WRONG COLORS

An effective executive headshot should have a crispness and a snap to it. This photo doesn't. There are two different color problems at play. First, the light jacket washes out against the light blouse. There is no pleasing contrast. Rather than putting attention on Katherine’s face, where it should be drawn in a headshot, the blandness washes Katherine out. Because of the wardrobe choices here, the background is more interesting than the subject. And about that background - it is all wrong.

We're probably all familiar with the idea that colors convey moods or emotions. We've all been a little blue. Or occasionally green with envy. Paying for an executive headshot that looked like this should make you see red. Well, colors also associate with activities. Brown is a sleepy, relaxed color. It gives a sense of leisure. It works, sometimes, for family photos. It is not the right choice for a business portrait. Yet many photographers pull out their go-to brown portrait background no matter what.

In addition to being a color of leisure, brown is less forgiving of your wardrobe choice. Some colors look great against brown. Many look - well, pretty terrible. If you’ve dressed with care in your most polished and professional suit, the one you’d choose if you had an audience at the White House, or maybe just with your boss, only to find that your photographer uses a brown background that clashes horribly with it, that would be a shame.

It’s vital that every element of your headshot, including the background, works together to send a coherent, consistent message to your potential audience. A professional wardrobe against a sleepy brown background sends a mixed message. A background color that clashes with your wardrobe draws attention away from your face. It creates a subliminal confusion in your potential clients - and your window of opportunity to connect with a potential client is lost.