Episode 153 - The Importance of a Professional Photo and Video Presence with Wade Walton
September 27, 2022
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Wade Walton discusses THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROFESSIONAL PHOTO AND VIDEO PRESENCE. He talks about matching your background to your message; being aware of your video persona; telling a story with your headshot; letting your personality shine through; the costs and benefits of hiring a pro, and ways to make it affordable; and how often to update your headshot.
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Photo by Bud Hayman
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Wade Walton is grateful to spend his life working in creative spaces (and not starving while doing so). As a video, film, and multi-media Executive Producer and Director for various national television and global companies, Wade has written, produced, and delivered over 10,000 productions that have reached tens of millions of viewers. Wade’s love of the outdoors informs all of his creative work, and particularly his photography, which has appeared in galleries around southeast Pennsylvania, as well as in his photography book, “Sunshine and Shadow.”
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"How can I serve that audience or that person at the other end of the content? I get really clear about that person that's going to hold my book." —Wade Walton
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Links
Wade's Links:
www.wadewalton.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wade-walton/
https://www.facebook.com/WadeBWalton
Wade's band, the Walton Marquette Project YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCId640cxBsAljKbiPHzEYYQ ()
Matty's Links:
Affiliate links
Events
www.wadewalton.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wade-walton/
https://www.facebook.com/WadeBWalton
Wade's band, the Walton Marquette Project YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCId640cxBsAljKbiPHzEYYQ ()
Matty's Links:
Affiliate links
Events
Transcript
[00:00:00] Matty: Hello and welcome to The Indy Author Podcast. Today my guest is Wade Walton. Hey Wade, how are you doing?
[00:00:04] Wade: I'm doing great, how are you?
[00:00:06] Matty: I'm doing great, thank you. To give our listeners and viewers a little bit of background on you, Wade Walton is grateful to spend his life working in creative spaces and not starving while doing so. As a video, film and multimedia executive producer and director for various national television and global companies, Wade has written, produced and delivered over 10,000 productions, including commercials, network promotions, story packages, documentaries, and other visual stories that have reached tens of millions of viewers.
Wade's love of the outdoors informs all his creative work and particularly his photography, which has appeared in galleries around Southeast Pennsylvania, as well as his photography book, "Sunshine and Shadow."
And Wade was a guest way back in episode two, "Creativity Tips with Wade Walton." And Wade got that gig because he's my husband. So I have invited him back because I had a topic I wanted to talk about and I thought, you know what? I know an expert who sits right down the hall for me who could speak to this.
And so I'm calling this, "Putting Your Best Face Forward." And what we're going to be talking about is tips for virtual meeting presence, especially when you are the focus, for example, maybe you're doing an author event and you're the author who's being focused on and also headshots.
Virtual Meetings
[00:01:18] Matty: So Wade, let us start out with virtual meetings. I know that this is what you do for a living. Among other things, you advise executives on their presence, their appearance in these kinds of settings. So what are you seeing that sometimes needs suggestions for adjustments and what are the suggestions that you make?
[00:01:37] Wade: Yeah. I think it's just been so interesting the past couple of years to try and adapt some of the skills from my profession and some of the tools and tactics that we might have used in a studio in the past or out in the field in the past, into this very virtual kind of remote space, often in people's homes, as we are today. We've been doing this for two and a half years really now, when this really started to take off, and it's just interesting how ingrained this look that we are looking at today has been in these creative spaces, but also in business spaces, virtual is where it's at these days.
And I noticed when I first started to do this very virtual type of meeting, that there was a lot of room for improvement in how people dressed, how people looked on their scenes when we were all trapped in our homes at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, just how we threw a camera on or worse yet, we just stayed off camera.
And then it started to wear on a little bit and people felt even more disconnected. And what I noticed was, cameras started to turn on a lot more, but oftentimes people would just blur their backgrounds, and then you got this weird kind of ghosting effect with a person coming in and out of focus or you're seeing part of their ear, but the background was generally blurred.
In the corporation that I was working for at the time and still do, we started to develop some best practices around how to look your best on camera. And I think it's one thing when you're meeting with your team on Microsoft Teams, but it's a whole other thing if you are really trying to present yourself to a client or to a different company, where you're really trying to make a sale, or really put your best face forward. I just love that terminology.
Lighting Tactics
[00:03:19] Wade: So some of the best practices that we started to develop were around lighting. Rather than just having a lamp on or nothing at all, we started to recommend various lighting tactics that we might have used in studio in the past, to smooth out the face a little bit to make it less shadowy and to put a little bit more of a professional face on that.
So that's one of the big tips I would recommend, is how can you play with lighting in order to light your face appropriately, light your background appropriately?
[00:03:51] Wade: In my space, I have basically two light instruments in front of me. One is the sun in my window and the other is a balancing light off to my right. And that helps to kind of shape my face a little bit. And finally, I have a back light behind me to separate myself from the background. And the rest of the room is really lit through overheads and other lamps throughout the room. And none of this is professional gear. It's all just lights that I had sitting around the room, and this is something that anybody can do, whether they've got lighting training or not.
The Background Can Represent Who You Are
[00:04:22] Wade: And then with the background, I recommend keeping it pretty simple. Less distracting stuff in the background is better than a big, cluttered space. And that's also very easy to do in just a corner of a room.
Storytelling is an opportunity as well with this, in that I have various little elements throughout my room that tell something about me and who I am, spaces that I enjoy and what I do for a living. So you can see that in the musical instruments and microphones that tell a little bit about my profession, but also there are some native weavings because I enjoy going out west and being in that Southwestern space. So everything that's in my background has a purpose to it in representing who I am.
[00:05:08] Matty: Yeah, I had just made some adjustments. If anyone has only listened to the podcast, this might not be meaningful to them, but if anyone's watching on the YouTube channel, they might have noticed that a couple of episodes ago, I had made a change. I used to have two different backgrounds I used. One was when I was the host of The Indy Author Podcast. And it was just a triptych of not surprisingly, boat related scenes, very impressionistic, so they weren't really distracting. And then my other view, which is the one that people see now, had a little bit more about me. It was actually the room I'm in my home office, and it was just basically which way I pointed the camera. If I pointed it at one wall, it was the nautical triptych. If I pointed it the other way, it had a chair and a table and a lamp and all that kind of stuff.
And I decided to change that in part, just because I got really tired of having to switch my room around whenever I was switching from being a host to a guest. I'd originally done that because as the host, I thought, well I want the attention to be on the guest, so I'm going to have a very plain background. And in fact, I'm going to include a link in the show notes to a conversation that Dale Roberts of Self-publishing with Dale and I had about that, and he was encouraging me to add a little more personality to my background.
And in fact, on Twitter once I got rated by Rate My Room for not having a plant in the background, which I thought was very specific of them.
Knowing When You've Gone Overboard
[00:06:23] Matty: But I think it was a benefit. Not only do I not have to change my room around every time, but I think like people do like to see that kind of a little bit of personality behind you. But as you're saying, not too much. Is there a red flag that you've gone overboard?
[00:06:36] Wade: Yeah, you know, I think it can be a pretty easy thing to overthink if you really start to, oh, I want to make sure I get this thing in here to tell that story about myself, and pretty soon you're looking at a cluttered mess. And what I really like about your background is you have kept it simple with it's just a few cues that say a little bit about your nautical interests. And there were some writing cues back there that tie back to your series. And then the rest of it is kind of simple but really nice clean styling that just creates a welcoming space, it's homey-looking, but still professional. And if I were coaching you on your background, I would have nothing to do because it really tells such a nice story but isn't distracting from yourself as well.
[00:07:17] Matty: Well, thank you. I probably got some professional tips somewhere along the way.
Backstage vs What's Seen on Camera
[00:07:22] Matty: And I can't recommend room dividers enough because not only do they make an interesting visual background and also absorb some sound, but it's also masking the fact that I have some stuff on my dresser that I don't really need anybody to look at. So we’re all just completely transparent here and that's a little tip you've learned.
[00:07:38] Wade: Yeah, exactly, and I noticed, even as I was telling that story, I've got a flashlight plugged into an outlet back there that if I had looked a little closer, I might have removed it before this call.
[00:07:47] Matty: Well, I think that's a really good tip that, sit down and scan the space behind you before you get started. Because my fear always is, here's some more background information, the thing that looks like a window behind me that has a curtain in front of it is actually the entrance to the adjoining bathroom. And so I always have this fear that I'm going to leave the curtain open one time and do a whole recording before I realize that people can see my towel hanging over the shower.
[00:08:10] Wade: Yeah, it's such a fun thing to really see the backstage of these things. I have an executive I work with who really is great at this stuff. And she's the one I use as the example of how to style your room. And I have these pictures that she sent me that are the Instagram version versus reality. And she sent me the backstage, and there's like stuff piled everywhere. But boy, you don't see it on camera, and I just love the way she thinks about this kind of thing.
[00:08:34] Matty: Yeah, I think you especially have to be careful if you have a bookshelf behind you, because that became very popular, I think, especially among bookish crowds, you know. Sit in front of a bookshelf, but I was video chatting with a friend of mine. This was just a one-on-one chat; it was not any kind of official thing. And she was sitting in front of her bookshelf, and she had a giant book, like a coffee table book that said "Drunk" on it. And it was like right over her head, so it looked like a label, and she actually writes books that have a cocktail theme. So it was actually book research but yeah, maybe if she was doing something official, she wouldn't want the giant "Drunk" book behind her.
