Brad Rateike: Smiles and miles: Update headshot to show true self

Last December, I was at a holiday party where I was likely beyond my depth. But I quickly grew comfortable after a new introduction to Mark, a local business leader. After we were introduced, he paused and said, “I think I’ve seen your picture in the IBJ. Is that where I know you from?”

I laughed. He didn’t recognize my name. It likely was my 10-year-old photo (published along with this column every month), which was no longer an exact replica. That brief exchange led to a conversation about his own headshot and how many of us hold onto them a little longer than we should. (Mark is a few years older and concurred that he was in no rush to “freshen” up his digital image.)

Although it takes just a few minutes to update, a professional headshot can carry more meaning than you’d expect. While I won’t pretend to speak for Mark, I felt like we weren’t exactly resisting a camera. We were holding onto a version of ourselves that represented a specific chapter in our careers. Don’t get me wrong; I was also thinner back then.

The headshot he referenced was the first “official” one I’d ever had taken. I remember putting on my first “nice” suit for it, excited to be at a place in my professional life where a headshot was even needed. And for years, that photo did its job.

But over time, that photo became less reflective of the person in it. Not just cosmetically—I mean yes, gravity has been hard at work—but also professionally and personally. Still, I postponed the update. Why rush it? That frozen-in-time me was comfortable and confident and possessed a healthy level of naivete.

There’s a line I’ve always appreciated when it comes to aging: “It’s not the years; it’s the mileage.” And over the course of the past 10 years, I have logged plenty of mileage. That’s true for most of us. A headshot might not show every late night, every change in job or career, or every relationship up and down. But somehow it reminds us that they happened.

Recently, as my professional team grew, and we needed consistent marketing materials across the board, I finally gave in. We scheduled new headshots, and there I was again, face to lens, trying not to overthink my “neutral but approachable, yet not too much cheese” smile.

Updating your photo isn’t just a branding move. It’s a subtle moment of recognition. Not just of how you look, but of how you’ve changed. It’s a chance to acknowledge the professional experiences, lessons and moments that shaped the person standing in front of the lens today.

To be clear, I’m not saying we should all celebrate our new headshots like they are Oscar-worthy portraits. I’m certainly not getting mine framed or using it as a motivational poster. But I do think there’s quiet power in letting the image match the reality—“warts” and all.

So, if your profile picture still looks like it belongs to your past life as a junior associate or your brief stint as an amateur model from the accounting department (we’ve all been there), maybe it’s time for a refresh. Not for vanity, but because your story’s progressed, and you can take comfort in that.

Most important, in a city like Indianapolis, someone’s bound to recognize you. You might as well let your photo catch up.•

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Rateike is founder of BAR Communications and served as director of cabinet communications for President Donald Trump. This is his new headshot. Send comments to [email protected].

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