The organizational geek that I am, I was spending some time tonight going through photographer's websites to get images of them to attach to their profile in my Address Book.... or so I thought!

I would venture to say that 50-75% of the photographer's websites that I went to didn't have a profile picture in the "About Us" section of their website (and I had to go searching on blogs - not even their blog - for an image)!!!

Dane Sanders in his presentation at Pictage's Partner Conference last month talked about how we as photographers are selling a commodity in photography, and that ultimately we should be selling the photographer and not photography!

I think he absolutely nailed it! More and more these days, clients want to be able to connect with your personally, and I think an important start to that process is having a great image of you on your website. (Amber even recently booked a wedding with a client ultimately because they liked her picture - she came across as "nice"!!!)

So call your photographer friend up, go out and do a little shoot, get some pictures on your website, and start selling YOU!!!!


(thanks to the wonderful Jessica Claire for this image!)

totally agree with you, we have one shot on a tripod. its horrible but with a seven year old that doesn't sit still it will do. Most brides believe it or not can't distinguish between our photos and styles much. They said I met with this person and their photos were like yours but he was very arrogant etc... its usually always a comment about the photog and not the photos much. So its a packaged deal they are looking for.

if you go to my blog, everytime you refresh the page, you'll see my smiling mug!

i've been preaching for a long time that it's all about selling the photographer, not the photography, that's why the name of my business is becker photographer, and not becker photography.

anywho... i strongly suggest putting a photo of yourself on your website. if you don't want to, you can always put a shot of me on your website instead!

We posted a picture of ourselves (it's only an inch big) on our blog about a week ago, and the very next day one of our clients wrote to us telling us how nice it was to see a picture of us on our blog. Thank you to our awesome photographer friend Rich Miller for helping us become more personable on the web!

I think that when people hire a photographer they want to hire someone they can feel a connection with. Having your photo on your website may help your prospect clients feel like they *know* you already since they've seen your photo. They will not be talking (or exchanging e-mails) with a blank face.

I've had my photo on my website since I started my business and will never change that!

Great topic Nathan!

If you're that bored I can drop off some stuff for you to edit for me

It's great to see this topic. I just sent the local topic for the Asheville Pictage group last night and this is exactly what we are going to be talking about next week! David also talked about the importance of selling personality at PartnerCon and got me really noticing how many photographers don't have themselves up anywhere. I know I am super self-conscious in front of the camera. The best photos of me are always with Amber - she's the perfect height with her p&s at arm's length. I actually end up booking weddings because I have photos of my dog on the about page. She's awfully cute! It is always amazing to me the connections that the brides make.

I'll see your photo & raise you a video.

VIDEO, baby. on the website. My intro video mini-merical has been the BEST thing I did for my website. SO much better than a picture ever could be.

And it seems my blog video about Diet Coke has almost a mini-cult following. I've gotten stopped in the store.. "you're that photographer who has ice cream & Diet Coke! I love that video!" and clients check my cup holder in my car before or after sessions for "the cup"

So do quick videos for your blog every now & then, too!

~Carey

Here, here! (Or...is it "hear, hear!" )

But you don't even need a friend (I don't have any) to take your picture. The pic of me on my site, as well as most of the blog / OSP avatar pics of me...were self-shot. Some of my funnest self-portraits were taken at 3 AM when everyone else was asleep and I was playing around in the studio. I have to find my "deer in the studio lights" shot. LOL

BTW -- back when I got in on the blog tag game and I humored myself by tagging about 25 blogs one night...I was amazed and somewhat surprised that there are a few people who don't even give their name on OSP or their blogs. I had to *really dig* just to find out who the mystery photographer was / is. (Perhaps I'm the reason they desire anonymity ...who knows...but it just made me wonder what a client thinks if they don't know the photographer's name 'cuz it's not listed on the blog....)

I agree about a picture. I have one on my website. But, the more I think of it, I should put a couple on my blog! Thanks for this reminder!

I also agree. Its one of the things I look for when I go to an "about me" page.

My Bio section has two large images of me. I believe potential clients want to have a good idea of who they might be dealing with even before making that call or setting up that first meeting.

Oh yeah... we got a HUGE flood of great response when we posted a photo of ourselves on our blog this summer. People raved about how "friendly" we looked!

I need to get one of you fine photographers to take one of me... I don't have any good ones lol. I'd like to get one up soon!

Hold your right arm out in front of you, smile, press the button.

It'll work til you get something better

Glad to hear these responses! Becker's site was probably the easiest to find a picture from!

I agree on the video thing too... I'd love to have video on our next site! Anything to allow you to connect to that potential client that much more!!!

OK, I'm convinced. I did it.
Thanks for the great advice.

Scott

HEY Nathan!

This is a great point and something I think alot of photographers (especially those of us just starting out) may not think about.
Keith and I are still butt-crack deep in learning everything and getting the business going that all we've had time to do is just say "yeah we really need to get a picture of ourselves up on the website".......here's the sad thing...the last pictures we have of ourselves together are our engagement pics and wedding pics you and Amber took 3 years ago! We thought about just throwing one of the engagement pics up for now ( only with permission and with credit to you of course) but don't know if that's allowed. Oh and there's also the unfortunate fact that we've both gained about 20 freakin' pounds since then and we don't look exactly like that anymore. BUMMER!!

Uhhh yeah ....so okay...didn't mean to ramble on there ...but yeah great point and we really need to get that done. Developing that close relationship with your clients is something all photographers need to learn and maintain.

Nema

AAAAAAAMEN! I put up photos of myself in nearly every blog entry... I've been accused of doing it too much... but, whatever.... I'm approachable

I can't imagine not having a photo of myself and my fiance on our website! It seems so obvious to me that your clients (and potential clients) would want to know what you look like! Duh!

Oh Bobbi! You are right, you are defiantly approachable!!

OK, I have had my image up on my website for a good while...yea! But, I have to admit that I have been a slacker with my avatar and I just changed that.

I agree with all of you. Unfortunately I have no pictures of myself. Sad, I know. I think I'm a little camera shy (that's why I'm the one with the camera!) I'll get to work on getting a picture up.
Cindy

Looooooooove that avatar

You are officially allowed to use any of the images for your site! Hahahahaha! You guys are great!

"Butt crack deep" - that's definitely a new one!

I try to put some things in as posts once in a while too. I post posts about my life and family sometimes as well, I have clients ask about my son One brought up his first day of preschool and she had read about it on the blog! Totally makes me more accessible and lets who I am shine though! Really good to read the opinions here though, I have been waffling of late! This topic set me straight!

Its very important to let your client know about who you are, especially if your a one person business theres no point of hiding yourself or putting we or something when you work as one.

Becker how many photos do you have on your blog of yourself because everytime i go on i see a different one! lol.

For the first couple years I had my site up I got ridiculous comments from photographers like "what's with the bio" http://neilcowley.com/weddings/bio/

oh well, it's us - working and goofing off - that's what we do

http://neilcowley.com/me/ - man these pages are so old now.