Author Photos: When You Need Them and How to Get Them Right
Book marketing strategies often include elements such as a website, press kit and social media, and while those are all valid and important (depending on your author brand and target readership), pretty much any marketing tool you implement will require something equally important: a photo of you!
Now, if your author goal is simply the personal satisfaction of having published a book, then author photos (or a marketing strategy) will not be on your radar. If, on the other hand, you plan on getting “out there” to build awareness of your book and court potential readers, author photos are a must. You will use them much more often than you think, so this is a step you don’t want to skimp on. So, if you are thinking of that really nice picture of yourself from a wedding last summer, think again—a personal photo (especially one with figures in the background that have been somewhat cropped out) just doesn’t cut it. Here are some things that should be on your checklist for author photos.
Hire a Professional
If you have a friend or relative who is an accomplished amateur, they just might be right for your author photoshoot, but you still want to be selective about who will be behind that camera. Ask for portfolios. If a photographer (even your friend) is adept at taking wildlife shots, that skill doesn’t necessarily translate easily into portrait photography.
Determine Your “Look”
You want to make sure your wardrobe and backdrops are appropriate for whatever author image you are seeking. If you have written a business book, perhaps posing in a meadow of lilies isn’t quite the right look. If you have written a children’s book, wearing stiff business attire won’t do you any favours.
Variety!
Variety is so important—wardrobe, body position, backdrop, and facial expressions. The last thing you want is to have to paste the same picture in the same outfit across all your marketing materials.
Portrait and Landscape
All too often, authors stick to portrait photos, but there are times where a landscape photo or two are very useful. On the home page of your website, for example, you may want a photo as your banner image. If none of your pics are landscape, however, they will just come out blurry or worse, not be usable at all.
Another thing to keep in mind is backgrounds. Photos with busy backgrounds can sometimes be difficult to implement in marketing materials. Ask your photographer for some photos with negative space.
Many authors ask how many pictures they should get. We always recommend 10-15 photos. If your marketing activities are on a smaller scale, even 5 good photos will do just fine. The important thing is to make them professional and authentic!
Do you have more questions about author photos or any other marketing tools? Contact us for more information!
