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11 Rules for Great Promotional Photos

Rule #1: Always use a professional glamour photographer who specializes in doing modeling portfolios. Do not use a portrait photographer, a high school yearbook photographer, or one of those guys who works at Sears taking kids’ photos. This is a business expense. Get it done right. It is tax deductible and you can give color copies to your family for Christmas.

A good glamour photographer will cost you up to $1,000 a session. This will usually include a makeup artist and hair stylist, assuming you have enough hair to style. Ask about these things before you go in to the session.

Rule #2: Only the practice owner or full partners are pictured in the photo. Do not use

photos of associates or group pictures of staff for the simple reason that they may not stay with the practice.

Rule #3: If you have two to three partners, do not use two separate photos positioned

side-by-side. Get a joint or group photo. Make sure you get all the heads positioned as close together as possible for a close-up headshot.

Otherwise, three guys standing next to each other get reduced in the final phone book ad to three indistinguishable stick figures with no personalities, let alone visible smiles.

Rule #4: Never wear a full beard in your phone book ad photo. A mustache is O.K.,

unless you’re a woman. Psychologically, a beard puts a wall between you and prospective patients. They can’t see or relate to the real you. If you want to send your kids to college and retire before age 80, lose the beard. You can grow it back after the photo session.

Rule #5: Men should wear a dark suit, white shirt, and dark tie against a light

background. Women should wear a dark suit with a light blouse against a light background. The contrast exudes strength. No patterns (checks, plaids, polka dots or big stripes) on clothes or backgrounds that distract the eye from you.

And, no black suits. Since they’re so dark, they become an area of flat black lacking detail and dimension.

Rule #6: Have the photographer shoot in color. Even if your ad is currently in black and

white, this will give you the flexibility should you decide to switch to a color ad or get a website. With today’s technology, converting the original color photo to black and white is easy to do. And, remember you can always give your family the color version at holidays.

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Rule #7: Have multiple poses taken. Start with your head and shoulders, waist up and

leaning forward looking to your left (into the phone book ad) while sitting. The fewer props you use, the better. And, never include your latest office gizmo. Props distract from the most important subject... you. So, "no props" is always best.

Rule #8: SMILE. It reassures prospective patients that everything’s going to turn out okay.

I can’t stress this enough. We once had a Beverly Hills dentist whose photo looked like a police mug shot. He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t getting new patients. We tactfully suggested a new photo, but he did not want to spend the money… and this was a Beverly Hills dentist!

Rule #9: RELAX. If you’re feeling stiff, you’ll project it. Have the photographer shoot a

few shots just to relax you. You need to be loose, so joke, laugh – do whatever and enjoy yourself. Otherwise, you’ll look like a mortician.

Rule #10: Have the photographer light you so as to create depth in your face. A three-quarter-angle flood will cast enough soft shadow to give your face character. Also diffuse all background shadows and make sure nothing casts a shadow on you.

Rule #11: If the photos on the proof sheet aren’t perfect, don’t worry. The photographer

can crop or chop off part and have a photo electronically airbrushed. Photoshop™ can take care of facial blemishes or virtually anything unwanted in the final print.

Suggestion: Give your photographer a copy of these rules just to double check.

Finally, if you have a group practice with more than three partners, call us for assistance.