About Virtual Backgrounds
[00:09:06] Matty: I also really, I want to talk a little bit about the virtual background, and one is the technical requirements, because I see that some people's virtual backgrounds are very realistic-looking and other people's are awful. Like you're saying, people kind of fade in and out. Is that due to a limitation in processing power or bandwidth or anything? Like, is that something people can control?
[00:09:27] Wade: I've been playing with this a lot at my corporate job recently. And I find that depending on the tool, they have better or worse, and I'll use those terms loosely, ways of getting that virtual background in. This platform is Zoom, and I find that they are amazing at getting that good chroma key very clean, and it looks really very good. And so we tend to recommend that often, if we really are having somebody that's public-facing or that's doing something that might need to appear on network television.
And I don't mean to plug any particular product, but I have found that works really well at looking as realistic as possible. Whereas some of the other products that are out there use different technology. And so there's a little more fuzz around the edges of the person, and I find that depending what tool we're using, we get better or worse results.
And then again, if you're using this particular tool, there's ways of using a green background that’s called chromakey, that's more broadcast terminology. That definitely can help you get a cleaner key. So the that's a good recommendation is
Match Your Background to Your Message
[00:10:30] Wade: if you're going to use a virtual background, to have as plain a background as possible, or even just do it against a wall without your normal room behind you, because you will get a cleaner effect out of it.
[00:10:40] Matty: The other thing I noticed with virtual backgrounds is sometimes authors, if they’re the featured speaker on a virtual event, will have like an image with their book cover on it behind, which I think is completely reasonable. But sometimes you see that when they may not even be the focus of the conversation. I find it very distracting. If I were to have background with my books on it, it would seem rude for me as the host to do that, because at that point I do feel like the attention should be on the guest, not on the host. Any thoughts about the degree to which very specifically branded backgrounds are appropriate or inappropriate for different circumstances?
[00:11:15] Wade: I think you said something really, really cool and very key there, is what are we trying to get out of this presentation? And again, if you're featuring somebody, I would look to feature that person's work. And I also think, what's the audience needing to get out of it, and what's the story you're trying to tell? And I just think you said it all when you said, if it's not something that serves the story, then maybe it shouldn't really be there. And to me, it always comes back to the audience or the customer, or whoever's going to actually use what we're creating here today.
And I literally say to myself when I'm producing or directing or talking about this stuff is, how can I serve that audience or that person at the other end of the content? That's guided me throughout my whole career of producing and directing, is that person at the other end who I really try to picture. If I can get really clear about that person that's going to hold my book or watch my show or look at my photograph, then I find I do better work. And I think that's probably relevant in what you're putting in your background.
[00:12:16] Matty: Yeah, I also like the whole idea that you've expressed about it being a storytelling medium. And I think that's a more comfortable way for authors to think of it as storytelling rather than personal branding, for example, which I think creeps people out sometimes. But think about the story you're telling and where you want the focus to be just as you would with a book, think about what you're conveying with your video presence that way as well.
[00:12:38] Wade: Yeah, for sure. And it's so important as well to be selling and to be promoting our work all the time. And I think that, at least as an introvert, creative as myself, I struggle sometimes with how hard to market. And so maybe we can go overboard with marketing ourselves when you know, there's a time to just lay back and tell your story.
What Do You Really Want to Portray on Camera?
[00:12:58] Matty: Yep, any other tips you would direct to people who are preparing for an author-centric video presence?
I've seen some really amazing authors on your podcast. And I just love the way they're so individual about how they tell their stories with their background, with their outfits. People will come on with some pretty cool and pretty creative outfits sometimes, and I'm picturing some various people that I can't come up with their names, but whether they're in a background that's lit for a rock and roll show and wearing leather and things, that says something about an author.
[00:13:29] Matty: For sure.
[00:13:30] Wade: Yeah. And then I'm playing a little more straight today, but I just think that's such an interesting thing to think through is, when you're on camera like this, what is it that you really want to portray, and to really consider all those opportunities for storytelling. Again, I think without overthinking it, and again, as a person who's in my head a lot and is introverted, I can tend to overthink this stuff.
[00:13:51] Matty: Well, the one that popped into my mind as you were telling that story is Michael La Ronn in his contribution to the "Perspectives on Personal Branding" episode. So if anyone wants to see this, go to TheIndyAuthor.com/podcast and then search for branding, I think you'll find it that way. But Michael's message was largely, you need to let people into your personal life a little bit, to the degree that is comfortable for you, in order to have a successful personal brand. And his snippet, as I recall, was him in his home in several different places. So he would give a little piece of advice and then it would switch to another scene in his home. And I thought, you really can't illustrate that point better than Michael's selection of the backgrounds he used for his videos.
[00:14:32] Wade: Yeah, I'd agree with that. He's great at that.
[00:14:34] Matty: Yeah. Any other tips on virtual meetings before we move on to head shots?
Be Aware of Your Video Persona
[00:14:39] Wade: Let's see, I think we covered kind of backgrounds. We covered dress. And again, I always go back to, how can you be yourself more, especially if you're presenting to a crowd virtually, how can you picture that crowd out there and get yourself out of the idea of just talking to a screen? Where the camera is very important, and if you can look at the camera more than you're looking at the people on the screen, I think that's a really interesting and very important tip. Because I think if you're on a meeting, particularly with a number of people, I catch myself a lot of times, rather than looking at the camera, I'm just looking at myself, and seeing how I'm coming across there. And it's a look again, that we're really familiar with because I think we're all doing that to an extent, but the more I can look into camera, the more I think I can connect with the audience.
And just really quickly on that again, that's something that really helped me I think, in this pandemic environment was, I would get feedback in the old days of kind of work, where I would be in a meeting and somebody would say afterwards to me, something like, why did you look so angry in that meeting? I wasn't angry, I was just sitting there, it's my resting face.
[00:15:46] Matty: Your resting angry face.
[00:15:47] Wade: Yeah, exactly. And so I realized once we went virtual here, I could see myself at all times. And I'm like, oh, you know what? I could see myself looking angry there too. And I think maybe I've learned a little bit about how I come across through this virtual medium and being able to develop different muscle memory of how I'm coming across on camera or in person as a result of this. And for somebody that's gotten that feedback of, why do you look so mad going, well, I'm not mad, I just didn't realize I looked that way. And this I think has helped me a little bit and maybe some other folks too.
[00:16:17] Matty: Yeah, I think the one thing that helps if you intentionally spend a little time looking at yourself, not at a time when you should be looking at somebody else, it can be informative because my comparable thing to "resting angry face" is that if I were listening to someone, when I was interviewing from the podcast, I'd lean forward and I cocked my head. And I realized that I was being attentive, but the effect was that I was being aggressive about it. It didn't really come across as attentive. And then the other thing I realized is I just have horrible posture and I can sit up in a way that feels very artificial to me, but I see that in the video, it actually looks normal.
And don't even bother being on a call with someone on a video with someone just open up Zoom, just have the self-image up and just spend a couple of minutes saying, you know, it's the impression that I'm giving the one that I think I'm giving?
Eliminate Distractions
[00:17:08] Wade: Yeah, for sure. And as you're even talking, I'm thinking of some other things that we're doing that you don't always see, in that I have a desk chair that kind of sits up like this, and I took that out for this shot so that I didn't have the black distractions back there. I'm sitting on a drum throne because I have a drum kit over there. And I'm making sure I'm not swiveling back and forth, because that's distracting.
Consider Framing
Framing is another thing. We're both framed as if we're giving a newscast. And so our faces are about two thirds of the way up the screen. I'm a little bit off center, but you'll see people often here sometimes, you know, the camera pointed at the ceiling. Those are little technical things that just sort of help you level up and look a little more professional, a little more polished. If the camera's pointed straight at you, rather than pointed at the ceiling, it looks a little more like people would expect from a television show, because we're all more used to that look.
Avoid the Built-in Microphone
And the last technical tip I'll share, I won't stop you if you have other ones to share, but the one piece of advice I give to podcast guests is always try to use not the built-in microphone on your computer, like on your laptop, for example, if you use a laptop. Because almost any cheapo lavalier mic or something like that is going to do a better job than the mic built into your computer. So that can really help from an audio point of view.
[00:18:24] Wade: Well, it's another one of these things that for me is just so amazing in this day and age. I came into my career at a time when video edit suites cost a million or more dollars and cameras were six figures easily. And now, with this kind of technology, it's become very democratic about whether you can look great. It's just a matter of tools and tactics that would've cost so many thousands of dollars years ago, but it's more about how can you use some of the storytelling tricks that just help you look your best.
Headshots
[00:18:56] Matty: Yeah. Well, let's use that as an opportunity to switch over to headshots. So the questions I have about headshots are a little bit different, because I don't think that there are too many people who are going to claim that it's okay for them to give a virtual presentation and not have their camera on. So let's just assume everybody realizes that they need to have an actual virtual presence in a video scenario.
Are Headshots Mandatory?
[00:19:17] Matty: But headshots, I think first of all, there's some people who just don't really feel like they're needed. And again, I'm talking a scenario whereas an author, you are going out and you are maybe setting up book signings or readings or other author events, and the venue asks you to provide a headshot. So first of all, is it ever okay for an author to just say, no, I don't have a headshot?
