Headshots for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals: Notes from the CIONS Vendor Fair
This month I set up a small headshot station at the Central Indiana Oncology Nursing Society (CIONS) vendor fair and offered free headshots to anyone who wanted one. A lot of nurses stopped by. Some came on purpose. Some got talked into it by a coworker. All of them were a joy to photograph.
Oncology nurses spend their days caring for people in some of the hardest moments of their lives. I wanted to give a little something back. Here are a few of my favorite portraits from the day, along with a few things I'd share with any healthcare professional thinking about a new headshot.
Why a headshot matters in healthcare
Most nurses I talk to don't think of themselves as needing a professional photo. But your face shows up in more places than you might expect:
Hospital and clinic staff directories
ID badges and patient-facing bios
LinkedIn profiles and job applications
Conference programs and speaker bios
Award and certification announcements
In a field built on trust, a warm, current photo helps patients and colleagues feel like they already know you a little. It doesn't need to be fancy. It just needs to look like you on a good day.
A few simple tips
You don't need to be comfortable in front of a camera to get a good headshot. That part is my job. A few small things do help, though.
Wear what you'd wear to work on a good day. Scrubs, a white coat, or business casual all work. Solid colors photograph best.
Keep it current. If your photo is more than a few years old, or it's cropped from a vacation picture, it's probably time.
Think about where it will be used. A hospital directory and a LinkedIn profile can use the same photo, but it helps to know in advance so we can frame it well for both.
Give yourself a few minutes. The first couple of frames are usually stiff for everyone. Most people relax after a minute or two of conversation, and that's when the best photos happen.
Thank you, CIONS
Thank you to the CIONS team for hosting a great event, and to every nurse who took a few minutes out of a busy day to sit down with me. It was a privilege to meet you.
Need a headshot for yourself or your team?
I photograph individual headshots, team headshots, and events for organizations across Zionsville, Carmel, Westfield, and the greater Indianapolis area. If your unit, practice, or organization could use updated photos, I'd be glad to talk through what would work for you.
See my headshot work or send me a message. I'd love to hear from you.
