Being A Grownup Stinks {Photography Giveaway}

See the bottom of this post for a rather grown-up giveaway!

You know what’s difficult? Being a grown-up.

There are all of these demands that nobody bothers to prepare you for in all of those college prep classes and high school assemblies about career choices. Sure, your resume gradually evolves and you eventually learn how to balance difficult tasks such as waking up in the morning and (mostly) keeping up with your keys. But then, you’re blindsided by insanity such as filing your taxes and having a decent head shot. Talk about a buzzkill.

I remember having no idea who to call when I needed my first head shot early in my career, which naturally was needed within about a 24 hour window. Was this like a Walgreens photo for a passport or was there some secret-knock-place that all the other professionals knew to visit? I finally ended up with a mediocre photo of me looking frazzled with a half smile and flyaway hairs. Wonderful.

The truth is that there are many talented photographers who are more than capable of taking a good head shot for your professional use, but there are very few who actually specialize in this niche. Whether you’re a part-time, stay-at-home blogger or a C-suite executive, the single best option in northwest Arkansas for that elusive and fabled headshot is Linda Richards Photography.

Linda actually has a fantastic post on How To Take A Great Head Shot over on my bloggy buddy Stephanie McCratic’s site, Evolved Mommy – it will be a great resource when you schedule your session. Plus, Evolved Mommy was recently ranked one of the Top 25 Tech Blogs by Circle of Moms, and it is chock full of other great fashion, work/life balance and tech trend topics, so you should be reading it anyway!

I was recently able to do a sample head shot session with Linda at her adorable studio in Bella Vista, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience. Here are a few of the things I loved:

• Linda is a working professional, while many photographers (and this is not a bad thing) are a little more the creative type. This simply means Linda has a great eye for balancing an appealing, artful and attractive photo with something appropriate for the workplace.

• I expected it to feel a little odd to visit a home studio, but despite being in Bella Vista, Linda’s studio is incredibly easy to reach and ideally set up for a drop-in session. Highly recommend. Of course, Linda will also happily meet you at a unique location for a custom or natural backdrop that suits your style.

• Frankly, head shots can be pretty boring. I think it would be an understatement to say that I have a pretty outgoing personality, and I wanted something that would capture some personality and stand out in a boring pile of black and white photos. Linda delivers with a great array of unique background options and suggestions.

• Along those lines, Linda is adept at letting the client direct the tone of the shoot or taking the lead by giving useful ideas and insight for those less sure of what they might desire.

For the purposes of this post, I asked Linda to provide me some watermarked photos to help me spread the word about her topnotch work. As much as it pains me to post pictures of myself here, I so believe in her incredible work that I’m taking a deep breath and sharing these with you. I loved the background she used that was reminiscent of vintage ceiling tile – a perfect fit for me given my affection for our 1905 home in historic downtown Rogers.

The other photos in this post are of Jane Behrends and Krischelle Tennessen. They are the co-founders of the new Dress for Success NWA affiliate in addition to their day jobs at Walmart corporate. Linda did a great job of capturing them both professionally but with a nod to their fun personalities and interaction as a team.

Last but not least, it’s important to note that Linda is a talented all around photographer who is also adept at senior pictures, family portraits, newborn sessions and all that you might expect out of a capable photographer. Linda’s site has an easy-to-navigate gallery showing her portfolio of work, including links directly to head shots as well as family sessions, maternity and newborn and seniors.

Linda Richards Photography has an excellent blog full of all sorts of tips on capturing a great maternity shot, photographing the baby bump, looking good for prom photos and tips for newborn sessions. She’s a fantastic photography resource. You can follow her blog or keep up with all of her great ideas via Facebook and Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

And, the best part is that you could win a Professional Head Shot Session from Linda Richards Photography. It’s valued at $45 and will leave you with a digital web-ready image for your website, LinkedIn profile or myriad professional uses. And, the session will take just 15 minutes – she’s a pro! Watch for a post next week about Linda Richards Photography over on Arkansas Women Bloggers, and stay tuned – we expect that she will join us at the upcoming Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged (#AWBU) conference outside Little Rock on September 6 – 9, meaning you shouldn’t hesitate to enter this giveaway if you live elsewhere in the state!

So, be a grown-up already. Schedule a head shot and tuck it away for a rainy day when someone mentions they need your photo and bio in the next hour.

To enter the giveaway, click the Rafflecopter giveaway below. The only requirement to enter is to like LRP on Facebook, but you can easily earn additional entries as well!

a Rafflecopter giveaway