marketing

Is Your Professional Photo Building Trust or Destroying It?

Your photo decides trust before you speak. Joanne Moorhouse shows how authentic headshots win clients, why selfies hurt credibility, and how remote sessions make confidence easy

Bernie Franzgrote

10 Feb 2026 — 3 min read

People in relaxed busienss attire facing out with the title of Authenticity Matters Most

Hosts Percy Barr, Wayne Pratt and Bernie Franzgrote

Build Instant Trust with Your Photo – Knack 4 Business with Joanne Moorhouse

Learn how the right headshot builds trust and clients. Practical advice from the Knack 4 Business podcast to help SMB owners look real, confident, and approachable.

Most business owners are losing trust before they say hello.
The problem isn’t skills—it’s the photo people meet first.
Joanne Moorhouse explains how one honest headshot can open more doors than a year of posts.

Your photo is a handshake you never get to give.

Before a client reads one line, they look at your face and decide three things:
Are you safe?
Are you capable?
Are you real?

Joanne Moorhouse joined the Canada Growth Network Power Hour to talk about the quiet power of a headshot. She said something simple that stuck:

“People feel photos before they think about them.”

Most of us treat photos like a chore. We grab a quick selfie, crop out the dog, and hope for the best. Joanne says that’s like wearing pajamas to a job interview. The message leaks before you speak.

She shared common trust breakers:

Photos that are 10 years old
Busy backgrounds
Stiff, forced smiles
Images that don’t match who you are today

None of these are evil. They just confuse the brain. And confused brains don’t buy.

Joanne also talked about the rise of remote photo sessions. During the pandemic she learned to guide clients through their phone cameras. No studio, no travel, no stress. People relax in their own space—and relaxed people look trustworthy.

Confidence shows in small ways:
Soft shoulders, steady breath, eyes that connect. Joanne coaches clients to think about the person on the other side, not the lens. When you focus on helping someone, your face changes.

Black-and-white photos came up too. Without color, the mind fills the story. Sometimes that creates deeper emotion and trust. Interesting, right?

The big lesson: A headshot is not decoration. It’s marketing.

If your photo feels honest, conversations start easier. Replies come faster. Meetings feel warmer. If it feels fake, people scroll away and never tell you why.

Joanne recommends checking your image once a year. If you changed hair, glasses, or confidence, update. Let your photo grow with you.

This episode wasn’t about vanity. It was about respect for the people you serve. Show them the real you—the one they’ll meet on Zoom or at the door.

That’s how trust begins.

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

SMB owners 3–10 years in
Solopreneurs building a personal brand
Corporate escapees starting fresh
Leaders building systems that attract clients

KEY LESSONS

Takeaway 1 – Trust starts with a photo

People decide in seconds if you feel safe to talk to. Before they read your bio, your face does the talking. A calm, natural image tells the brain, “this person is real.”

Takeaway 2 – Authentic beats perfect

Polished, stiff photos can feel like a mask. Joanne teaches that small, honest expressions win more clients than model poses. Less makeup, less props, more you.

Takeaway 3 – Update before you confuse

If your photo is older than your haircut, it’s time. When people meet a different version of you, trust slips. Keep images current and simple.

PRACTICAL STEPS – DO THIS WEEK

Open your LinkedIn photo and ask: Does this look like me today?
Clear the background clutter in your next image.
Book a quick remote headshot instead of another selfie.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Joanne Moorhouse – Personal Brand Photographer & Trust-at-First-Sight Author

Joanne, from Joanne Moorhouse Creative, helps professionals look like the person clients will actually meet. She solves the problem of photos that quietly push opportunities away. She cares because real people deserve images that tell their true story, not a plastic version.