By Allen McEachern.

A good portrait can do you a lot of favours. Ask yourself, when was the last time you updated your professional profile picture? Are you using an image from 10 years ago? Are people going to be surprised when they meet you in person? It might be time to update. Here are five reasons to do it now...

1. We all age, it's part of life. Not accepting this is a major mistake in business. Imagine you are to meet someone for a contract. You do your background and look into their on-line identity...usually accompanied by a photo or two...then you meet and the person looks nothing like their on-line portrait. Wow, you have aged...

2. People trust people who are confident. Show a strong, confident and current photo. Establish trust before you even meet.

3. Professional photographers will see things that you don't. Allowing someone trained in looking at people objectively might capture the true you. 

4. This one is a bit dark, but nonetheless true. Say you die tomorrow. Could happen. What will be the picture for your obituary? I know, crazy thought process, but listen...I have been contacted numerous times by grieving family members asking me to "photoshop" a picture for a funeral...something to think about.

5. A professional portrait for business is tax deductible. Engaging photographers helps the local economy.

Here is a portrait I recently shot for a member of the Save The Children Board of Directors