Do need a new realtor headshot?

Are you a new real estate agent or seasoned realtor looking to update your headshot? You’ve come to the right place. Your headshot is your very first impression on your potential clients.

Let’s get you ready for your realtor headshot with these 11 tips!

What we’ll cover:

What We’ll Cover

1. Hire A Professional
2. Practice Your Headshot Prior To Shooting
3. What to Wear for Real Estate Headshots
4. Should You Smile For Your Headshot?
5. Choose The Location
6. Posing
7. Pay For A Session, Not Just One Headshot
8. Personal Branding
9. ​Preparing For The Shoot
10. ​Best Practices During The Shoot
11. ​How To Use Your Headshots
12. FAQs
13. Final Thoughts On The Perfect Real Estate Headshots

Hire a Professional

Sure, as a photographer, I may be biased in this regard. However, I know that you want to leave a good and lasting first impression on your clients and if you have a poorly lit headshot or it looks unprofessional, that’s not going to help you.

If you want truly great results, it’s best to hire a professional. You’ll be proud of and confident when sharing your headshot. On average, a headshot photographer charges around $250/hr and can go up from there.

When it comes to your real estate business, it’s worth it to invest in a photographer who specializes in headshots and personal branding. A professional photographer not only understands how to take great photos but will also show you how to pose and put you in the best lighting situations.

Practice Your Real Estate Headshot Prior to Shooting

I always ask my headshot clients what they want their headshot to look like. Sure, it’s a basic photo of you from the shoulders up, but as a real estate professional, you want to project a specific feeling, right?

There are more poses that just having your arms crossed looking at the camera! It’s a great idea of have a vision of the style of headshots you’d like to create. Check out other successful realtors’ headshots and use that as inspiration for poses and expressions.

Take the time to practice the type of pose and expression you want to have. While a professional photographer should coach you with posing and facial expression, knowing what you look like in the mirror helps to match your expectations.

What to Wear for Realtor Headshots

You want to convey that you’re a professional, confident, and communicate that you’re someone a client can trust. So, for your real estate headshots, you should look professional with your own personal spin.

Keep your clothes simple and don’t go over the top with bold prints and flashy patterns. In fact, there are some patterns that do not photograph well, particularly small prints like checkered pattern. Sticking to solid colors is always a good idea.

And if you really want to elevate your image, consider getting a color analysis done and wear the colors what work best for you.

Should You Smile for Your Headshot?

As a photographer (and homeowner), I think you should definitely smile in your real estate agent headshot. A genuine, authentic smile conveys a sense of trustworthiness and confidence.

If you feel awkward smiling (think Chandler Bing in Friends…) then practice in a mirror and try laughing. A laugh will create a more genuine smile that trying to force it.

Choose the Location For your Realtor Headshot

When choosing a location for your realtor headshots, you should consider your personal brand and the message you want to convey to potential clients.

For example, who is your target market that you want to serve? Are you a real estate agent in the luxury market? Or is your market focused on small towns and rural areas? Choose a location that best represents your brand.

This could be a famous city landmark, a luxury location, an outdoor setting, or maybe just a simple indoor studio.

If you serve a variety of clients, it could be a good idea to pay for multiple locations in your photoshoot so that you have several different options to choose from.

Posing for Your Realtor Headshot

Our body language communicates so much, even in a photo. A professional photographer should coach you through posing and make sure that your pose looks natural. It helps to practice posing in the mirror, even if you feel silly doing it.

Again, think of your personal brand, and try to have your pose communicate confidence and approachability. What is is that you want to communicate with your headshot?

Pay for a Session, Not Just One Headshot

Okay, one of the most common phrases I hear from real estate agents is, “I just need ONE photo” and in 2023 that couldn’t be further from the truth.

And I’m not just saying that because I’m a photographer. If you’re using your headshot in multiple places and in multiple markets, then having options is to your benefit.

If you’re going to hire a professional to take your real estate agent headshot, pay for a full headshot session, not just a single photo. You’ll have a variety of photos that you can use across your marketing, website, social media, and more.

Realtor Headshots & Personal Branding

Now that you have your amazing headshot, it’s time to start putting it to work for you. Use it on your website, branding collateral, and social media business profiles.

You should use the same headshot photo as your profile photo on every platform so that your personal branding is consistent. You can always use the other headshots from your shoot in the content within your page. The more people see and recognize your face, the more they will feel like they know you and can trust you.

Of course, make sure you keep your professional headshot up to date. Ideally, you should update your headshot every year, every few years a at minimum, and as your appearance changes. You want to make sure you always look like your professional headshot, as that will maximize trust between you and the client.

I can’t tell you the number of people who are resistant to get a new headshot because they have aged… and I tell them, don’t catfish your clients! You should match what you look like currently!

Preparing For Your Realtor Headshot

Before the photo shoot, you need to prepare and do your research.

1. Research the photographer and their work.

You want to look good in your real estate headshots, right? Make sure you book a professional with real estate headshot experience and ask to see real samples of their work. If you’re nervous about stepping in front of the camera, make it a point to have a call with the photographer to get a feel for their personality.

2. Find a location that fits your brand.

Choosing the right photography studio or real estate office is important for making a good impression with your professional headshot. Once you have found a great photographer, consider what kind of backdrop would work best. Is it an elegant boutique real estate office, or do you work with contractors and professionals? Your photographer should help you determine the best location options.

