Real Estate Agent Headshots: How To Look Great & Win Clients
What are you doing to differentiate yourself as a real estate agent? With so many realtors to choose from, you’ll need a strong marketing strategy to stand out. Your headshot is a potential client’s first insight into your brand, and it’s crucial that you make a great impression.
A professional real estate headshot helps you stand out in a crowded market and can be the deciding factor in whether a client reaches out. As a professional headshot photographer in NYC, we know how powerful a great headshot can be, and we’ve put together a guide for you to get the best realtor headshots for your business.
The Purpose of a Real Estate Headshot
Establish Trust and Professionalism
Real estate transactions can be deeply personal and full of emotion. When people are looking to buy or sell their home, they want to work with someone they can trust.
First-time home buyers recently accounted for 50% of new purchases — that’s a lot of anxious clients looking for a reliable agent to guide them along.
Your headshot offers a unique opportunity to convey not only competence and professionalism, but that you’re an agent they can trust and enjoy working with.
Moreover, it tells clients that you take your job seriously and you're committed to quality. Your realtor headshot is the first thing people see alongside your real estate listings, and it’s essential that you send the right message.
Create a Personal Connection
With all of the emotion involved in home buying and selling, clients will look for agents that have a friendly and calming presence. When executed well, professional real estate agent headshots can convey this reassuring demeanor, making potential clients feel confident and at ease even before meeting in person.
Real estate deals are often the biggest financial transactions people will make. With so much money and risk involved, clients will be more likely to work with realtors who project reliability and a wealth of experience in their headshot.
Enhance Brand Identity
It's important that your photo aligns with the identity and colors of your realtor brand, whether that's modern and high-tech, or classic and traditional. For example, clients in the luxury real estate market would expect their realtor’s image to reflect those luxury standards.
For a cohesive brand experience, consider incorporating some of your brand’s colors into your wardrobe when you take your headshots. While subtle, this kind of attention to detail can make a big difference in how your brand is perceived.
Establish consistency across all your business platforms — your website, social media, and promotional materials — should all work together to build a recognizable brand identity. Potential clients are likely to encounter your brand many times during their research, and having consistent branding will make for a more memorable and polished experience.
Keys To Great Real Estate Agent Headshots
1. Lighting and Environment
Natural light is a popular choice for realtor headshots. Aim for soft and even light, as this is much more flattering than harsh lighting under direct sun.
When shooting outdoors, plan to start early in the morning or shortly before sunset so you can take advantage of golden hour. During the middle of the day, shade is your best bet to avoid harsh lighting.
When shooting indoors with natural light, a window can provide the perfect light source. Face the window straight on for even light, or angle slightly away from it to add a little more dimension and mood to the lighting. Pro tip: turn off all of the overhead lights in the room. This will ensure that colors aren’t thrown off by the ambient light.
Professional NYC headshot photographers can also create perfect lighting with their equipment, ensuring you look your best. The background should be elegant but simple, helping to keep the focus on you. A neutral or office-like background can work well, or you can use one of your best listings for a backdrop that speaks to your market.
Another good option when shooting outdoors is to feature an iconic backdrop in the communities you serve. This will make you instantly relatable and give you a personal connection to your local clientele.
2. Wardrobe and Styling
Choosing the proper business headshot outfit is a must. Opt for professional attire that aligns with the expectations of your clients and the real estate market you serve.
Avoid overly casual clothes that might look out of place in a professional setting. If you're working in luxury real estate, a suit or a professional dress can be a good choice to showcase your more upscale services.
Investing in professional styling, including hair and makeup, can make a significant difference in how polished and approachable you appear in your headshot. Ask your NYC headshot photographer if they have any hair and makeup artist recommendations.
3. Posing and Expression
Wondering about the best pose for real estate headshots? Aim for a pose that feels natural and shows you as both approachable and professional.
Hands in pockets is always a safe bet, as this looks neat but not overly formal. Placing one hand on your hip is a classic female pose which always provides for a flattering silhouette.
Whether you choose a smiling expression to seem friendly or a more serious look to convey competence depends on your brand and the client base you aim to attract.
We always provide our clients with a variety of poses and expressions so they have a the right assets for any need.
4. Lifestyle Photos
While traditional headshots are cropped fairly close up, this composition can be restrictive and limit the ways you can use your photos. A more popular style is to capture a wider perspective that allows the background to be part your headshot’s story. This composition also allows for more versatility, as you can crop it in various ways to suit your needs.
When taking wider shots, consider incorporating a lifestyle element into your shoot. While these photos won’t serve as your primary headshot, they can offer a “behind the scenes” look into who you are and how you operate as a realtor.
You can also design these with future copy in mind — instruct your photographer to position you on one side of the frame, allowing you to overlay marketing copy or announcements in the negative space.
5. A Great Real Estate Headshot Photographer
Choosing the right photographer is critical. Look for someone who has experience in personal branding and headshots for real estate agents.
A skilled photographer will know how to set up the perfect shot in terms of lighting and background and guide you on posing and expression. Their team can also assist with any hair and makeup needs, as well as wardrobe choices to ensure your headshot aligns with your personal brand.
But perhaps one of the most important differentiating factors when choosing the best headshot photographer is how comfortable they make you feel. Posing for headshots can be awkward, and any discomfort you feel will be present in your images. Interview different photographer before you book, so you can be sure that you’ll work well together on shoot day.
A pro will collaborate with you on your vision, work with your inspiration photos (if you have any), and help you feel and look natural throughout the shoot.
How Much Do Real Estate Agent Headshots Cost?
The cost of real estate headshots will vary depending on your local market, as well as the skill level and experience of your photographer.
The complexity of the shoot will also be a factor. Do you just need one image for your website, or do you want an entire suite of marketing assets that will require a lot of planning, multiple shooting locations and wardrobe changes?
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay anywhere from $250 to over $1,000 for realtor headshots. In our New York City market, prices are naturally on the high end, but you can always find photographers for every budget.
Get Your NYC Real Estate Agent Headshots with Johnny Wolf Studio
Don't miss the chance to make a lasting impression with NYC headshots that stand out. If you're ready to take your career to the next level, Johnny Wolf Studio has you covered for your next realtor headshots in NYC.