[00:19:40] Wade: I don't think it is. I think you need that headshot because it's such a first impression. It's just an opportunity to reach the audience. And there are any number of ways you can get that headshot, but I do think that it's mandatory for anyone in a profession to be able to provide that, particularly in a promotional space. Because then you're helping that venue or that other place to really promote you, and they're willing to do some of that work on your behalf. And that's, I think one of the basic points of entry. And I do think a headshot is mandatory.
Telling a Story with Your Headshot
[00:20:11] Matty: And so the second question is, can people use a selfie?
[00:20:15] Wade: I have seen some pretty good selfies, particularly as we talked about equipment being so democratic and the quality is so high on a mobile phone. An iPhone has incredible resolution these days. So do the Androids.
And so again, the selfies can be decent. And I think that the one benefit to that, particularly for some folks, is that they're most comfortable with themselves. I've seen authors take pretty decent shots with their own iPhones that made them look like themselves.
And that's really what we're going for here is, how to present yourself in a way that you look appealing and like yourself and that somebody that I would want to spend time with. And so I've seen it work. I would usually recommend working with a professional though for the first thing that people see and then saving those selfies for those drill down opportunities, social media, those posts where you are out in the wild. But I've seen them work.
I want to get back to the branding and how that may be that's similar to or different from how you think about your background for video events. And I would say that if you are an author who's written a book about your solo track up the Appalachian Trail, and you have a selfie of yourself on the top of Mount Katahdin at the Northern end of the Appalachian Trail, a selfie's pretty much probably the best possible picture. Like, you're not going to haul a professional photographer up there specifically to take a portrait of you. So, absolutely. But if you're going to be speaking to a room full of C-level execs about how they can succeed in their profession, in their careers, then a selfie I think, is not sending the message you want.
[00:21:49] Matty: So I think it's really, as you're saying, the message and what level of formality is appropriate for the persona you want to portray, and is a selfie really what you want to use to do that?
[00:22:01] Wade: Oh, I completely agree with that. And you know, and your example of, who are you talking to and really considering that audience goes back to everything that I try to consider before I do any type of content. And the headshot is such an opportunity again, for telling a story about you before you've ever said a word or anybody's read a word of your books, or really knows much of anything about you. That shot is going to really send an impression. And that's true, whether it's on just a plain white background, which often headshots are, or whether you're somewhere out on location or in a studio somewhere. And it's definitely another one of those places to just reach your audience and say something about yourself.
A Setting for Your Headshot
[00:22:39] Matty: So we had talked earlier about personalizing one's background for a video event. Are there different rules if someone's thinking about the setting they want to use for a headshot?
[00:22:48] Wade: I think there's just any number of ways you can think about your headshot. And I've had headshots that are just plain white, and I've had some that are in an environment, and I've had some that are better out in the wild. And in fact, sometimes I've had all of those headshots at one time. You know, I kind of love the idea of talking about headshots because I have a love-hate relationship with my own. I've struggled to get ones that I like for myself. And my current professional headshot is probably one of the only ones that I have ever liked, actually. And that was purposeful.
Let Your Personality Shine Through
[00:23:18] Wade: And it was just an environment where everything came together and gave me something that I was happy with. It was partly me, it was partly the photographer, partly the environment, partly what I was wearing. But again, they're very personal. They are something that really, we all have to make those decisions. And so I think if you're in more of a professional setting, a plainer background is maybe better, whereas if you're a horror writer, you can go any number of different directions with what's behind you in that case. And I think everywhere in between. So, it’s an opportunity for creativity. It's a conversation between yourself and your photographer. And I think that it's because we're storytellers, another great spot to tell a story.
Do you have any specific fights about clothing people should consider or not consider?
[00:24:03] Wade: Well, you know, it's interesting, right before this taping, and it's not taping anymore, I don't know what it is now. I'm old. I was looking at some author headshots and I looked at yours and I looked at Stephen King's. I looked at Lisa Regan's and a few other ones. And what I thought was really interesting about all of those headshots was, clothing choices and backgrounds. And I might have expected Stephen King to have had this really noirish sort of, you know, haunted house behind him and stuff, but he plays it pretty straight in his current headshot. And he's dressed in just a button-down shirt, nice background, simple background.
Same with Lisa Regan, just as dressed really nicely against a simple background. And I think those are two really good examples. And I'd add yours to that. Although yours is in an environment, they're all ones where the focus is on the author and the author looks like themselves and they're all beautiful headshots. They were all clearly taken by professionals, and they tell something about that author. You get to know somebody even by that facial expression and all of these authors that I mentioned, look to me like themselves. And I've never sat with Stephen King and had a beer or anything. But I do know the other ones that I looked at. And to me, it just, it conveyed, oh yeah, that's somebody that looks like themselves and how I know them to be.
The Costs and Benefits of Hiring a Pro
[00:25:20] Matty: So I think a lot of that is advice that individual people can get individual advice from a professional photographer on, but another objection is going to be, professional photographers are expensive. So how do you either control the cost or justify the cost of hiring a professional, if you decide to go that route?
[00:25:36] Wade: Yeah, you know, there are a lot of photographers out there and you're right, that their fee structure and their payments would probably run the gamut. And they're professionals, and that's rightly so, and I feel really strongly that professionals should get paid for the work they do. That's a different rant. But you know, to me, there's often people right in your area that won't charge you an arm and a leg, but you're still going to get a great result. And that's part of that networking piece, saying if you have an author friend who got their shot taken and you like it, it's definitely worth asking who they used. I've been lucky in that I work in this field, so I know lots of photographers, and the shot now that I like, I happen to have had taken by a friend of mine who I've worked with for decades. And the reason I like it so much, I think is because he made me so comfortable. And it was such an easy thing that I almost was just talking to my friend. And he's clicking away and almost wasn't realizing it. And I just realized how much I had relaxed into that setting and into that scene. And I think because I was talking to somebody I really enjoy and have been friends with, I think I got a better result as a result of that. And if I think back to some other head shots, although I didn't dislike the photographer, I also didn't know them. And so I think that was key, even setting aside what they would charge, sometimes friends will give you a little bit of a friends and family discount. So that's that virtuous cycle of, I like this person, I'm comfortable with them and they're being fair to me in what they're charging.
Balance Complexity and Cost
[00:27:03] Matty: Yeah. I think another way that authors can control costs is to control the complexity of the photo shoot. So I'll use myself as an example, that I wanted different headshots for my Matty Dalrymple suspense, thriller, mystery fiction persona, as I did for Matty Dalrymple, the Indy Author. And so I had a straightforward headshot taken for the Indy Author side. And then, not this past time I updated my headshot, but a previous time, the photographer, a mutual friend of ours, Scott Kinkade, knew of this sort of strange construction in the park we had gone to take the pictures. It was very kind of Blair Witch-esque. And so he had this idea that we would take my fiction platform photographs there. And it was a great idea, and they didn't work out mainly because it was so freaking hot that day and I was just drenched with sweat by the time we got to this thing, the pictures were pretty much unusable. But it was a great idea.
And now he had that idea, and he graciously did that without charging me extra. But if I had come up with the idea and I'd been working with someone else, then it would have been perfectly reasonable for that photographer to charge me extra for the time it would take to travel to that other location and set everything up at the new location. And so since then, really as much for my own convenience as for a cost savings, I've mainly just done a quick wardrobe switch to have a slightly different look for my fiction and non-fiction platforms. But recognize that the more complicated you make it for the photographer, they're justified in charging you more accordingly. So keep that in mind when you're budgeting.
That's such a great way to put that too, and not much to really add, and being familiar with that shoot, I would touch back on that briefly and just say that that setting was really a great idea for the type of work you do. And I think a really inspired conversation between you, the author and Scott, the photographer, two super-talented people just getting into a creative flow. And there's a lot to be said for that, particularly if you are working with somebody who's also a great storyteller in their medium, as Scott is. You could get some pretty virtuous stuff done in that space. And that’s particularly if somebody gets excited about you and your work, as sounded like it happened there, they bring a lot to the table themselves.
[00:29:13] Matty: Yeah, another piece of advice I give, although this is sort of a do as I say, not as I do, is I would generally advise people to look for photographers who have a portfolio. Well, one, this is not negotiable, that have a portfolio of photographs you can look at, but that have a portfolio of photographs that are similar to what you want. Now if I didn't know Scott Kinkade and I had gone to his website, I probably wouldn't have picked him because he mainly shoots bands. And so there are a lot of pictures like album cover kind of photographs, which is not at all the look I'm going for but knowing him and knowing the other work he's done, I knew that he would do a great job of adjusting his approach to meet the kind of brand I wanted. And he definitely did that. But if you don't know the person personally, then consider whether their other work is in line with what you're trying to achieve.
It's interesting you say that because knowing Scott as I do and seeing him develop his kind of mastery of that craft over the years, I'm not surprised at all that he can go shoot a heavy metal band one night and then shoot an author the next day and then go shoot an executive the day after that. It's just an overall mastery.
I am working on a headshot production right now actually in my business. And the proposed photographer shoots weddings. And this client wanted to have this woman shoot these headshots as well in the executive space, because she's a small business owner. She's a woman and she's shooting for a woman-in-business group. That's awesome, and I think just a great way to provide those opportunities.
