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Author Photos: What Your Photo Says About You
June 20, 2008
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by Aaron Hierholzer
Thinking back, a bandanna may have helped persuade me to buy Infinite Jest. Had David Foster Wallace not looked so impossibly grungy on his dust jackets and back covers, I may have assumed the book to be the work of a pretentious jerk who was published at an age alarmingly close to mine. But knowing that this heft of footnoted irony came from a long-haired, affable-looking guy gave the book a hard-to-define appeal. (Yeah, I only got to page 37. There are lots of big, big words.)
Ideally, the way an author looks should have no bearing on the content of a book, but it's natural to wonder what someone looks like after becoming wrapped up in the workings of his or her mind—and there's no doubt that a little sex appeal goes a long way when it comes to book promotion. (Some claim that it's not uncommon for big publishers to ask for a headshot before striking a deal; others say this isn't the case.) Fortunately, readers usually size up their authors from little thumbnail-sized windows on back covers and flaps, and—unless you're Thomas Pynchon or something—it's hard to look too bad.
As in the DFW example, one of the best things about author photos is that they give you a chance to give off calculated authorial vibes. Are you a black-turtlenecked poet? A tweedy pipe-smoking professor? A no-nonsense entrepreneur? You can't change the face life dealt you, but you can have a big effect on the way readers perceive you and your work with accoutrements and subtleties of expression: a puppy, horn-rimmed glasses, a slight curl of the lip. Think about the persona you want to develop with your photo, and think about how it relates to the content of your book. You could:
- Cause a furor with the languorous-debut-novelist look like Truman Capote. (Although he claimed to be mortified by the uproar, many report that Capote chose the pose himself. He developed a very different aesthetic later. But this frayed-sweater, please-stop-the-voices-in-my-head look is my favorite.)
- Accentuate your eccentricity with some zany hair, ala Malcolm Gladwell.
- Wear a jean jacket to subtly emphasize your populist message like Stephen King.
- Underscore the vibrant multiculturalism of your work with an ethnic headdress like Zadie Smith. (But watch out for imposters.)
And keep the basics we've already told you in mind. Unless you're a household name, avoid putting yourself on the cover. And hire a professional. It's sad to see nice-looking authors who look like they had their photo shoot done in a Sunday school classroom under florescent lights. Trust us, it's worth it.
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How to Make the Camera Love You: Author Photos
September 7, 2006
by Sheila Parr
Remember what it was like when you had to have your picture taken for the school yearbook? Did you get nervous? Wear dorky clothes? Panic and blink at the wrong moment? What if the whole world was going to see your yearbook photo? Well, that’s kind of what it’s like when you’re putting an author photo in your book. Except now, you’re completely in control.
Here are the three things to remember to get a photo that stops traffic:
1. Leave photography to the pros and schedule a professional photo shoot. Amateur photos—and trust me, you can tell—make the book and the author look sloppy and may hurt your credibility. If you ask around, chances are good you can get a recommendation for an excellent photographer at a reasonable price. Some photographers will take the time to get to know you and photograph you in your environment, or in a way that brings out subtleties in your personality. The lighting, color, and composition also make a big difference.
2. Use a current photo. You don't want your readers to be shocked if they show up to a book signing and find out what you really look like. Older photos also tend to look dated. If you’re wearing a piano key necktie in your photo, you will make your readers wonder if anything you have to say is timely or relevant. If you still wear piano key neckties, you may want to ask for a few honest opinions on hair, clothes, and presentation before heading to the studio.
3. Match the tone of your photo to the tone of your book. If your book is a tragic love story, no jazz hands in the author photo. If you’ve written an anthology of jokes, try not to cry while they’re taking your picture.
On the other hand, you do not need to prove you know what you’re doing by displaying an image in the back of your cookbook of you smiling in front of a wok. Likewise, for the business genre, a photo of the author sitting at a desk, at a computer, or leading a meeting is not appropriate. Everyone sits at desks and uses computers these days. In this situation, a simple, professional head shot is best. Let the pages of your book prove your skill.
Now that you’ve got a great photo, make sure it looks great in print. A high-resolution digital file is the preferred method of file submission. If you only have a physical copy of your photo, make sure it is fairly large and of very high quality. It is best to submit a color photo. Your designer can convert it to black and white or duotone if you so desire, but it is very difficult to add color to a grayscale image.
As for where the picture goes, author photos are very rarely appropriate on the cover of your book. Unless you are a celebrity, putting your face on your cover will not increase sales. For hardcovers, author photos should go on the inside back flap along with the bio. On paperbacks it is acceptable on the back cover or on the last page of text.
Keep these pointers in mind and you’ll have a photo—and a book—you wouldn’t mind your mom giving to all your relatives. Say cheese!
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