As a portrait photographer; I am a lucky participant in a much larger community populated by some of the most creative and talented people you can imagine.

As a specialist headshot photographer; I know that many within that community feel the work I do is comparatively uninteresting and monotonous.

And I get it.

While headshots can be creative, they’re not a style noted for their creativity. Rather, if anything, their consistency. While headshots can be artistic, they’re not really about the art. So for a community that thrives on being creative and artistic, headshots don’t really satisfy. With some exceptions of course.

It’s easiest to explain that, unlike for most of my peers, being artistic or creative was never a driving factor for me. I do not consider myself an artist. My passion isn’t creating art. It’s truthfully not even photography.

It’s what I can do with photography, a subtle distinction I know.

And headshots have something most other genres of portraiture don’t… utility.

That’s not to say other styles of portraiture are useless. They empower. They help us remember. But while other styles of portraiture are more often about art hung on a wall, headshots are more often a tool.

A great headshot will land you that job you want or need.
A great headshot will help you get noticed and find success in your life and career.
A great headshot will help you build a brand that inspires confidence and trust.
A great headshot will help you feel bold, motivated, and inspired as you promote yourself.
A great headshot will help you communicate who you are.

Yes, I admit, that headshots often lack in those artistic qualities that draw people to photography, but they make up for that in being genuine. A headshot is meant to be an honest reflection of real character… no fantasy, nothing faked.

They’re entirely about the authentic person, but even more then that, they’re about helping people grow.

When shooting portraiture I would often receive thanks for having helped my clients like themselves a little bit more, which is no small thing. I got to help people feel beautiful, handsome, confident, and that’s so important.

When I started specializing in headshots I still received thanks, but it went further. The first time a client explained that it was my headshot that got them noticed for the big role they wanted… or got them the job they needed… I was helping change their lives. Or rather I was helping empower them to change their own lives – and that feels really damn good.

I am not an artist. It’s not about the photography.

It’s about them… my passion is empowering people, helping people grow and find success… photography is simply the tool I use.

And it’s for that reason that I will always be drawn to the headshot industry.