[00:30:42] Wade: And being that she's a wedding photographer, she also has a great portfolio online and I was able to go on and look for technical skills. And it's like, yeah, she can clearly shoot technically really well on a variety of settings. Weddings will do that to you.
And I had a sense that she was also going to be really good with client management because weddings are also a very emotional space where you've got some very high emotions running and being able to deal with clients on one of the best days of their lives, but yet still a very emotional one. I had a sense that she would probably be a great fit for the shoot.
So we jumped on a call the other day with this photographer and the client and talked through the project and she just paid off everything that was in her portfolio that said that she was going to be obviously, technically able to do it. But also in talking with her, she just came across in a way that made me really comfortable that she could deliver in an executive space, what she can clearly do in the wedding space. So yeah, that portfolio in photography I think is pretty important.
More Frugal Tips
[00:31:44] Matty: That story just reminded me of another money-saving tip. This one I stole from Michael La Ronn, the infamous Michael La Ronn, and that is that if you are arranging some kind of family photo shoot, like maybe your family likes to have a professional photo taken every year for your holiday card or something like that, then oftentimes, you can just ask them to take a couple of pictures of you individually, for either not any more, not much more. So that can be a money savings.
And the other tip I've heard is, if you belong to a writer's group, for example, and you put the word out there among your fellow writers group members to say, I'm thinking of engaging this photographer, and would anyone like to go in on it? Because if a photographer can go to one location and shoot three or four people, then they're sure to cut you a break because of the efficiencies that affords. So two ideas that people could use to control the cost a little bit.
[00:32:32] Wade: Yeah, for sure. And then thinking about that cost too, it also can be easy to focus on what this is costing me in the moment. But I also think it's really important to consider what you're going to get out of it in the long term. Because this headshot will last you for a, I have a pretty specific amount of time that I think a headshot is good for. But that promotional opportunity that you get out of it or those gigs that you'll get that you wouldn't have if you didn't have that professionally produced headshot. Or that impression that you're conveying and the possible increase in business or book sales or whatever it is you're trying to convey, the impression you're going to give to your audiences before you step up on stage and give your presentation has a value that I think you'd pay off pretty quickly by getting that professional headshot done.
[00:33:18] Matty: Yeah, I have to say that if someone approaches me with a pitch for a podcast appearance, and I go on their website and look around and I can't find a picture of them, it is a deterrent, because my style of my promotions and my webpage that has the podcast episodes on it, it assumes the availability of a headshot. And I also start feeling like if they're not willing to show me a picture of themselves, are they really going to be comfortable on video? So I have probably eliminated people because I couldn't see that about them. I couldn't see a headshot that would give me a sense of who they were, give me assurance that resource was going to be available to me and gave me a sense that they weren't that uncomfortable in front of a camera.
[00:33:57] Wade: Yeah, and even as you're talking through that, I'm thinking about my current professional headshot versus my previous one. And just to tell a quick story on myself, if you were to go to my website right now, you'd probably see my previous headshot because I just haven't gotten around to updating it yet because my new one was pretty recent. But it really does tell a story about how my headshots have evolved in the story I'm trying to convey.
[00:00:04] Wade: I'm doing great, how are you?
[00:00:06] Matty: I'm doing great, thank you. To give our listeners and viewers a little bit of background on you, Wade Walton is grateful to spend his life working in creative spaces and not starving while doing so. As a video, film and multimedia executive producer and director for various national television and global companies, Wade has written, produced and delivered over 10,000 productions, including commercials, network promotions, story packages, documentaries, and other visual stories that have reached tens of millions of viewers.
Wade's love of the outdoors informs all his creative work and particularly his photography, which has appeared in galleries around Southeast Pennsylvania, as well as his photography book, "Sunshine and Shadow."
And Wade was a guest way back in episode two, "Creativity Tips with Wade Walton." And Wade got that gig because he's my husband. So I have invited him back because I had a topic I wanted to talk about and I thought, you know what? I know an expert who sits right down the hall for me who could speak to this.
And so I'm calling this, "Putting Your Best Face Forward." And what we're going to be talking about is tips for virtual meeting presence, especially when you are the focus, for example, maybe you're doing an author event and you're the author who's being focused on and also headshots.
Virtual Meetings
[00:01:18] Matty: So Wade, let us start out with virtual meetings. I know that this is what you do for a living. Among other things, you advise executives on their presence, their appearance in these kinds of settings. So what are you seeing that sometimes needs suggestions for adjustments and what are the suggestions that you make?
[00:01:37] Wade: Yeah. I think it's just been so interesting the past couple of years to try and adapt some of the skills from my profession and some of the tools and tactics that we might have used in a studio in the past or out in the field in the past, into this very virtual kind of remote space, often in people's homes, as we are today. We've been doing this for two and a half years really now, when this really started to take off, and it's just interesting how ingrained this look that we are looking at today has been in these creative spaces, but also in business spaces, virtual is where it's at these days.
And I noticed when I first started to do this very virtual type of meeting, that there was a lot of room for improvement in how people dressed, how people looked on their scenes when we were all trapped in our homes at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, just how we threw a camera on or worse yet, we just stayed off camera.
And then it started to wear on a little bit and people felt even more disconnected. And what I noticed was, cameras started to turn on a lot more, but oftentimes people would just blur their backgrounds, and then you got this weird kind of ghosting effect with a person coming in and out of focus or you're seeing part of their ear, but the background was generally blurred.
In the corporation that I was working for at the time and still do, we started to develop some best practices around how to look your best on camera. And I think it's one thing when you're meeting with your team on Microsoft Teams, but it's a whole other thing if you are really trying to present yourself to a client or to a different company, where you're really trying to make a sale, or really put your best face forward. I just love that terminology.
Lighting Tactics
[00:03:19] Wade: So some of the best practices that we started to develop were around lighting. Rather than just having a lamp on or nothing at all, we started to recommend various lighting tactics that we might have used in studio in the past, to smooth out the face a little bit to make it less shadowy and to put a little bit more of a professional face on that.
So that's one of the big tips I would recommend, is how can you play with lighting in order to light your face appropriately, light your background appropriately?
[00:03:51] Wade: In my space, I have basically two light instruments in front of me. One is the sun in my window and the other is a balancing light off to my right. And that helps to kind of shape my face a little bit. And finally, I have a back light behind me to separate myself from the background. And the rest of the room is really lit through overheads and other lamps throughout the room. And none of this is professional gear. It's all just lights that I had sitting around the room, and this is something that anybody can do, whether they've got lighting training or not.
The Background Can Represent Who You Are
[00:04:22] Wade: And then with the background, I recommend keeping it pretty simple. Less distracting stuff in the background is better than a big, cluttered space. And that's also very easy to do in just a corner of a room.
Storytelling is an opportunity as well with this, in that I have various little elements throughout my room that tell something about me and who I am, spaces that I enjoy and what I do for a living. So you can see that in the musical instruments and microphones that tell a little bit about my profession, but also there are some native weavings because I enjoy going out west and being in that Southwestern space. So everything that's in my background has a purpose to it in representing who I am.
[00:05:08] Matty: Yeah, I had just made some adjustments. If anyone has only listened to the podcast, this might not be meaningful to them, but if anyone's watching on the YouTube channel, they might have noticed that a couple of episodes ago, I had made a change. I used to have two different backgrounds I used. One was when I was the host of The Indy Author Podcast. And it was just a triptych of not surprisingly, boat related scenes, very impressionistic, so they weren't really distracting. And then my other view, which is the one that people see now, had a little bit more about me. It was actually the room I'm in my home office, and it was just basically which way I pointed the camera. If I pointed it at one wall, it was the nautical triptych. If I pointed it the other way, it had a chair and a table and a lamp and all that kind of stuff.
And I decided to change that in part, just because I got really tired of having to switch my room around whenever I was switching from being a host to a guest. I'd originally done that because as the host, I thought, well I want the attention to be on the guest, so I'm going to have a very plain background. And in fact, I'm going to include a link in the show notes to a conversation that Dale Roberts of Self-publishing with Dale and I had about that, and he was encouraging me to add a little more personality to my background.
And in fact, on Twitter once I got rated by Rate My Room for not having a plant in the background, which I thought was very specific of them.
Knowing When You've Gone Overboard
[00:06:23] Matty: But I think it was a benefit. Not only do I not have to change my room around every time, but I think like people do like to see that kind of a little bit of personality behind you. But as you're saying, not too much. Is there a red flag that you've gone overboard?
[00:06:36] Wade: Yeah, you know, I think it can be a pretty easy thing to overthink if you really start to, oh, I want to make sure I get this thing in here to tell that story about myself, and pretty soon you're looking at a cluttered mess. And what I really like about your background is you have kept it simple with it's just a few cues that say a little bit about your nautical interests. And there were some writing cues back there that tie back to your series. And then the rest of it is kind of simple but really nice clean styling that just creates a welcoming space, it's homey-looking, but still professional. And if I were coaching you on your background, I would have nothing to do because it really tells such a nice story but isn't distracting from yourself as well.
[00:07:17] Matty: Well, thank you. I probably got some professional tips somewhere along the way.
Backstage vs What's Seen on Camera
[00:07:22] Matty: And I can't recommend room dividers enough because not only do they make an interesting visual background and also absorb some sound, but it's also masking the fact that I have some stuff on my dresser that I don't really need anybody to look at. So we’re all just completely transparent here and that's a little tip you've learned.