3. Make sure your clothing is tailored for the realtor headshot photoshoot.

For headshots, you should always wear something that looks professional, communicates confidence, and relates to your target audience. If your brand focuses on luxury, you want to choose clothing that conveys luxury. If you focus on first-time homebuyers, you may want to dress in a more approachable outfit.

4. Have your hair cut or styled before the photoshoot.

Great real estate agent headshots start with great hair. Make sure you get your hair cut or styled professionally before the headshot photoshoot.

If you’re getting a haircut, I recommend at least 3-4 days before the shoot so that you can settle into your haircut. For the ladies, getting a blowout or dry style can be a great option.

Best Practices During The Shoot

During your photoshoot, follow these best practices:

Relax and Breathe

It is very easy for real estate agents to get nervous when the camera starts pointing at them, but relax – when you work with a professional photographer, your realtor headshots will be a breeze. Remember, realtor headshots don’t have to be stiff or awkward; just show yourself at your best. Be yourself, have fun, and show off your personality.

Be Yourself

As mentioned above, headshot photos should look natural and casual. I usually coach my clients to walk and laugh and have fun. To stand out with your real estate headshot, you should be yourself. Anything else will feel inauthentic.

Have some Rapport with the Potographer

While real estate headshots are all about professionalism, headshots with a fun element can really help you stand out from the crowd. Make sure you work with a headshot photographer who is willing to put in the effort to capture real, honest photos that show your personality.

​How to Use Your Realtor Headshots

Once you have the headshots you want, it’s time to start using them. You can use headshot photos in all of your marketing strategies, including online real estate listings and social media profiles.

Using headshots also makes it much easier for customers to remember who they are working with; when you show real personality in your realtor headshots, people will feel more connected to you and trust that you have their best interests in mind.

Branded Marketing Material

Look at all of the branding materials you already have, such as business cards and flyers. You should also use real estate headshots to brand your social media profiles – but you should have the same headshot photo on every profile so that people recognize you easily.

Online Real Estate Listings

One of the easiest ways to personalize real estate listings is to include your headshots in them! Realtor headshots will help make your real estate listings more approachable and make it easier for potential clients to connect with you.

Social Media Profiles

As we mentioned above, using headshots on social media profiles is a great way to personalize listings and make them more appealing. But headshots are also helpful for customer service – real estate agents can use headshots on social media profiles, which helps reinforce your personal brand. It’s great when a client can easily recognize you in person after seeing your headshot.

Realtor Headshot FAQs

What do you wear to realtor headshots?

There’s that phrase, “Dress for the job you want”. And in this case, “dress for the client you want”.

As you can see, headshots are meant to be more professional than portraits. That means you should wear business attire for headshots; dress one level above the client you want to attract.

If your clients are typically in casual dress, business casual should be fine for your real estate headshot. If your target audience is luxury and typically wears business casual or suits, you should be in a suit or very nice dress. Dress for the client you want.

​Can I take a realtor headshot of myself or have a friend do them for free?

Sure, you can do anything yourself, but is that the vibe you want to show your clients. If you want them to hire you to sell or purchase their home, shouldn’t you show them that you value hiring a professional too? While it’s possible to take your own headshots, or ask a friend, family member, or colleague to take them for you, are you going to get the best results?

​​How often should I get my real estate headshot taken?

As a photographer who works with people building and growing personal brands, I highly recommend you get headshots update at LEAST every 2 years.

I understand the sentiment that you love your current headshot, however, if you look different, got a new haircut or hair color, make sure that your headshot is a reflection of your current self.

How do you take good real estate headshots?

When taking headshots, it’s important to pay attention to a few things. First, use natural light whenever possible. Second, choose the right background. And third, consider your clothing choices and makeup. You can always ask for help from others, so hire a photographer who is familiar with the real estate industry. Oh, and hire a professional when possible.

How much do realtor headshots cost?

Typically, real estate headshots cost between $250 – $500+. However, the headshot photographer you work with will determine the cost of your headshots.

As with anything, you get what you pay for. It’s a good idea to have a budget of at least $250 for a good realtor headshot. It’s an investment in your personal brand.

Final Thoughts on The Perfect Realtor Headshot

A quality headshot conveys that you are a professional who is serious about helping clients get into the home of their dreams. As a result, they will want to work with you because of how much faith they have in your abilities as a real estate agent.

If you’re ready to update or take new realtor headshots in 2024, I can help!

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES ABOUT REALTOR HEADSHOT AND PERSONAL BRANDING

Headshots or Branding Photos: Helpful Things to Consider

9 simple steps to create headshots that aren’t boring

How to Make Your Headshots More Fun

How to Add Personality to Your Personal Branding Shoot

Dallas Realtor Photography Resources

READY TO BOOK YOUR REALTOR HEADSHOT OR PERSONAL BRANDING PHOTOS?

If you are a realtor, real estate agent, lender or broker in the North Dallas area, including Frisco, McKinney, Prosper, Celina, Plano, Little Elm, and more – and you’re looking for a headshots or a branding shoot with a photographer with a proven planning process in place, I’m ready to chat!

Step 1. Get in Touch – click and contact today

Step 2. Discovery Call – we’ll chat about your business and your vision for brand photos

Step 3. Book your Shoot – if we’re a “match” let’s get you on the schedule and start planning