Place your headshots in the no-selfie zone

Grant Hunker takes a photo of colleague Dave Jenkin. PHOTO: NATE WILSON

While there is definitely a time and place for selfies when it comes to your pest control company’s social media presence, headshots for media announcements about new employees, job promotions, and other news is not the time or place for “duck lips” or way-too-close-ups.

Alex Bello’s portrait was shot outdoors. PHOTO: GRANT HUNKER

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. In this digital age of social media, that first impression is a great photo that represents the professional you are. Therefore, have someone take your photo for you.

Truly Nolen updated its policy in the fourth quarter of 2018 to reflect just that. Using part of that policy and my decade-plus of photography experience — here are some tips on how to make your profile pictures for media outlets the best they can be:

• Wear your uniform or other professional-level clothing, be well-groomed, and smile. Our employees are required to wear a Truly Nolen logo-emblazoned shirt in all headshots, per company policy.
• Take the photo in a well-lit space. If that’s not possible, using lighting or the camera’s flash will help bring out the best in your headshot. Dark photos will simply never capture the same quality.
• Stand in front of a solid background. In some cases, though, good vegetation such as trees or bushes can add a little extra dimension to your photo.
• Aim for a straight-on or high-angled shot. These two angles most often capture people being photographed the way they normally see themselves. The last thing anyone wants to do is take a photo from an angle that will make the subject unhappy.
• Take multiple shots, then select the best one. This is the biggest advance we have made, compared to “the old days” of cameras that used film. There is nothing wrong with snapping five to 10 photos in a headshot session — and then choosing the best one with input from the photographer, your team, and the person being photographed.
• Don’t overdo the filters. When using a smartphone to take photos, you may be tempted to use color filters and color-grading apps. While these are good to use, refrain from applying a crazy filter that will not match the professional style of the photo.

We’re not totally anti-selfie…

Selfies are OK when they are not being used for local (or national) media consumption. In other words, if your tech is taking a photo of himself with his company truck in the background next to an ocean or some other picturesque scenery, using this photo on your company’s Facebook/Twitter/Instagram feed would be a time when a selfie is acceptable. In addition, taking a selfie with other employees for social media purposes while at an expo or event is fine.

That leads me to a group shot tip: It’s important to always maintain your company’s high standards, even during an after-hours event. Make sure everyone puts down their cigarettes, vapes, beer bottles and pizza slices before getting in the photo.

In addition, if an on-the-job photo is taken, it is important that nothing but the highest of safety standards comes through on the photo. If there is any hesitation because the person in the photo looks unsafe in any way, do not use it because you may damage your brand. Happy shooting!

HUNKER is manager of Truly Vision, the in-house photo, video and movie production department for Truly Nolen Pest Control. He can be reached at 520-322-4043 or grant.hunker@trulymail.net.