[00:07:38] Wade: Yeah, exactly, and I noticed, even as I was telling that story, I've got a flashlight plugged into an outlet back there that if I had looked a little closer, I might have removed it before this call.
[00:07:47] Matty: Well, I think that's a really good tip that, sit down and scan the space behind you before you get started. Because my fear always is, here's some more background information, the thing that looks like a window behind me that has a curtain in front of it is actually the entrance to the adjoining bathroom. And so I always have this fear that I'm going to leave the curtain open one time and do a whole recording before I realize that people can see my towel hanging over the shower.
[00:08:10] Wade: Yeah, it's such a fun thing to really see the backstage of these things. I have an executive I work with who really is great at this stuff. And she's the one I use as the example of how to style your room. And I have these pictures that she sent me that are the Instagram version versus reality. And she sent me the backstage, and there's like stuff piled everywhere. But boy, you don't see it on camera, and I just love the way she thinks about this kind of thing.
[00:08:34] Matty: Yeah, I think you especially have to be careful if you have a bookshelf behind you, because that became very popular, I think, especially among bookish crowds, you know. Sit in front of a bookshelf, but I was video chatting with a friend of mine. This was just a one-on-one chat; it was not any kind of official thing. And she was sitting in front of her bookshelf, and she had a giant book, like a coffee table book that said "Drunk" on it. And it was like right over her head, so it looked like a label, and she actually writes books that have a cocktail theme. So it was actually book research but yeah, maybe if she was doing something official, she wouldn't want the giant "Drunk" book behind her.
About Virtual Backgrounds
[00:09:06] Matty: I also really, I want to talk a little bit about the virtual background, and one is the technical requirements, because I see that some people's virtual backgrounds are very realistic-looking and other people's are awful. Like you're saying, people kind of fade in and out. Is that due to a limitation in processing power or bandwidth or anything? Like, is that something people can control?
[00:09:27] Wade: I've been playing with this a lot at my corporate job recently. And I find that depending on the tool, they have better or worse, and I'll use those terms loosely, ways of getting that virtual background in. This platform is Zoom, and I find that they are amazing at getting that good chroma key very clean, and it looks really very good. And so we tend to recommend that often, if we really are having somebody that's public-facing or that's doing something that might need to appear on network television.
And I don't mean to plug any particular product, but I have found that works really well at looking as realistic as possible. Whereas some of the other products that are out there use different technology. And so there's a little more fuzz around the edges of the person, and I find that depending what tool we're using, we get better or worse results.
And then again, if you're using this particular tool, there's ways of using a green background that’s called chromakey, that's more broadcast terminology. That definitely can help you get a cleaner key. So the that's a good recommendation is
Match Your Background to Your Message
[00:10:30] Wade: if you're going to use a virtual background, to have as plain a background as possible, or even just do it against a wall without your normal room behind you, because you will get a cleaner effect out of it.
[00:10:40] Matty: The other thing I noticed with virtual backgrounds is sometimes authors, if they’re the featured speaker on a virtual event, will have like an image with their book cover on it behind, which I think is completely reasonable. But sometimes you see that when they may not even be the focus of the conversation. I find it very distracting. If I were to have background with my books on it, it would seem rude for me as the host to do that, because at that point I do feel like the attention should be on the guest, not on the host. Any thoughts about the degree to which very specifically branded backgrounds are appropriate or inappropriate for different circumstances?
[00:11:15] Wade: I think you said something really, really cool and very key there, is what are we trying to get out of this presentation? And again, if you're featuring somebody, I would look to feature that person's work. And I also think, what's the audience needing to get out of it, and what's the story you're trying to tell? And I just think you said it all when you said, if it's not something that serves the story, then maybe it shouldn't really be there. And to me, it always comes back to the audience or the customer, or whoever's going to actually use what we're creating here today.
And I literally say to myself when I'm producing or directing or talking about this stuff is, how can I serve that audience or that person at the other end of the content? That's guided me throughout my whole career of producing and directing, is that person at the other end who I really try to picture. If I can get really clear about that person that's going to hold my book or watch my show or look at my photograph, then I find I do better work. And I think that's probably relevant in what you're putting in your background.
[00:12:16] Matty: Yeah, I also like the whole idea that you've expressed about it being a storytelling medium. And I think that's a more comfortable way for authors to think of it as storytelling rather than personal branding, for example, which I think creeps people out sometimes. But think about the story you're telling and where you want the focus to be just as you would with a book, think about what you're conveying with your video presence that way as well.
[00:12:38] Wade: Yeah, for sure. And it's so important as well to be selling and to be promoting our work all the time. And I think that, at least as an introvert, creative as myself, I struggle sometimes with how hard to market. And so maybe we can go overboard with marketing ourselves when you know, there's a time to just lay back and tell your story.
What Do You Really Want to Portray on Camera?
[00:12:58] Matty: Yep, any other tips you would direct to people who are preparing for an author-centric video presence?
I've seen some really amazing authors on your podcast. And I just love the way they're so individual about how they tell their stories with their background, with their outfits. People will come on with some pretty cool and pretty creative outfits sometimes, and I'm picturing some various people that I can't come up with their names, but whether they're in a background that's lit for a rock and roll show and wearing leather and things, that says something about an author.
[00:13:29] Matty: For sure.
[00:13:30] Wade: Yeah. And then I'm playing a little more straight today, but I just think that's such an interesting thing to think through is, when you're on camera like this, what is it that you really want to portray, and to really consider all those opportunities for storytelling. Again, I think without overthinking it, and again, as a person who's in my head a lot and is introverted, I can tend to overthink this stuff.
[00:13:51] Matty: Well, the one that popped into my mind as you were telling that story is Michael La Ronn in his contribution to the "Perspectives on Personal Branding" episode. So if anyone wants to see this, go to TheIndyAuthor.com/podcast and then search for branding, I think you'll find it that way. But Michael's message was largely, you need to let people into your personal life a little bit, to the degree that is comfortable for you, in order to have a successful personal brand. And his snippet, as I recall, was him in his home in several different places. So he would give a little piece of advice and then it would switch to another scene in his home. And I thought, you really can't illustrate that point better than Michael's selection of the backgrounds he used for his videos.
[00:14:32] Wade: Yeah, I'd agree with that. He's great at that.
[00:14:34] Matty: Yeah. Any other tips on virtual meetings before we move on to head shots?
Be Aware of Your Video Persona
[00:14:39] Wade: Let's see, I think we covered kind of backgrounds. We covered dress. And again, I always go back to, how can you be yourself more, especially if you're presenting to a crowd virtually, how can you picture that crowd out there and get yourself out of the idea of just talking to a screen? Where the camera is very important, and if you can look at the camera more than you're looking at the people on the screen, I think that's a really interesting and very important tip. Because I think if you're on a meeting, particularly with a number of people, I catch myself a lot of times, rather than looking at the camera, I'm just looking at myself, and seeing how I'm coming across there. And it's a look again, that we're really familiar with because I think we're all doing that to an extent, but the more I can look into camera, the more I think I can connect with the audience.
And just really quickly on that again, that's something that really helped me I think, in this pandemic environment was, I would get feedback in the old days of kind of work, where I would be in a meeting and somebody would say afterwards to me, something like, why did you look so angry in that meeting? I wasn't angry, I was just sitting there, it's my resting face.
[00:15:46] Matty: Your resting angry face.
[00:15:47] Wade: Yeah, exactly. And so I realized once we went virtual here, I could see myself at all times. And I'm like, oh, you know what? I could see myself looking angry there too. And I think maybe I've learned a little bit about how I come across through this virtual medium and being able to develop different muscle memory of how I'm coming across on camera or in person as a result of this. And for somebody that's gotten that feedback of, why do you look so mad going, well, I'm not mad, I just didn't realize I looked that way. And this I think has helped me a little bit and maybe some other folks too.
[00:16:17] Matty: Yeah, I think the one thing that helps if you intentionally spend a little time looking at yourself, not at a time when you should be looking at somebody else, it can be informative because my comparable thing to "resting angry face" is that if I were listening to someone, when I was interviewing from the podcast, I'd lean forward and I cocked my head. And I realized that I was being attentive, but the effect was that I was being aggressive about it. It didn't really come across as attentive. And then the other thing I realized is I just have horrible posture and I can sit up in a way that feels very artificial to me, but I see that in the video, it actually looks normal.
And don't even bother being on a call with someone on a video with someone just open up Zoom, just have the self-image up and just spend a couple of minutes saying, you know, it's the impression that I'm giving the one that I think I'm giving?
Eliminate Distractions
[00:17:08] Wade: Yeah, for sure. And as you're even talking, I'm thinking of some other things that we're doing that you don't always see, in that I have a desk chair that kind of sits up like this, and I took that out for this shot so that I didn't have the black distractions back there. I'm sitting on a drum throne because I have a drum kit over there. And I'm making sure I'm not swiveling back and forth, because that's distracting.
Consider Framing
Framing is another thing. We're both framed as if we're giving a newscast. And so our faces are about two thirds of the way up the screen. I'm a little bit off center, but you'll see people often here sometimes, you know, the camera pointed at the ceiling. Those are little technical things that just sort of help you level up and look a little more professional, a little more polished. If the camera's pointed straight at you, rather than pointed at the ceiling, it looks a little more like people would expect from a television show, because we're all more used to that look.
