Why do I bang on so much about the importance of your eyes in a headshot?
Well…
Humans react to eye contact because it can be used as a tool for nonverbal communication and emotional expression. 
Our eyes can convey a wide range of emotions such as love, anger, fear, or joy. Eye contact can also be used to indicate agreement or disagreement or to signal that we are listening and understanding what the other person is saying. The eyes can be a powerful tool for nonverbal communication, and it is no surprise that humans react to eye contact. A study published in the journal “Emotion” found that people can accurately identify emotions based on eye contact alone.
Eye contact is a fundamental aspect of human communication and social interaction. The ability to make and maintain eye contact is considered a sign of attentiveness, interest, and engagement in a conversation. It’s why I talk about The Headshot Conversation so much and it’s one of the reasons why your eyes are so important in your headshot.
We only need to refer back to the days of Covid and of wearing face masks. We could make eye contact and instantly know so much about the person opposite us.
Research into the importance of the eyes in a headshot
Research at MIT proves that we process visual data 60,000 faster than we do text. Wow, that’s pretty impressive! But it also explains why our eyes are so important in conveying and receiving subtle information, and why our eyes are so important in your headshot.
One of the most popular theories on why humans react to eye contact is that it is an innate, biologically determined behaviour. According to this theory, the human brain is wired to respond to eye contact because it is a crucial aspect of social interactions. Research has shown that infants as young as six months old respond to eye contact, indicating that this behaviour may be evolutionarily hardwired into our brains. A study published in the journal “Nature” found that infants as young as 2 days old prefer to look at the eyes of a face over other features, suggesting that the ability to make and respond to eye contact is present from birth.
Trust is in the eyes
It’s all in the eyes as another theory suggests that humans react to eye contact because it is a sign of trust and cooperation. When we make eye contact with someone, we are indicating that we are paying attention and are willing to engage in social interaction. This can help to establish trust and cooperation, which is essential for successful communication. Studies have shown that people who make more eye contact are perceived as more trustworthy and likeable.
In conclusion, humans react to eye contact for a variety of reasons. It may be an innate, biologically determined behaviour that is hardwired into our brains, or it may be a sign of trust and cooperation, dominance or power, and nonverbal communication and emotional expression. Understanding the various theories and studies on why humans react to eye contact can help us to better understand and interpret the nonverbal cues that we receive in our daily interactions.
What do we see in the eyes in this headshot? Answers in the comments below.
