This blog post is archived. While there is useful information pertaining to having your author photos done, KT Daxon is a defunct pen name by a friend who is no longer writing. Thank you! VMR 

Today’s chat we talked about author photos. Lots of people go with the casual photo, even a selfie, on social media, and if that’s the image you want to convey, that’s fine. But when you publish a book AND WANT TO SELL IT, you’re opening a business. I feel like you will be taken more seriously as a business person and an author if you look professional online.

Here’s a sample of author photos: EL James, Jennifer Weiner, Hugh Howey, John Green and Stephen King.

Let’s open the floor to chat. Thanks for listening in!
KT Daxon
Let’s talk about author photo first, what do you think?

Vania Margene Rheault
Author Photos sounds great! My brother in law did mine about a year and a half ago. I guess I need an update.

KT Daxon
Awesome! I have a friend who agreed to take mine. It’s a matter of matching schedules around appointments and kids. I may have to take my own. What should a new writer consider when getting an author photo taken?

Vania Margene Rheault
Well, I guess for me, it’s a question of the kind of presence you want to convey online. Some people go totally professional, some people use a selfie, that looks pretty good, some use a selfie that definitely looks like a selfie, and some don’t us a real photo at all, only an avatar or their logo

KT Daxon
What do you advise against? You mentioned before that obvious selfies are a no-go.

Vania Margene Rheault
I suppose if you want to maintain a level of professionalism, you should find someone to do it for you. If you’re going to query, what kind of picture do you want a potential agent to find? S/He has to work with you. First impressions are important.

KT Daxon
As with everything one does in life is.

Vania Margene Rheault
It’s like people saying they don’t judge books by their cover–yeah they do.

KT Daxon
If I take it myself, I planned to use a tripod and a remote. Ha! So there are ways to not have to pay out or have a friend do it, correct?

Vania Margene Rheault
Sure. I asked my brother in law to do it. He has a decent camera.

KT Daxon
What should the photographer (no matter who it is) think about when taking the photo? Full body? Headshot? Etc?

Vania Margene Rheault 
Well, that’s up to you, but a headshot seems to be the best. You have to think like Twitter, or Facebook, your Amazon Author page and your Goodreads page, they all will have a photo, and sometimes the space isn’t that big. Also, you may want your photo on the back of your book, or in the back matter with the about the author section. Those photos aren’t big either, so you want something that looks good, in a small size.

KT Daxon
Plus, most people don’t want full body photos of themselves. LOL. Do you recommend getting a number of poses to have on hand?

Vania Margene Rheault
Yeah, no thanks. I have a few poses, but I use the same one almost everywhere. It’s important to stay consistent so people online recognize you. You want your readers to be able to find you. I have a few different poses in my media tab on my website though, in case I get famous and a reporter wants to use a different picture. 😛

KT Daxon
Ha! Love it! What about IN the photo? Backgrounds? What should the picture NOT have in the background, etc. I’m not wording this right so hopefully you know what I’m asking.

Vania Margene Rheault
Well, I’ve read to not have a brick wall behind you. And I actually see that a lot. I had my best ones taken in a breezeway at my local library. Natural light is the best! Joanna Penn goes into this a little bit in her How to Market a Book. She advises you to do your hair, put on some makeup, don’t wear a busy print. Outside looks good, if you’re near a tree or something. Or go to a cafe, so you can pose with a coffee mug and maybe a book. But turn the book so you can’t see a title.

KT Daxon
Oooooh, good tips! I would have never thought a brick background would be bad!

Vania Margene Rheault
Yeah. Or a chain-link fence can make you look like you’re in prison.

KT Daxon
I’ll have to check out that book, sounds like it could have excellent tips in it. BTW- you should write your own “How to Publish” book…*wink* just saying. ❤
Hahaha. That’s funny.

Vania Margene Rheault
Thanks. Not sure I want to go into non-fiction right now. Maybe when I have the sales to back up my knowledge. 🙂 I was thinking of doing some kind of planner or journal with my trilogy theme. All the couples had a ton of photos and I could pull quotes from the book.

KT Daxon
That would be awesome! I love that idea.

Vania Margene Rheault
So do you have any ideas for the author who doesn’t want to put their picture out there? That has always kind of mystified me.

KT Daxon
Well, I believe each their own, but it baffles me why an author wouldn’t share with their readers what they look like. This could be a whole other blog post topic but, I think it’s important for a reader to know about the book and the author. Why do you think authors hide behind their words? What are your thoughts on those that do?

Vania Margene Rheault
I actually am not sure. I guess they are concerned about privacy. But what happens if their book takes off? Will they not do signings? Or do interviews? Will they not do face to face meetings with anyone who wants to sell their books? I guess they don’t think that far ahead.

KT Daxon 
Maybe it’s self-doubt? Like, they don’t think they’ll ever make it that big? Could be a great guest post idea for a future blog? I know for myself, I think big with low expectations

Vania Margene Rheault
That’s true. I kind of feel like, if they act like no one is going to read their work, then no one is going to read their work.

KT Daxon
I agree. If they think it’s bad, everyone else will too. That’s why I think it’s important that through the doubt, anxiety, and stress; you stand behind your work and have faith in it.

Vania Margene Rheault
That would be an interesting blog post–find someone who is not willing to put their photo out there. But I only know a handful of people who do that, and they probably wouldn’t talk about it.

KT Daxon
Hmm, tempting to do it myself.

Vania Margene Rheault
Although, on Twitter, there are lots of people do that–I’m just not friendly enough with them to ask.

KT Daxon
See what I can come up with…lol

Vania Margene Rheault
Sounds good! Anything else for our author photo chat? I can’t wait to see yours! Here’s a list of the places it can go– Amazon Author Page, Goodreads, your FB author page, if you have one, your Google + page if you have one, LinkedIn, Twitter, of course. Your website. Even a business card at some point.

KT Daxon
I think that’s it for Author Photo, but thank you for telling me where all it can go. Many of those places you wouldn’t normally think of, especially as the anxiety rises with the publication date nearing.

Vania Margene Rheault
Right. It helps to have a list. There’s a lot you need to know, but on the bright side, when you’re a relative unknown, no one is watching you make mistakes. 🙂

Like usual, our chats bleed off into things not fit for chat, and we started talking about something else. But here are a couple more articles on having an author photo, if you’re on the fence about having one, or even revealing your true you to your fans:

The Relevance of a Professional Author Photo

A Picture Says It All Or Does It? Judging an Author by Their Photo

An Author Photo Is Worth a Thousand Words
Your book jacket photo will follow you for years. What do you wear? How do you look?

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you again at our next chat!