Avoid the Built-in Microphone
And the last technical tip I'll share, I won't stop you if you have other ones to share, but the one piece of advice I give to podcast guests is always try to use not the built-in microphone on your computer, like on your laptop, for example, if you use a laptop. Because almost any cheapo lavalier mic or something like that is going to do a better job than the mic built into your computer. So that can really help from an audio point of view.
[00:18:24] Wade: Well, it's another one of these things that for me is just so amazing in this day and age. I came into my career at a time when video edit suites cost a million or more dollars and cameras were six figures easily. And now, with this kind of technology, it's become very democratic about whether you can look great. It's just a matter of tools and tactics that would've cost so many thousands of dollars years ago, but it's more about how can you use some of the storytelling tricks that just help you look your best.
Headshots
[00:18:56] Matty: Yeah. Well, let's use that as an opportunity to switch over to headshots. So the questions I have about headshots are a little bit different, because I don't think that there are too many people who are going to claim that it's okay for them to give a virtual presentation and not have their camera on. So let's just assume everybody realizes that they need to have an actual virtual presence in a video scenario.
Are Headshots Mandatory?
[00:19:17] Matty: But headshots, I think first of all, there's some people who just don't really feel like they're needed. And again, I'm talking a scenario whereas an author, you are going out and you are maybe setting up book signings or readings or other author events, and the venue asks you to provide a headshot. So first of all, is it ever okay for an author to just say, no, I don't have a headshot?
[00:19:40] Wade: I don't think it is. I think you need that headshot because it's such a first impression. It's just an opportunity to reach the audience. And there are any number of ways you can get that headshot, but I do think that it's mandatory for anyone in a profession to be able to provide that, particularly in a promotional space. Because then you're helping that venue or that other place to really promote you, and they're willing to do some of that work on your behalf. And that's, I think one of the basic points of entry. And I do think a headshot is mandatory.
Telling a Story with Your Headshot
[00:20:11] Matty: And so the second question is, can people use a selfie?
[00:20:15] Wade: I have seen some pretty good selfies, particularly as we talked about equipment being so democratic and the quality is so high on a mobile phone. An iPhone has incredible resolution these days. So do the Androids.
And so again, the selfies can be decent. And I think that the one benefit to that, particularly for some folks, is that they're most comfortable with themselves. I've seen authors take pretty decent shots with their own iPhones that made them look like themselves.
And that's really what we're going for here is, how to present yourself in a way that you look appealing and like yourself and that somebody that I would want to spend time with. And so I've seen it work. I would usually recommend working with a professional though for the first thing that people see and then saving those selfies for those drill down opportunities, social media, those posts where you are out in the wild. But I've seen them work.
I want to get back to the branding and how that may be that's similar to or different from how you think about your background for video events. And I would say that if you are an author who's written a book about your solo track up the Appalachian Trail, and you have a selfie of yourself on the top of Mount Katahdin at the Northern end of the Appalachian Trail, a selfie's pretty much probably the best possible picture. Like, you're not going to haul a professional photographer up there specifically to take a portrait of you. So, absolutely. But if you're going to be speaking to a room full of C-level execs about how they can succeed in their profession, in their careers, then a selfie I think, is not sending the message you want.
[00:21:49] Matty: So I think it's really, as you're saying, the message and what level of formality is appropriate for the persona you want to portray, and is a selfie really what you want to use to do that?
[00:22:01] Wade: Oh, I completely agree with that. And you know, and your example of, who are you talking to and really considering that audience goes back to everything that I try to consider before I do any type of content. And the headshot is such an opportunity again, for telling a story about you before you've ever said a word or anybody's read a word of your books, or really knows much of anything about you. That shot is going to really send an impression. And that's true, whether it's on just a plain white background, which often headshots are, or whether you're somewhere out on location or in a studio somewhere. And it's definitely another one of those places to just reach your audience and say something about yourself.
A Setting for Your Headshot
[00:22:39] Matty: So we had talked earlier about personalizing one's background for a video event. Are there different rules if someone's thinking about the setting they want to use for a headshot?
[00:22:48] Wade: I think there's just any number of ways you can think about your headshot. And I've had headshots that are just plain white, and I've had some that are in an environment, and I've had some that are better out in the wild. And in fact, sometimes I've had all of those headshots at one time. You know, I kind of love the idea of talking about headshots because I have a love-hate relationship with my own. I've struggled to get ones that I like for myself. And my current professional headshot is probably one of the only ones that I have ever liked, actually. And that was purposeful.
Let Your Personality Shine Through
[00:23:18] Wade: And it was just an environment where everything came together and gave me something that I was happy with. It was partly me, it was partly the photographer, partly the environment, partly what I was wearing. But again, they're very personal. They are something that really, we all have to make those decisions. And so I think if you're in more of a professional setting, a plainer background is maybe better, whereas if you're a horror writer, you can go any number of different directions with what's behind you in that case. And I think everywhere in between. So, it’s an opportunity for creativity. It's a conversation between yourself and your photographer. And I think that it's because we're storytellers, another great spot to tell a story.
Do you have any specific fights about clothing people should consider or not consider?
[00:24:03] Wade: Well, you know, it's interesting, right before this taping, and it's not taping anymore, I don't know what it is now. I'm old. I was looking at some author headshots and I looked at yours and I looked at Stephen King's. I looked at Lisa Regan's and a few other ones. And what I thought was really interesting about all of those headshots was, clothing choices and backgrounds. And I might have expected Stephen King to have had this really noirish sort of, you know, haunted house behind him and stuff, but he plays it pretty straight in his current headshot. And he's dressed in just a button-down shirt, nice background, simple background.
Same with Lisa Regan, just as dressed really nicely against a simple background. And I think those are two really good examples. And I'd add yours to that. Although yours is in an environment, they're all ones where the focus is on the author and the author looks like themselves and they're all beautiful headshots. They were all clearly taken by professionals, and they tell something about that author. You get to know somebody even by that facial expression and all of these authors that I mentioned, look to me like themselves. And I've never sat with Stephen King and had a beer or anything. But I do know the other ones that I looked at. And to me, it just, it conveyed, oh yeah, that's somebody that looks like themselves and how I know them to be.
The Costs and Benefits of Hiring a Pro
[00:25:20] Matty: So I think a lot of that is advice that individual people can get individual advice from a professional photographer on, but another objection is going to be, professional photographers are expensive. So how do you either control the cost or justify the cost of hiring a professional, if you decide to go that route?
[00:25:36] Wade: Yeah, you know, there are a lot of photographers out there and you're right, that their fee structure and their payments would probably run the gamut. And they're professionals, and that's rightly so, and I feel really strongly that professionals should get paid for the work they do. That's a different rant. But you know, to me, there's often people right in your area that won't charge you an arm and a leg, but you're still going to get a great result. And that's part of that networking piece, saying if you have an author friend who got their shot taken and you like it, it's definitely worth asking who they used. I've been lucky in that I work in this field, so I know lots of photographers, and the shot now that I like, I happen to have had taken by a friend of mine who I've worked with for decades. And the reason I like it so much, I think is because he made me so comfortable. And it was such an easy thing that I almost was just talking to my friend. And he's clicking away and almost wasn't realizing it. And I just realized how much I had relaxed into that setting and into that scene. And I think because I was talking to somebody I really enjoy and have been friends with, I think I got a better result as a result of that. And if I think back to some other head shots, although I didn't dislike the photographer, I also didn't know them. And so I think that was key, even setting aside what they would charge, sometimes friends will give you a little bit of a friends and family discount. So that's that virtuous cycle of, I like this person, I'm comfortable with them and they're being fair to me in what they're charging.
Balance Complexity and Cost
[00:27:03] Matty: Yeah. I think another way that authors can control costs is to control the complexity of the photo shoot. So I'll use myself as an example, that I wanted different headshots for my Matty Dalrymple suspense, thriller, mystery fiction persona, as I did for Matty Dalrymple, the Indy Author. And so I had a straightforward headshot taken for the Indy Author side. And then, not this past time I updated my headshot, but a previous time, the photographer, a mutual friend of ours, Scott Kinkade, knew of this sort of strange construction in the park we had gone to take the pictures. It was very kind of Blair Witch-esque. And so he had this idea that we would take my fiction platform photographs there. And it was a great idea, and they didn't work out mainly because it was so freaking hot that day and I was just drenched with sweat by the time we got to this thing, the pictures were pretty much unusable. But it was a great idea.
And now he had that idea, and he graciously did that without charging me extra. But if I had come up with the idea and I'd been working with someone else, then it would have been perfectly reasonable for that photographer to charge me extra for the time it would take to travel to that other location and set everything up at the new location. And so since then, really as much for my own convenience as for a cost savings, I've mainly just done a quick wardrobe switch to have a slightly different look for my fiction and non-fiction platforms. But recognize that the more complicated you make it for the photographer, they're justified in charging you more accordingly. So keep that in mind when you're budgeting.
That's such a great way to put that too, and not much to really add, and being familiar with that shoot, I would touch back on that briefly and just say that that setting was really a great idea for the type of work you do. And I think a really inspired conversation between you, the author and Scott, the photographer, two super-talented people just getting into a creative flow. And there's a lot to be said for that, particularly if you are working with somebody who's also a great storyteller in their medium, as Scott is. You could get some pretty virtuous stuff done in that space. And that’s particularly if somebody gets excited about you and your work, as sounded like it happened there, they bring a lot to the table themselves.
