Photo resources

In the first post of the "Look Like a Pro!" series, I've rounded up some informative bits of advice from seasoned professionals, writers and non-writers alike. In addition to the talented and successful writers here, I've also found some useful information from real estate agents, publicists, entrepreneurs and web professionals. Enjoy!

Photo via Flickr
Inkthinker's Kristen King looks at the problem of unprofessional, overly glamorous head shots, and covers what a photo should say.

[Professional writers are] using their photos to further a point, to strengthen the message they're conveying with their site copy: "I'm classy." "I'm dependable." ... "I'm real." ...
They're all making writers in general look good by being professional and appropriate. So stop screwing it up! Take that glamour shot off your site and be a grown-up already.
You're better than that. We all are. (More)

Publicist Joan Stewart weighs in on the necessity of a professional photo, and gives a few simple tips.

If a newspaper or magazine … called you today … would you have a good-quality photo that you offer?

Most people don't.
…
Many of the bad-quality photos I see are too dark, out of focus, grainy, scanned incorrectly, or taken against a busy backdrop—often by amateur photographers... One writer gave me a photo that shows him with his eyes closed. A woman gave me a photo of her in a sleeveless blouse, with her bra strap showing... (More)

Longtime freelancer Patricia Fry gives the complete lowdown on using your photo for your website, published pieces and marketing materials.

Don't just ask a neighbor to take your picture while posing in the backyard. Put some thought into the image you want to portray and hire a professional to capture that image. Here are some guidelines to note when planning your photo shoot. (More)

Real Estate agents, like freelancers, also market and brand themselves. Real estate marketing consultant Jim Cronin chimes in on how your image impacts your professional pursuits.

If your headshot is unprofessional, then you look unprofessional. The world can be very superficial, and appearances do matter - people want to work with someone they feel looks "nice." (More)

Business columnist Penelope Trunk blogs about her own experience with a professional photographer.

I went without showering, I brought one, black, dirty shirt, and I had not slept well for weeks. I walked into the room and there were seven people there to take care of all the stuff I needed: hair, makeup, they brought clothes for me, they had a caterer, it was amazing. There was a person in charge of making wind blow my hair. And the photos were incredible. No one would ever know how crappy I looked. (More)

I recommend checking each post in full.