Professional headshots with personality: Sophie Danby’s Presence shoot
Sophie Danby came to Unmuted with a clear brief: she needed strong, professional photographs for her business, with headshots as the main focus.
They needed to have character. Sophie wanted images that felt right for her professionally and still allowed her personality to come through.
As a marketing consultant working within the IT service management industry,
Sophie helps businesses develop and deliver their marketing. Her work spans content and digital channels as well as events. For her own photographs, she wanted to feel recognisable as herself.
She booked the Presence experience, and we set out to create headshots she would feel happy using to represent her business.
From shaking with nerves to enjoying the shoot
Before the session, Sophie was so nervous she was shaking.
I think that’s worth sharing because it’s easy to look at someone’s finished photographs and assume they must feel naturally comfortable in front of a camera.
You can be experienced in your work, know exactly what you want from your images and still feel nervous about having them taken.
My role is to help you settle in and feel supported as we work. Sophie said that around fifteen minutes into her shoot, she was actually enjoying herself.
That change is such a lovely part of the experience. When the nerves begin to ease, there’s more room for your personality to come through.
What makes a professional headshot feel like you?
A headshot has a practical job to do. It needs to show you clearly and work wherever you introduce yourself professionally.
It can also communicate something about what it might be like to meet you.
Expression, posture and the way you engage with the camera all contribute to that feeling. Small changes can give a photograph warmth or a stronger sense of confidence, while keeping it appropriate for your business.
For Sophie, the brief gave us something useful to keep coming back to: professional photographs with character. Images she could use for work and feel comfortable recognising herself in.
Photographs that exceeded her expectations
Sophie’s feedback afterwards was that the final photographs had exceeded her expectations.
She described them as professional without being boring, exactly what she had wanted.
That matters more than creating a headshot that simply ticks a box. When you’re choosing a photograph to represent your business, you want to feel happy putting it alongside your name and your work.
For Sophie, the session delivered those photographs and an experience she had started to enjoy within the first fifteen minutes, despite how nervous she had felt beforehand.
In Sophie’s words
“I was so nervous before this shoot that I was shaking. Michelle put me at ease and about fifteen minutes in I was actually enjoying it. The final photos have exceeded my expectations. They're professional but they're not boring headshots, which is exactly what I wanted. I would 100% recommend.” Sophie Danby, Marketing Consultant
Meet Sophie Danby
Sophie is a marketing consultant with experience helping IT service management businesses develop and implement their marketing strategies. Her work includes content, social media and email marketing, alongside trade shows and events.
If you work in the sector and want to learn more about her approach, visit her LinkedIn profile to explore her work and get in touch.
Ready for a headshot with some character?
If you need professional photographs but feel nervous about the process, Sophie’s experience is a lovely reminder that you don’t have to arrive feeling confident.
We’ll work together to create images that suit your business and let your personality come through, with guidance throughout.
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