of himself. Everything about this photo says “amateur.” Just by looking at the photos, you can tell that Patrick and Jay are serious, established professionals, and that Andrii is not. Mona Patel This is an example of a great business author photo. All the signals are saying the same basic things, telling a coherent story about her taste, and her warmth, and her ability: 1. She is sitting in a very design-forward chair, and this signals great aesthetic taste. 2. The shot is in an empty warehouse-style loft, which signals a specific design sensibility, one that is contem- porary and minimalist. 3. The symmetry of the corridor draws the eye to her face. The off-center crop signals originality and uniqueness. It says there’s going to be something special in this book you can’t find else- where. 4. She is dressed in a classic and perfectly tailored outfit, with styl- ish leather boots. This signals both excellent personal style and business professionalism, all at once. 5. She’s looking away from the camera and smiling warmly, as if she’s casually talking to someone in the background, signaling warmth and approachability. 6. She downplays her physical attractiveness with a masculine outfit and simple hair and makeup. She dresses in a tradition- ally male outfit (button-down shirt and black pants), but she accentuates it by tailoring the outfit to make it feminine and leaving an extra button open. 7. The photo is black and white, which signals high design and artistic sensibilities. If all this feels a little artsy to you, just think about how this photo makes you feel. You’re attracted to her and drawn in by her warmth 274 · ThE SCriBE METhOD