Instagram Stories For Your Business

First Impressions and Instagram Stories

As a small business owner, I think a lot about social media tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. I am sure you do too, especially if you’re in a field where appearances matter. (Hint: you are!)

This week, it seems the whole world has been busy trying to make sense of the new Stories feature on Instagram. I’ve been wondering: how can I best use Stories for my own business, and what advice can I share with my headshot clients about how they can take advantage of the new tool?

I am a big believer in highly polished images. It’s my job! As a headshot photographer, I preach the gospel of the strong first impression because that’s what I believe — and that’s what I know headshots deliver.

But all those perfect images can sometimes feel a little restrictive. Sometimes you want to let your hair down, let people see you in a more candid light. Let them in on behind-the-scenes moments.

This “backstage access” has, in some sense, always been the promise of social media marketing. It’s not about ads, it’s about moments of real engagement.

But there’s been a catch! On a platform like Instagram, the images in your feed have to do double duty: they are supposed to function as both of-the-moment “status updates” and as a permanent gallery showing off your best stuff to first-time visitors.

That’s a lot of pressure!

So I’m really excited about the new Stories feature on Instagram. Stories, bearing a shameless resemblance to Snapchat, allows you to post behind-the-scenes videos and images of you and your business.

You can make it as personal as you like. Include some family stuff—fans will be happy to see that you have a life and a personality. On my own feed, I’ve wanted to show a little more than just headshots, but I also wanted to maintain my account as a real time portfolio of my work. Now I can share some informal scenes from a shoot or a photography conference like Out of Chicago — images that I want to share, but don’t necessarily want featured as the first thing a prospective client sees.

These special posts will last for 24 hours. That’s it. You can keep it a little more raw without the worry of degrading the quality of your regular posts. And your fans get an intimate, authentic glimpse at what’s going on behind the professional facade.

What do you think? I’d love to hear how you’re using Stories. Send me a message @scottlawrencephoto!

Squinch For Your Headshot

You’ve heard of smiling for a photo. But do you know what it means to squinch? Peter Hurley, one of the world’s top headshot photographers explains it in this video.

I’ve studied with Peter Hurley. Believe me, this subtle trick is HUGE in making your headshot stand out from the crowd.

So study up! A great squinch plus some professional lighting makes for an unbeatable combination.

Remember, your headshot is your first impression. Drop me a note when you’re ready to work on your squich!

Headshot Makeup Basics

Good makeup is an important part of a great headshot. It deserves some attention.

As with everything else in life, there are two options to consider: do-it-yourself, or hire a professional.

(Note: This isn’t at all fair, but as I mention when I give headshot tips for guys, men can typically get away without any makeup. However, when women are photographed without makeup, the look can appear incomplete because it’s just not what we’re accustomed to seeing.)

DIY Makeup

If you’re comfortable doing your makeup yourself every morning, you should have no trouble taking the DIY approach for your headshot session. But note that the look you’re going for may require some adjustments from your daily routine, and it’s definitely not the same as your night-on-the-town look.

Check out this excellent post on headshot makeup, with basic pointers about everything from foundation to powder. They explain the difference between a “natural look” (which is what you want), and “light makeup” (which isn’t necessarily the same thing).

For a more extensive step-by-step tutorial for headshot-ready makeup, this post has you covered.

Hire A Professional Hair and Makeup Artist

While not absolutely required, I highly recommend you consider professional styling for your session. Clients tell me all the time how much they enjoy the extra pampering.

You can stop by your favorite makeup store or salon before your photo session (the links above will help you communicate the look you’re going for), or we can arrange to have a professional join us at the shoot.

Don’t Stress

I never want clients to feel stressed going into a session, so choose an option that feels good to you. When you schedule your headshot shoot with me, we’ll have a conversation to cover any specific questions you have and figure out what makeup and hair styling options make the most sense for you. Whatever you decide, we’ll have you looking your best! If you're ready to discuss some options now, just drop me a note and I'll be in touch.

Detroit Headshot Photography Coming Soon

Big news: We are moving to Michigan!

My family — and my headshot photography business — will be relocating to Detroit.

And soon! Our plan is to settle in the fantastic suburb of Rochester, Michigan, by mid September, 2016.

For more updates on the move, keep in touch via my email newsletter. If you’re in the Detroit area and would like to schedule a headshot session, drop me a note and I’ll let you know as soon as I’m up and running.

Chicago friends, don’t despair. I’ll be back in town from time to time, but if you’ve been thinking of getting a new headshot, let me know ASAP so we can get you in before the studio is packed.

We’ve had a fabulous few years in Chicago. I’ve made wonderful connections and lifelong friends. We're going to miss you!

And Detroit — here we come! I can’t wait to get started. If you’re a fellow small business owner or photographer in the Rochester area, I’d love to hear from you. What are your favorite local business resources? Restaurants? Bike trails? Coffee shops? Maybe I’ll see you there!

Thoughts On WPPI 2016

I just got back from WPPI in Las Vegas. It’s THE conference for wedding and portrait photographers and it was my first time at the convention. Reportedly, the attendance was around fifteen thousand people – huge by any standards.

For a few days, I attended lectures on marketing & branding, family photography, commercial filmmaking and lighting. In between classes, I walked the trade show floor with not one but two enormous ballrooms full of photography related stuff.

From a tech standpoint, the mirrorless cameras are on the offensive. Fuji is my favorite among the pack. Nikon and Canon have challenges ahead, but I was encouraged after seeing some the latest Nikon gear.

It was wonderful to see so much emphasis on print products – albums, frames, metal prints etc. Name a surface and someone figured out how to print on it. As a portrait photographer, it’s my responsibility to educate and remind the public about the power of a print. What good are the thousands of iPhone pictures if you don’t print one on occasion?

Remember the Polaroid? Check out the Fuji Instax camera – your creativity will thank you.

As a photographer, here are some thoughts on a couple of the deeper conference themes:

Branding

Personal branding is everywhere (not just in photography). As people like me leave the corporate world and hang out their own shingle, effective branding and marketing is essential for sucess. The way we entrepreneurs differentiate is through marketing ourselves – not necessarily the art we make or literal service we provide. Anyone can push a button, sell a house or sell you insurance. But it’s the story behind the individual and the experience that makes us want to buy.

Create Vulnerable Art

This is tough to cover in a few sentences, but I’ll try… As an artist (in any medium), we must be comfortable creating work that reflects our experiences. Sometimes we will offend. But by not sharing, we deprive others the right to connect with our work. Personally, this is a struggle for me, especially when weighing the branding issues above. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in building a finely tuned brand that we don’t show work that deserves to be seen because it might not fit in. So keep on eye on future posts for some different work...