Headshot Booker, SpotMyPhotos launch 10,000 Headshots project
On July 22, more than 200 photographers will create 10,000 professional headshots for unemployed Americans as part of a multi-company campaign billed as “the largest, single-day initiative of its kind to help put America back to work.” Headshot Booker has teamed-up with retail real estate giant Brookfield Properties to create pop-up photo studios at 165 locations in all 50 states.
Complimentary headshots will be conducted nationwide on Wednesday, July 22 from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (local times) and are open to anyone who is currently unemployed. Visit HeadshotBooker.com to find the nearest location and schedule a time.
10,000 Headshots is the brainchild of Tony Taafe, who co-founded Headshot Booker with portrait photographer, Peter Hurley, national event photographer, Lauren Lieberman, and developer, Joseph Pelosi.
Taafe recalled the struggles his dad had with unemployment and the impact it had on his entire family: “I know firsthand that the effects of unemployment extend well beyond an individual. My dad was the hardest working person I ever met. He was in construction, so the work wasn’t consistent and he had almost zero job security. Unemployment impacts everyone and everything associated with that person.
“Headshot Booker is in a unique position to provide out-of-work Americans with an important element of the job search process – a great, professional headshot. And thanks to our partners who share a similar vision, we will be able to help thousands of unemployed Americans put their best foot forward and help them get back to work.”
Headshot Booker, the world’s largest consortium of accredited photographers trained in the art of the headshot, has teamed-up with retail real estate giant Brookfield Properties who will use its shopping centers around the country as locations for the photo shoots. SpotMyPhotos, the AI-powered photo delivery platform to directly integrate with professional cameras, will provide its platform to more than 200 photographers to instantly share professional headshots with participants. Participants can then update LinkedIn profiles from their phones.
“This is an impactful initiative on multiple levels for participants, photographers and partners,” said Ryan Jacobs, founder and CEO of SpotMyPhotos. “We are proud to leverage our platform to empower 10,000 people with the confidence accompanying such high-quality headshots as they seek out new job opportunities.”
More than 200 professional photographers will volunteer their services to the project thanks to the Headshot Crew, a coaching platform created by Hurley. The Headshot Crew has set the global standard for headshot photography using Peter’s signature techniques outlined in his book, “The Headshot.”
“Many job seekers underestimate the value of a professional headshot, instead opting for a snapshot taken by a friend or even worse a selfie. The headshot has become the cornerstone of one’s digital brand identity and we want to empower people as they go through the process procuring a new job and getting back into the workforce,” explains Hurley. “The base price for a high quality, professional headshot starts around $250, which equates to more than $2.5 million in collective services these photographers will provide through this initiative. These are small business owners who are looking for ways to give back to their respective communities and they are excited and grateful to be able to contribute.”
“We want everyone coming through 10,000 Headshots to have a wonderful experience and look to us as a support network,” explained Lauren Lieberman, co-founder of Headshot Booker and CEO of LILA PHOTO in Palm Beach. “Finding a job is hard work. Our hope is that, along with a great professional headshot, they will leave the photo session with a greater sense of confidence and purpose, knowing they are making an investment in themselves and their future.”
Headshot Booker will also create a dedicated platform where participants and others can share success stories with securing employment and find additional employment tools, tips, and other resources. The page will also serve as a means of support among its members.
In addition to Headshot Booker, Brookfield Partners, and SpotMyPhotos, additional support is provided by Canon USA, Tether Tools, and PhotoFlashDrive.
The Dead Pixels Society conducted an exclusive interview with Taafe, Lieberman and Jacobs. Listen below: