Headshot photographer in Houston | Motiva

Tara Flannery is a Houston headshot photographer based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  See more headshots in the gallery.  Contact me to book an individual headshot session or a corporate session for the entire company.

The Perfect Profile Picture?

An article by Photofeeler on social media profile pictures analyzed certain attributes of a profile image.  Pictures are rated on competence, likability, and influence.  The findings may surprise you!  To see the full article, click here.  By the way, you can upload your profile photo to this website and get feedback on it.

A profile photo is your representative in the digital world.

“We look to it every time we interact with you online, and even imagine it speaking the words you type.  Profile photos are so essential to modern communication that a good one’s become a basic necessity. And that couldn’t be truer than for those of us whose professional lives are tied to social media profiles.  That’s why we at Photofeeler decided to set our first major study on the goal of targeting just a few, over-arching guidelines.  That is, we asked ourselves— if we set aside characteristics like gender, age, and physical traits, to focus only on what we can easily control— what elements reliably produce a better professional headshot photo (for use on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?”

The results are as follows:

  • eyes: squinching (as in a smile) increases competency, likability, and influence
  • face: smiling with teeth increases competency, likability, and influence
  • body: formal dress increases competency and influence
  • setting: the background has essentially no effect on competency, likability, or influence
  • editing: over-processing an image (high saturation or dark photos) has a negative effect on the image while a black and white image has no effect

This analysis shows the importance of certain elements in your profile image.  Hiring a professional photographer will ensure that you get the best image for your website, social media, and marketing materials.

Motiva

This is my third corporate session for Motiva at its downtown Houston offices.  Different groups within the company have hired me for their professional headshots.  This time the legal group needed headshots.  This was a super efficient group!

Motiva strives to become the safest and most profitable downstream business in the United States.  Reaching our goal depends on 2,300 dedicated US employees working together across our operating territory, bringing the country the energy it needs and giving back to the communities where we operate. Our legacy of delivering quality products dates back over 100 years with our Port Arthur refinery. Now, it’s North America’s largest, with a crude capacity of 600,000 barrels a day. And today, our network of 24 distribution terminals has extended our reach, supplying gasoline and diesel to thousands of retail outlets under the iconic Shell and 76® brands.

 

 

Houston headshot photographerHouston headshot photographerheadshot photographer in Houston

Tara Flannery is a Houston headshot photographer based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  See more headshots in the gallery.  Contact me to book an individual headshot session or a corporate session for the entire company.

- INSTAGRAM -

@taraflanneryphotography

I put together a Guide to Photography Gear for those of you who need some help deciding what is actually worth investing in (and what's not). The link is in my bio!

Lighting is one of those things that feels complicated when you’re starting out… but it doesn’t have to be.

At the end of the day—light is light.

You don’t need the most expensive setup to get good results. What matters more is having something reliable that you understand how to use.

Especially if you’re shooting outside… the last thing you want is a $2,000 light going down in the wind.

Start simple.
Focus on gear you can trust.
And build from there.

Curious—what lighting setup are you using right now?
My Photographer Gear Guide is linked in my bio if you’re trying to figure out what’s actually worth investing in when you’re first starting out.

Because the truth is—you don’t need everything right away.

When you’re new, it’s easy to feel like you need all the gear… but really, it comes down to a few key pieces.

A solid camera body and a really good lens will take you further than a full bag of equipment you don’t know how to use yet.

If you’re deciding where to spend your money, start there.

A 24–70mm or 70–200mm lens will cover more than you think—and give you the flexibility to shoot a wide range of sessions without overcomplicating things.

Curious—what was the first piece of gear you invested in?
‼️ No clients (or videographers) were harmed in the making of this video 🤣

(For the record—this is very much a joke.)

But if you are a photographer, you know the real challenge isn’t getting someone in front of the camera… it’s knowing how to guide them once they’re there.

Small adjustments = big difference in how confident and natural someone looks.

And having a go-to posing flow makes everything feel easier—for you and your client. (so you don't resort to violence 😉)

➡️ I put together a Headshot Posing Flow Cheat Sheet to help with exactly that—link in bio.
A quick look at the people and brands I had the chance to photograph this month 👇🏻

Grateful for every person and team that trusted me to capture this season of their business.

Each session is different, but the goal is always the same—to create images that actually represent you well and support where you’re going next.

If you’ve been thinking about updating your headshot or branding photos, now is a great time to get it scheduled before things get busy later in the year.

📩 You can book your session through the link in my bio.

- STAY IN TOUCH -

Serving the Greater Houston, Texas Area

tara@taraflannery.com

713-412-5437

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Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers of America PPA.
Tara is a Certified Professional Photographer.
Tara is a member of TPPA Texas Professional Photographer's Association.
Tara has earned her Master of Photography degree.
Tara has earned her Photographic Craftsman certification.
Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston PPGH.