[00:29:13] Matty: Yeah, another piece of advice I give, although this is sort of a do as I say, not as I do, is I would generally advise people to look for photographers who have a portfolio. Well, one, this is not negotiable, that have a portfolio of photographs you can look at, but that have a portfolio of photographs that are similar to what you want. Now if I didn't know Scott Kinkade and I had gone to his website, I probably wouldn't have picked him because he mainly shoots bands. And so there are a lot of pictures like album cover kind of photographs, which is not at all the look I'm going for but knowing him and knowing the other work he's done, I knew that he would do a great job of adjusting his approach to meet the kind of brand I wanted. And he definitely did that. But if you don't know the person personally, then consider whether their other work is in line with what you're trying to achieve.
It's interesting you say that because knowing Scott as I do and seeing him develop his kind of mastery of that craft over the years, I'm not surprised at all that he can go shoot a heavy metal band one night and then shoot an author the next day and then go shoot an executive the day after that. It's just an overall mastery.
I am working on a headshot production right now actually in my business. And the proposed photographer shoots weddings. And this client wanted to have this woman shoot these headshots as well in the executive space, because she's a small business owner. She's a woman and she's shooting for a woman-in-business group. That's awesome, and I think just a great way to provide those opportunities.
[00:30:42] Wade: And being that she's a wedding photographer, she also has a great portfolio online and I was able to go on and look for technical skills. And it's like, yeah, she can clearly shoot technically really well on a variety of settings. Weddings will do that to you.
And I had a sense that she was also going to be really good with client management because weddings are also a very emotional space where you've got some very high emotions running and being able to deal with clients on one of the best days of their lives, but yet still a very emotional one. I had a sense that she would probably be a great fit for the shoot.
So we jumped on a call the other day with this photographer and the client and talked through the project and she just paid off everything that was in her portfolio that said that she was going to be obviously, technically able to do it. But also in talking with her, she just came across in a way that made me really comfortable that she could deliver in an executive space, what she can clearly do in the wedding space. So yeah, that portfolio in photography I think is pretty important.
More Frugal Tips
[00:31:44] Matty: That story just reminded me of another money-saving tip. This one I stole from Michael La Ronn, the infamous Michael La Ronn, and that is that if you are arranging some kind of family photo shoot, like maybe your family likes to have a professional photo taken every year for your holiday card or something like that, then oftentimes, you can just ask them to take a couple of pictures of you individually, for either not any more, not much more. So that can be a money savings.
And the other tip I've heard is, if you belong to a writer's group, for example, and you put the word out there among your fellow writers group members to say, I'm thinking of engaging this photographer, and would anyone like to go in on it? Because if a photographer can go to one location and shoot three or four people, then they're sure to cut you a break because of the efficiencies that affords. So two ideas that people could use to control the cost a little bit.
[00:32:32] Wade: Yeah, for sure. And then thinking about that cost too, it also can be easy to focus on what this is costing me in the moment. But I also think it's really important to consider what you're going to get out of it in the long term. Because this headshot will last you for a, I have a pretty specific amount of time that I think a headshot is good for. But that promotional opportunity that you get out of it or those gigs that you'll get that you wouldn't have if you didn't have that professionally produced headshot. Or that impression that you're conveying and the possible increase in business or book sales or whatever it is you're trying to convey, the impression you're going to give to your audiences before you step up on stage and give your presentation has a value that I think you'd pay off pretty quickly by getting that professional headshot done.
[00:33:18] Matty: Yeah, I have to say that if someone approaches me with a pitch for a podcast appearance, and I go on their website and look around and I can't find a picture of them, it is a deterrent, because my style of my promotions and my webpage that has the podcast episodes on it, it assumes the availability of a headshot. And I also start feeling like if they're not willing to show me a picture of themselves, are they really going to be comfortable on video? So I have probably eliminated people because I couldn't see that about them. I couldn't see a headshot that would give me a sense of who they were, give me assurance that resource was going to be available to me and gave me a sense that they weren't that uncomfortable in front of a camera.
[00:33:57] Wade: Yeah, and even as you're talking through that, I'm thinking about my current professional headshot versus my previous one. And just to tell a quick story on myself, if you were to go to my website right now, you'd probably see my previous headshot because I just haven't gotten around to updating it yet because my new one was pretty recent. But it really does tell a story about how my headshots have evolved in the story I'm trying to convey.
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I believe I sent you my most current headshot. But if you were to go back to my previous headshot, you would probably have a pretty different impression of who I am today, because my previous one was shot on a plain white background.
[00:34:34] Matty: Very corporate. [00:34:35] Wade: Very corporate, corporate wonkity wonk type of guy. And I'm just not that guy anymore. So my current one was shot in a very different setting. Still professional still has a corporate background, but I'm dressed a little more casually. I'm wearing a ball cap, which I generally do if I'm on set. And I'm trying to tell a little bit of a different story about where I am in my career than I would've been a few years back when I was in an ultra-corporate space. So I think what you're saying is really important in telling the right story with your headshot and that may or may not get you the gig. |
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How Often to Update Headshots
[00:35:05] Matty: And you had mentioned period of time you should allow elapse between headshot updates. Talk a little bit about that.
[00:35:13] Wade: Yeah, I used for myself the two-year rule. I feel like we change enough within two years to warrant a new headshot about every two years. And the old one that's still on my website is four years old. And so what we were just talking about is really important. I'm not that guy anymore. I've changed jobs, I've changed approaches. I have, I think, gotten over myself a little bit as a professional to where I'm willing to be a little more casual. I will walk into the CEO of my current company wearing my ball cap and my jeans and my shirt untucked because that's just who I am, you know? And I can still present myself professionally and stand on the confidence of my profession, and still feel good about acting like who I am.
And that's what I'm trying to convey with my current headshot that I wasn't conveying in my very corporate kind of Gatling gun headshot from a few years back. So to me, about two years is we change enough, even if we look relatively the same, I think we change enough in personality and what we've learned since, that we may tell a better story every two years about ourselves. And that's what I think is important about that.
[00:36:23] Matty: Yeah, I definitely think that an appearance change, so for example, in my previous headshot, I had bangs. I don't have bangs anymore, so once I'd committed to no bangs, I wanted to get a new headshot because I want people, for example, to be able to recognize me when they go to the event that's being advertised with my headshot. And also want to be able to go to it and not have people whispering, oh, she looks a lot older than I expected. Because I have been disappointed, like going to author events and I only know the author from their webpage or whatever. And see them and I think, whoa, they really should have gotten an update.
[00:37:00] Wade: Well, and that's exactly, that's just so important. And you took the words out of my mouth, there are people out there that are using a headshot from 10, 20 years ago, and you're absolutely right, if that person shows up. And even if you're not overtly saying, wow, what happened there? I just think it's interesting to think about that, why would you use a shot from 10 years ago? Because it's just not who you are now. I guess I've heard people say, wow, but I just look so old now, but it's no, you know, we're all just beautiful people. It doesn't matter how old we are. It's like, how authentic can we be in our shot?
Can we just be honest with ourselves and not live that lie from showing a picture from 10 or 20 years ago and just feel confident and grateful that we're here working in this space and be the person who we really are today in our headshots. I just think, one, we're being honest with ourselves and we're telling a good story to our audience by getting that shot every two years and being grateful that we're here two years later to get that headshot, and that we get to work in spaces like this.
[00:37:59] Matty: Yeah, I can pretty much guarantee that if I went to an author event of an 80-year-old author, and I had been prepped for that by seeing their recent headshot, I would never go in and say, whoa, they look really old. But if I go in to see a 60-year-old author and they're showing me a headshot taken when they were 40 years old, then my reaction is going to be, whoa, they look really old. So sticking with the truth, I think is better in the end anyway. Only the person thinks they're looking old in it.
[00:38:25] Wade: Yeah, exactly. And even if it isn't about looking old or not, it's just sort of like, man, what are you doing? Just level up, get your shot.
[00:38:32] Matty: You're living a lie.
[00:38:33] Wade: Yeah.
[00:38:35] Matty: So the last thing I wanted to ask you, is that early on, we we've been talking about selfies, and you had said, one of the reasons a selfie can be good is that some people are more comfortable with themselves than they are going to be with a photographer, especially if they don't know the photographer.
So let's say we've convinced someone that professional is the way to go, and they find a professional, not somebody that they're friends with or they know otherwise, and now they're heading for the photo shoot. Is there anything you can advise that would help people at least pretend that they are relaxed during their photo shoot, so they get the kind of relaxed photo I think we all want?
Being Comfortable Telling Your Story
[00:39:07] Wade: You know, I'll use those two pictures I've been talking about of myself as a first example, in that I thought in that white studio that day, I was feeling pretty comfortable. I worked with these people, I thought it would be fine, but something about it, I just, when I got the shots back, I just didn't look relaxed.
And I think part of it was, I just couldn't relax into it. I was attaching too much to the outcome, I wanted that shot to look good so bad. And I got those shots back and I just ah, it doesn't, doesn't look like me, it doesn't feel like me. It's just such a personal thing, and it really comes down to, it could be the day, or it could be maybe what you were wearing that day. I just think all those elements come together to either work for you or not, and not to attach too much importance if you get a shot back that you didn't like. It's like shooting a bad golf shot, just try again. Where do you feel most comfortable in telling that story about yourself?
