It is election time in Canada if you are running a campaign with a check-list of impossible tasks. Such as inspiring your foot soldiers (volunteers), raise funds and trust your campaign manager. Additionally, you may have to debate, delegate and most importantly inspire. Your political headshot will help you achieve these goals and more, so take the exercise of producing your branding campaign image seriously.
Inspiring headshot for your Campaign
“It’s just a headshot, anything will do!”, good luck getting elected.
Your political headshot is one of the most powerful branding tools that may encourage voters to be inspired by you – without knowing it. Consider that we learned to read before letters were invented by understanding human emotions. An inspiring headshot is found through the interaction of a master portrait photographer who has the ability to bring your best.Now that you understand the importance of a headshot, here are the following most common errors in choosing a headshot or style.
Headshot Styles to Avoid
Vacant Smiley – some campaign managers believe that a smile is good enough so they instruct the politician to come up with “a smile”. Smile, smile please producing a contradiction between the eye expression and the muscles forming a smile. This headshot will do the opposite of inspiring your voters. Honour who you are, the most inspiring headshot for a politician was photographed in 1941 by Yousuf Karsh. He inspired Britain to sustain a bombing raid by the German’s and eventually win the War. No ‘vacant smiley’ in this portrait.
Vrooming – in the ’90s Calvin Klein had a very successful marketing campaign photographing 13 yrs old’s looking transfixed. It sold a lot of underwear, now almost 30 yrs later some famous photographers are recreating that look over and over again. It’s very popular and effective if you want to sell underwear but not if you are planning on getting elected.
I’ve seen politicians going for this style but I highly discourage a politician running a campaign to choose vrooming. What style should I choose for my political headshot service?
What style should I choose for my political headshot service?
Don’t choose a style, instead chose a great photographer who will take interest in you? Tell him who you are and what you want to accomplish?When I photograph a politician, I want to know what they believe? Are they family people? Do they want a stronger economy, ecology, schools or anything important? During a session, the politician is interviewed, so he or she values are illustrated.
Some sessions will take a few hours and it might seem like a waste of time when you have to accomplish so much in a limited time. Consider that following those 3 hrs your headshot will work for you 24 hrs and 7 days a week, inspiring voters to chose you over your competition who might have chosen a vacant smiley or vrooming portrait.
Digital Power
“I’ve come to the conclusion that there is a brand new power, a new power… And we are in front of it”, explains Lucian Despoiu, “and that is – that is the digital power”. “Digital power is everything you are doing, basically – on a regular basis. You are fighting for a cause or against a cause”. We seek connection as one digital power. We can change governments through social media by educating and reaching the masses, “If you ask me… Is it a revolution? The answer is YES”, explains Lucian Despiou.
Within all the social network channels, your headshot will convey an integral message about your cause, you and your reasons for running a campaign and stimulate a positive response.
Your Political Headshots should reflect your campaign strategy
Your headshot may want to feature a setting that fits within the context of your race. Think about your demographics, cause and your own personal reasons for running.
Besides a professional headshot, you may want photography of a candidate talking to people, inspiring them.
Clothing
Chose clothing that matches your brand, if you exercise often photograph yourself doing the activities that match your passions. Chose the right colours for you and your campaign.
Art of Headshots Studios In. advantage
Writing an article for audiences all around the World is a personal source of pride and I am dutifully objective with my articles but it wouldn’t be fair to the company I love and trust not to mention our processes and advantages.
We train our photographers to follow our proprietary system with an array of advantages but the most noticeable feature is being photographed by an expert who will listen intently to you and your story and will capture not just a good-looking image for your headshot but the heart and soul of the individual. https://artofheadshots.com
Other Resources
Political Campaign Photography Tip https://www.thecampaignworkshop.com/blog/political-campaign/political-campaign-photography
https://youtu.be/sTgOUL0iYW8
Branding Headshot Services
You might be interested in these articles
Corporate Photography Services
A Corporate Client’s Review
