If your professional headshot is more than a couple of years old—or, as one chamber colleague recently joked, “from high school”—it’s time for a refresh.
Your headshot is often your first impression. Whether you’re applying for a board position, connecting with potential investors, or just networking at events, people will check your LinkedIn, your website, or your chamber directory listing. What they see shouldn’t be a blurry crop from a wedding or a group photo from your last company party. It also should be recognizable as you. You don’t want someone to meet you in person, after seeing only your online photo, and not recognize you.
But a great headshot is expensive, right?
Not always. While you can get a great one for several hundred dollars, not everyone has that kind of money lying around for a studio session. And for chamber professionals, the stakes are even higher. Not only are you managing your personal brand, you’re also setting a standard for your members and staff. You are also (quite literally) the face of the chamber.
Recently, in the Chamber Pros Facebook Group, several chamber pros shared their experiences with professional headshots—how often they update them, how they pay for them, and how they partner with local photographers. Their insights offer a practical roadmap for chambers of all sizes.
Headshots: A Chamber-Wide Conversation
So what if you want to update your headshot but you don’t have the budget, personally or at the chamber? Maybe you have a member who’s a photographer who’s donated sessions to events before and if you find a cheaper option, you might ruffle feathers.
Sound familiar?
Here’s what several chamber pros suggested:
- Christie Ransom shared that her chamber trades advertising with a member photographer or pays outright. “Worth it,” she emphasized.
- Hope Kennedy (President & CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber) and MacKenzie Huntsman (President/CEO at Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce) both have member photographers who provide board and staff headshots annually, in-kind. In return, they receive credit and visibility.
- Lisa Sever Smartnick (interim President of the Norwin Chamber of Commerce) hosted a headshot event where a photographer charged $10/person, Panera donated breakfast, and they charged $20 per ticket—raising funds while providing value.
- Pam Miller said the Powell Chamber of Commerce pays for board and staff headshots annually for website use.
- Others like Joey O’Hern admitted they’ve held onto older photos—“before the gray hair”—and Barry Wilfahrt joked, “According to my board I am still using my high school photo.”
The consensus? Headshots matter, and there are plenty of creative ways to make them happen—even without a huge budget.
Why a Quality Headshot Matters
Your headshot is part of your professional brand. It communicates:
- Credibility: A polished photo signals professionalism and attention to detail.
- Approachability: A warm, confident image can make people more inclined to connect with you.
- Consistency: A headshot that matches your current appearance avoids confusion when meeting people in person or recognizing you on video.
For chambers, there’s a broader benefit. Uniform, high-quality headshots across your website, directories, and event promotions elevate the organization’s brand as a whole. That’s also an argument as to why the chamber should foot the bill for your pic.
But if that’s not on the table, here are a few things you can do:
Options for Getting Great Headshots on a Budget
1. Trade for Value
Like many chamber pros suggested, if you have an active member who’s a photographer, consider offering something of value in exchange: advertising space, newsletter features, a social media spotlight, or even free event admission.
Be transparent. Say:
“We’d love to promote your work in exchange for staff and board headshots. Would you be open to a collaboration?”
2. Host a Headshot Event
Follow Lisa’s model. Partner with a photographer, get a sponsor for snacks or drinks, and charge a nominal fee to cover costs or raise funds. Make it a fun networking opportunity. These days everyone needs a headshot.
3. Ask for In-Kind Donations
Like Hope Kennedy and MacKenzie Huntsman, identify members willing to offer their services annually in exchange for visibility and chamber goodwill. Make sure to credit them for their donation on your website and at events.
4. Invest When You Can
As Henry Florsheim and Candice Lawrence pointed out—sometimes the chamber should just pay. Consider it a marketing investment. You’re putting your team and board in the best possible light. Today’s world is very visual—a face with a name is essential.
5. DIY
While phone cameras are impressive today, they rarely replace a pro. If you must go DIY:
- Use natural light.
- Choose a neutral background.
- Avoid busy clothing.
- Take multiple shots (try your camera’s burst mode or continuous shooting.
- Edit lightly (but for the love of all things holy, don’t use the heavy wrinkle eraser filter. Everyone knows you’re using it and eventually they’ll see you in person without the filter).
6. AI
There are many impressive AI professional image generators these days. You can take a real image and upload it. Click a few options and you have a great shot, perfect lighting, and a professional background and wardrobe. Gemini suggests, “For generating realistic and professional-looking AI headshots, BetterPic and Aragon.ai are consistently recommended as top choices. Portrait Pal and HeadshotPro are also popular, with HeadshotPro being praised for its versatility and variety of styles.”
How to Look Your Best in Your Headshot
Whether you’re paying $500 or $5, you’ll want to make the most of your session. Here are some tips to shine:
1. Wardrobe
- Choose solid colors or subtle patterns.
- Avoid overly trendy styles.
- Pick clothes that reflect your role—professional, but approachable.
2. Grooming and Styling
- Aim for a natural, polished look.
- Avoid heavy makeup or overly shiny skin (bring blotting paper).
- If you’re due for a haircut, schedule it a week before your session.
3. Posture and Expression
- Relax your shoulders.
- Smile gently, as if you’re greeting someone at a networking event.
- Look directly into the camera to convey confidence.
- If you want to show only one chin (hey, I feel that) tilt your head slightly forward, pushing your chin out, and pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth. It feels weird but it works.
4. Don’t Rush
Give yourself time. The best photos come when you’re relaxed and not watching the clock. Sometimes having a conversation with the photographer produces the most natural results.
How Often Should You Update It?
Most pros recommend updating every 1–2 years, or whenever your look changes significantly—new haircut (or color), weight change, aging (it happens to us all).
Headshots as a Member Benefit
Hosting regular headshot sessions isn’t just a way to elevate your chamber—it’s a value-add for your members. Include it in your new member orientation, promote it in your newsletter, or tie it into an event.
You might even consider:
- Offering complimentary headshots at your women’s conference or small business expo (as Carmelle Bielenberg’s chamber does).
- Creating a staff-and-board photo day each January (like Pam Miller’s chamber).
- Purchasing a simple branded backdrop for consistency (thanks for the idea, Peggy Johnson Emerson).
- Making it extra special by bringing in some beauty specialists to help with makeup and hair. That makes a nice VIP treatment.
Updating your headshot doesn’t have to break the bank or ruffle feathers. Whether you trade services, host an event, or invest directly, the key is to plan with intention and leverage relationships.
At the end of the day, a professional photo is more than vanity—it’s a signal that you take your role seriously, value presentation, and are ready to do business.
So whether you’re gray-haired, camera shy, or still clinging to that shot of you with shoulder pads from the 80s—it’s time. Get in front of the lens. Be who you are and see that image as essential as your business card.
