Client Stories: Musician & Software Engineer Jason Gonzales

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do? 

I'm a software engineer that came to this line of work after being a musician for a decade, then a recording engineer, then a high school English teacher. I found that making interactive and useful web UIs was pretty fun and satisfying. I love talking to people to understand their problems and needs. I really love working at small early startups -- it's the closest thing to being in a band. You need to be creative and attentive to your audience.

What motivated you to get a new headshot?  How old was your previous headshot?

I've never had a pro headshot before! My new company offered to pay for this and I was excited to get a real photographer.

How did you feel about your old headshot, and what were you looking for in your new one? 

It was silly!

In what ways do you think your new headshot has impacted your business, visibility or job search? 

Too soon to tell, but I look way less silly now. On the other hand the new photo captures my personality in a way more flattering way.

Have you received any feedback or comments on your new headshot?

Folks love it -- especially my wife.

How important do you think a professional headshot is for someone in your field? 

Honestly, I have yet to see if it makes a difference. Hopefully it will improve my credibility on platforms where people see my headshot and read something I have to say.

What advice would you give to someone considering getting a new headshot? 

If you can afford it, do it! It's fast and fun and will look better than you can imagine most likely. I'm super unconfident about my appearance and was surprised to see I looked pretty good to even myself.

Were you nervous or uncomfortable with the idea of having your photos taken and if so how was the experience in the end? 

I was just worried I'd end up thinking "ok, this is technically a better photo but I still hate looking at myself." Untrue. I'm pretty proud of it.

How did you prepare for your headshot session, and do you have any tips for others on how to get ready for theirs?

Honestly I wish I'd spent more time on my hair. My hair was pretty bad that day but we still managed to get good shots.

How was your experience working with S72 for your headshot session?

Totally great. It was efficient without feeling rushed.