[00:40:00] Matty: Yeah, I think that it would be important for people to think through what those things are that relax them, and then be very clear with your photographer about what they are. So if red is your color and you know scientifically that it's not the most flattering, but that's what you love to wear, then wear red. And one thing I've noticed about my own headshots is, the ones where I'm sitting down or leaning against something, I look more relaxed than the ones where I'm just standing, so I think the next time I got my headshot, I would ask for some to be taken with me sitting. So you could even go back through photographs of yourself and see in what ones do you look more relaxed, and think through what caused that? Well, it was because I was outdoors versus indoors, or I was wearing my favorite outfit rather than an uncomfortable outfit, or I was leaning against something, and then pass those on to the photographer, so he's not having to guess, or she's not having to guess.
[00:40:54] Wade: A hundred percent. You know, when I was thinking about the headshot that I have now that really worked, all we were doing was basically talking about stuff, and I've known the photographer for literally decades. And we were just joking around and he's clicking pictures the whole time. And I was barely aware that the shoot was happening. That's that virtuous cycle again, of storytelling where you relaxed into the scene or the setting or the moment, felt comfortable, felt like you were happy. And those are those intangibles I think sometimes that people forget about that I wasn't doing in that more sterile studio environment.
[00:41:30] Matty: Yep, perfect. Thank you so much. We'll have to celebrate this successful interview with cocktails just shortly. But thank you for coming back on the podcast and please let the listeners and viewers know where they can go to find out more about you and all you do online.
[00:41:46] Wade: Yeah, my pleasure. I have a website that needs updating, and it is WadeWalton.com. It has examples of both my professional photography as well as my fine art photography. Tells you a little bit about my book, "Sunshine and Shadow." And then as well, I think you mentioned earlier that I play in a Southeast Pennsylvania-based rock band called Walton Marquette. And we are in currently rebranding towards more arena rock that helps bring people excitement and joy and brings you back to those days of stadium rock that aren't as common now. And that is WaltonMarquetteProject.com. And we also have a YouTube channel. And so if you're in the Southeast Pennsylvania area or in the Northeast region, you may catch us playing around there and we're available for bookings as well. So some things coming up there, so those are the best places to reach me and tells you a little bit about the creative that I do.
[00:42:40] Matty: Very great. Thank you so much.
[00:42:41] Wade: Thank you for having me.
[00:35:05] Matty: And you had mentioned period of time you should allow elapse between headshot updates. Talk a little bit about that.
[00:35:13] Wade: Yeah, I used for myself the two-year rule. I feel like we change enough within two years to warrant a new headshot about every two years. And the old one that's still on my website is four years old. And so what we were just talking about is really important. I'm not that guy anymore. I've changed jobs, I've changed approaches. I have, I think, gotten over myself a little bit as a professional to where I'm willing to be a little more casual. I will walk into the CEO of my current company wearing my ball cap and my jeans and my shirt untucked because that's just who I am, you know? And I can still present myself professionally and stand on the confidence of my profession, and still feel good about acting like who I am.
And that's what I'm trying to convey with my current headshot that I wasn't conveying in my very corporate kind of Gatling gun headshot from a few years back. So to me, about two years is we change enough, even if we look relatively the same, I think we change enough in personality and what we've learned since, that we may tell a better story every two years about ourselves. And that's what I think is important about that.
[00:36:23] Matty: Yeah, I definitely think that an appearance change, so for example, in my previous headshot, I had bangs. I don't have bangs anymore, so once I'd committed to no bangs, I wanted to get a new headshot because I want people, for example, to be able to recognize me when they go to the event that's being advertised with my headshot. And also want to be able to go to it and not have people whispering, oh, she looks a lot older than I expected. Because I have been disappointed, like going to author events and I only know the author from their webpage or whatever. And see them and I think, whoa, they really should have gotten an update.
[00:37:00] Wade: Well, and that's exactly, that's just so important. And you took the words out of my mouth, there are people out there that are using a headshot from 10, 20 years ago, and you're absolutely right, if that person shows up. And even if you're not overtly saying, wow, what happened there? I just think it's interesting to think about that, why would you use a shot from 10 years ago? Because it's just not who you are now. I guess I've heard people say, wow, but I just look so old now, but it's no, you know, we're all just beautiful people. It doesn't matter how old we are. It's like, how authentic can we be in our shot?
Can we just be honest with ourselves and not live that lie from showing a picture from 10 or 20 years ago and just feel confident and grateful that we're here working in this space and be the person who we really are today in our headshots. I just think, one, we're being honest with ourselves and we're telling a good story to our audience by getting that shot every two years and being grateful that we're here two years later to get that headshot, and that we get to work in spaces like this.
[00:37:59] Matty: Yeah, I can pretty much guarantee that if I went to an author event of an 80-year-old author, and I had been prepped for that by seeing their recent headshot, I would never go in and say, whoa, they look really old. But if I go in to see a 60-year-old author and they're showing me a headshot taken when they were 40 years old, then my reaction is going to be, whoa, they look really old. So sticking with the truth, I think is better in the end anyway. Only the person thinks they're looking old in it.
[00:38:25] Wade: Yeah, exactly. And even if it isn't about looking old or not, it's just sort of like, man, what are you doing? Just level up, get your shot.
[00:38:32] Matty: You're living a lie.
[00:38:33] Wade: Yeah.
[00:38:35] Matty: So the last thing I wanted to ask you, is that early on, we we've been talking about selfies, and you had said, one of the reasons a selfie can be good is that some people are more comfortable with themselves than they are going to be with a photographer, especially if they don't know the photographer.
So let's say we've convinced someone that professional is the way to go, and they find a professional, not somebody that they're friends with or they know otherwise, and now they're heading for the photo shoot. Is there anything you can advise that would help people at least pretend that they are relaxed during their photo shoot, so they get the kind of relaxed photo I think we all want?
Being Comfortable Telling Your Story
[00:39:07] Wade: You know, I'll use those two pictures I've been talking about of myself as a first example, in that I thought in that white studio that day, I was feeling pretty comfortable. I worked with these people, I thought it would be fine, but something about it, I just, when I got the shots back, I just didn't look relaxed.
And I think part of it was, I just couldn't relax into it. I was attaching too much to the outcome, I wanted that shot to look good so bad. And I got those shots back and I just ah, it doesn't, doesn't look like me, it doesn't feel like me. It's just such a personal thing, and it really comes down to, it could be the day, or it could be maybe what you were wearing that day. I just think all those elements come together to either work for you or not, and not to attach too much importance if you get a shot back that you didn't like. It's like shooting a bad golf shot, just try again. Where do you feel most comfortable in telling that story about yourself?
[00:40:00] Matty: Yeah, I think that it would be important for people to think through what those things are that relax them, and then be very clear with your photographer about what they are. So if red is your color and you know scientifically that it's not the most flattering, but that's what you love to wear, then wear red. And one thing I've noticed about my own headshots is, the ones where I'm sitting down or leaning against something, I look more relaxed than the ones where I'm just standing, so I think the next time I got my headshot, I would ask for some to be taken with me sitting. So you could even go back through photographs of yourself and see in what ones do you look more relaxed, and think through what caused that? Well, it was because I was outdoors versus indoors, or I was wearing my favorite outfit rather than an uncomfortable outfit, or I was leaning against something, and then pass those on to the photographer, so he's not having to guess, or she's not having to guess.
[00:40:54] Wade: A hundred percent. You know, when I was thinking about the headshot that I have now that really worked, all we were doing was basically talking about stuff, and I've known the photographer for literally decades. And we were just joking around and he's clicking pictures the whole time. And I was barely aware that the shoot was happening. That's that virtuous cycle again, of storytelling where you relaxed into the scene or the setting or the moment, felt comfortable, felt like you were happy. And those are those intangibles I think sometimes that people forget about that I wasn't doing in that more sterile studio environment.
[00:41:30] Matty: Yep, perfect. Thank you so much. We'll have to celebrate this successful interview with cocktails just shortly. But thank you for coming back on the podcast and please let the listeners and viewers know where they can go to find out more about you and all you do online.
[00:41:46] Wade: Yeah, my pleasure. I have a website that needs updating, and it is WadeWalton.com. It has examples of both my professional photography as well as my fine art photography. Tells you a little bit about my book, "Sunshine and Shadow." And then as well, I think you mentioned earlier that I play in a Southeast Pennsylvania-based rock band called Walton Marquette. And we are in currently rebranding towards more arena rock that helps bring people excitement and joy and brings you back to those days of stadium rock that aren't as common now. And that is WaltonMarquetteProject.com. And we also have a YouTube channel. And so if you're in the Southeast Pennsylvania area or in the Northeast region, you may catch us playing around there and we're available for bookings as well. So some things coming up there, so those are the best places to reach me and tells you a little bit about the creative that I do.
[00:42:40] Matty: Very great. Thank you so much.
[00:42:41] Wade: Thank you for having me.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Wade! As you were listening to us talk, did you think to yourself, “It’s time for a new headshot” ... or even your first headshot? Which of the tips that we shared will you put into practice? Do you have any tips we didn’t cover? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Please post your comments on YouTube--and I'd love it if you would subscribe while you're there!
