to these.
- Style preferences: Discuss the style and look you prefer for your headshot—casual, formal, approachable, authoritative, etc. Bring examples of headshots you like to give your photographer a clear idea of your preferences.
- Location: Discuss potential locations for the shoot. Share with them why you’ve chosen a particular spot and ask for their professional input.
- Outfit choices: Talk about your planned attire, including colors and styles. Ask for their advice on what looks best on camera, especially in your chosen location.
- Hair and makeup: If you plan on having a professional hairstylist or makeup artist on set, let your photographer know. They may have suggestions or preferences based on lighting and background.
- Pose ideas: Ask for guidance on posing. A good photographer will have insights on how to pose naturally and in a way that flatters you and conveys your brand message.
- Timeline: Discuss the expected timeline for the shoot, from start to finish, including setup and breaks. You should also talk about the timeline for post-production and when you can expect the final images.
- Image usage: Make sure to discuss where and how you intend to use the photos (website, social media, print materials, etc.) to ensure they provide the appropriate formats and resolutions.
- Post-production: Talk about the level of retouching that will be included and what the process will be for selecting and receiving the final images.
Addressing these topics before the day of the photoshoot will help ensure that you and your photographer are on the same page, ultimately leading to headshots that accurately represent you and your real estate brand.
Find a beautiful location for your professional photoshoot
The backdrop for your headshot is more than just scenery—it’s a narrative element that contributes to your professional story. When scouting locations, consider spaces that align with your brand image. Are you a luxury home specialist? A chic downtown office or an upscale residential property might be suitable. Do you focus on rural properties? A beautiful outdoor setting might communicate your expertise.
Location ideas
There are tons of locations that lend themselves well to beautiful, professional real estate headshots. Here’s a few that could work well for your photoshoot:
- Your office. A professional setting with a clean, modern aesthetic can convey your dedication and commitment to your work.
- Cityscape. If you work primarily in an urban setting, a cityscape or skyline backdrop can underscore your area of expertise.
- Local landmarks. If there’s a well-known local landmark or iconic location in your area, consider it for your shoot location. It can subtly communicate your knowledge of and connection to the area.
- In a home. Pose in an elegant home, condominium, or apartment that you’re representing or is reflective of the type of properties you typically handle. This gives potential clients a direct look at your field.
- A co-working space. These modern, trendy environments can make for great professional backgrounds and are particularly relevant if you work with a lot of entrepreneurs or remote workers.
What to wear in your real estate agent headshot
Your attire should reflect the level of professionalism you bring to your work. Solid, neutral colors work best on camera. Avoid busy patterns and overly trendy styles that will date your photo. Keep accessories minimal and tasteful. Remember, you want potential clients to focus on your face and personality, not your clothing.
Hair and makeup tips
For your headshot, you want to look like the best version of yourself, which means enhancing your features rather than transforming your appearance. For men, a fresh shave or neatly trimmed beard can enhance your image. For women, keep your makeup natural, using foundation to even out skin tone and a little mascara and lip color to make your features pop. For hair, keep it clean, well-groomed, and styled in a way that you feel comfortable and confident. If you can, hire a professional makeup artist and hairstylist for the day of the shoot to ensure you look your best.
Avoiding red/blood-shot eyes in your real estate headshots
If you have a full day of showings the day before your photoshoot or stayed up late working on contracts, you could be dealing with red, blood-shot eyes on the day of your session. If you have red eyes in your photos, the photographer might have to work overtime to edit them. This could leave your photos with an unnatural finish that stands out badly.
If you wake up with red eyes, use eyedrops before you get to your session. Many drugstore brands work well for handling the effects of red or blood-shot eyes. Many of them will even make the whites of your eyes even whiter. You can also talk to your photographer about the issues and see if they have any recommendations.
Getting rid of flyaway hair
Even if you feel great about your haircut and style in your real estate headshots, there’s always the chance you could be dealing with flyaway hair. You are probably used to flyaways if you have curly or fine hair. Your photographer might be well-versed in editing flyaway hairs in your finished photos, but there are a few ways you can handle flyaway hair well before you get to the photoshoot location.
You can opt for hairspray. To do this, just do a quick squirt of hairspray on your hair, no more than a second or two, and then style your hair as desired. Use a light hand when spraying since it is easy to overdo hairspray and make your style look stiff. Alternatively, if you have just one or two tiny flyaway hairs, you can use clear eyebrow gel over the offending hairs just before you step in front of the camera. The gel helps to keep your flyaway hair down without giving your hair a heavy appearance.
Posing for your real estate headshots
Good posture can go a long way toward conveying your professional expertise. You should practice good posture when sitting at your desk or standing near a city landmark. Slumping can express nerves or uncertainty, while a firm stance will display confidence to prospective clients. Still, you should convey a relaxed attitude. Looking tense or anxious will translate into your photos.
If you struggle to relax before your photoshoot, you can try a few things to unwind. Here are a few options:
- Meditate for a few minutes before stepping in front of the camera.
- Listen to professional speakers’ affirmation podcasts or self-development talks to hype yourself up.
- Talk to your photographer about how best to appear relaxed.
You want to feel your best and always present as professional in your real estate agent headshot.
Smile in the photos
It’s always a good idea to smile in your real estate headshots. Smiling makes you appear more trustworthy, confident, and approachable to prospective clients. Practice smiling in the mirror before your photoshoot. This will help you to understand your angles and know what pose will work well on camera.
During your photoshoot, the photographer will direct and guide you. Trust them, but don’t hesitate to speak up if something doesn’t feel natural.
After your photoshoot
After parting ways with the photographer, you should understand when the photos will be ready. Generally speaking, you should get your retouched and finalized digital photographs within a week or two, but many photographers can turn around real estate headshots even quicker than that.
Add your new real estate headshots to all socials and website bios
Once you receive your new photos in your inbox, it’s time to show them off. You should start by updating your digital presence with your real estate headshots, including refreshing your website. Consider adding new photos to your website homepage, bio page, and contact me page. If any other places on your website could benefit from updated photographs, add them there.
As you update your website and bio, refresh your social media pages with the new real estate headshots. Go through and update all the social platforms you have a presence on, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and all other applicable social media. Updating your online presence with your real estate headshots could take a few hours.
After you’ve updated your social sites, type your name into search engines and see if you appear on any other websites or marketing platforms. Make sure to update your real estate headshots there as well. That way, your profile is consistent across every platform.
How often should you update your real estate headshot?
You should look to change your headshot every time you change your appearance. After all, your photo needs to reflect who you are, and if a client meets you and finds that you look different than your headshot, it could create trust issues. If you change your hair color or try new styles, consider getting new headshots. If you rarely change your appearance, you should still aim to have new headshots taken every several years. If you enjoyed working with a particular professional photographer, work to build a relationship with them so that having your headshots refreshed is easier and more enjoyable. You may find opportunities to work together on other forms of photography for your real estate business.
Level up your online presence with Luxury Presence
Crafting the perfect real estate headshots is a fine art. With some preparation and forethought, you can capture a real estate agent headshot that perfectly represents you and your brand. For help with your online presence, reach out to our team of experts. We can guide you through all the finer points of building your real estate brand and help you position yourself as a true market expert.
