Picture-accurate should outweigh picture-perfect

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By Larry Bodine
Dolan Media Newswires

Speaking to a group of lawyers recently, I advised the attorneys to be sure to put a color photo on their LinkedIn profile.

Afterward, a man confided in me that he hated getting his picture taken. He never liked how he looked.

I totally sympathized.

I recommended that he visit a professional photographer, then ask his friends and family to choose the best picture. That took the decision out of his hands. He was slim and mature, and I told him he had nothing to worry about.

He still wasn’t happy.

When we look at photos of ourselves, many of us are our own worst critics. Here are some tips to rebut the inner fault-finder:

• Do not go into a bathroom and take a “selfie” with your cellphone camera, unless you’re using the photo on a dating site.
• Don’t use an outdated photo that depicts you as a younger, prettier version of your current self. When people see you in real life, they’ll inevitably be taken aback at how much older you’ve gotten.
• Go ahead and get a picture taken when you’re heavier than usual. Chances are you’ll get more fit, and when people see you they’ll be impressed that you look better.
• Dress the way you ordinarily do at work. I’ve visited a lot of law firms over the last decade, and casual dress has become more the norm than the exception. When I see a man in a suit and tie, it appears to me that the guy is trying too hard.
• Don’t make a giant grin if it turns your face big and round. Try a Mona Lisa smile instead.
• If you have a double chin, position yourself so that you look up at the camera. It pulls your neck skin tighter.
• Should you have an eagle beak, look straight into the camera (see Joan Baez; she has used this technique successfully).
• Wrinkles are OK. Even kids nowadays appreciate the look of experience.

If there is something about your appearance that troubles you, spend the money to pay a professional who knows how to make people look good. Lighting and angles make all the difference. And with digital photography, a pro easily can edit out your unwelcome moles and splotches.

Also, just for fun, go to Fiverr.com, where artists will do anything for $5. I sent a photo to an artist in the U.K. who turned it into a cartoon. I liked it so much I now use it as my Twitter avatar.

Larry Bodine is editor-in-chief of Lawyers.com and a legal marketing expert.