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.

10 Tips: Time Management and Organization

The issues of time management and organization are the twin demons that plague most writers. We generally have lots of papers, lots of great ideas and no time in which to get everything done that we'd like. So, to help us all out, we've got some great tips on each from Boston columnist Penelope Trunk and workflow consultant Matthew Cornell. (Found via Lifehack.org)

5 Ways to Stop Being Late, from Penelope Trunk

Schedule the event into your calendar. I discovered I had enough on my schedule to last 48 hours a day. It would have been impossible for me to be on time for anything.

Practice saying what you need to say. Here’s a great thing to say: “Excuse me, I hate to cut you off, but I have an appointment.” It is hard to cut someone off, but they will respect you for sticking to a schedule.

Be a time pessimist. Assume everything will take a little longer than your first estimate.

Prioritize. Face the reality that you cannot get your whole list done. Figure out what’s most important and just get that done.

Be honest with yourself. Often, we are scared to make the decisions that we must make in order to get control over our time and become someone who runs on schedule. But there is no other way to run a life. To run on schedule is to plan the life you want to live and execute that plan.

5 Filing Hacks, from Matthew Cornell

File Bookmark
When you pull a file, simply lift up the file behind it a few inches and let the remaining files in front of that one lean back. You’ll find they keep the bookmark file up above the rest until you’re ready to return the pulled file.

Fold Crease
Have you ever noticed that set of horizontal creases at the bottom of most file folders? Guess what - they’re amazingly useful! When you have a file that’s grown to more than a dozen or so pages, it starts to bow outward, messing up your nice filing drawer. Terrible! To fix the problem, simply open the file flat on your desk, choose a crease that will give you enough extra room, fold the crease, and - bingo - neat, expanded file.

Staple, Don’t Clip
To keep your files as thin as possible, replace paper clips with staples. For thick bundles that you don’t want to staple, you might prefer the so-called “ideal clamps” (such as these) rather than paper clips.

Unfold Before You File
This one is real simple: To keep files thin and make easier future perusals, always unfold any papers before you file them. Also, take them out of the envelope if you feel the need to keep it (staple it to the pages if you like.)

Magnetic Bookend
Trying to keep files condensed and neat? Try one of these magnetic bookends. You can adjust them easily, and they help things stay put.