How To Prepare for Headshots
What to Wear?
What to wear is always the first thing that my clients ask about. My advice is always to consider what you love, what fits beautifully and if you got compliments wearing the shirt — that’s the one to wear.
Your outfits should be a reflection of you, at your very best! You’ll want to make sure the outfit flatter’s your shape and something that makes you feel beautiful. Fortunately you only have to worry about a shirt and not a whole outfit.
If you haven’t gotten your colors done (and yes that’s still a thing even in 2023), you can simple choose a color that you’ve gotten complimented in. You know the color where you always get compliments when you wear it like “That is totally your color!” or “Wow that color brings out your eyes” or whatever. Definitely avoid crazy patterns and anything with logos (unless of course that’s what your company wants you to wear 😜)
The image will look more amazing if you select accessories like necklaces, bow ties, hats, earrings, jackets, scarfs, etc. This will complete the style and show a finished look in the images. Keep jewelry extremely simple – smaller is generally better and avoid jewelry that distracts from your face or causes too much sparkle
You can also consider hiring a stylist to help you pick the outfits so you don’t have to think about it or use Pinterest to help you see options that you can copy. You can view my Branding Photography board here.
Hydrate and Rest
Two or three days before your session, focus on drinking a lot of water. This helps you skin glow on the photoshoot day. Plus it’s good for you!!
If possible, get a good 7 or 8 hours of sleep the week of your shoot. I know that’s not always possible (I hear you laughing saying “I wish!!”). Rest helps those bags that human’s have under their eyes look less dramatic.
Moisturize (Men and Women)
Even if this isn’t something you do daily, moisture your face, neck and arms. It helps for your skin to look smooth and supple and not dull and ashy.
Caution: Don’t wear any glittery body moisturizer as doesn’t look as amazing as it does in person.
Hair
Style your hair like normal. Consider wearing your hair in a style you normally wear it. I also want you to do whatever you feel most beautiful in, so if you wear your hair in a bun for work everyday — go ahead and wear your hair down. Ultimately, you want to look like you, on your best day!
Make-up
For my portrait clients or branding photo clients, I always recommend using a makeup artist. But for corporate headshots, I think simple is best. Make-up should be clean and natural looking, like you do most days (see a pattern here in tips?).
One tip though if you don’t wear any makeup ever, consider that my camera is high resolution unlike cell phones. Consider wear some foundation (that matches your skin) or even some translucent powder (you can get at Walgreen’s for next to nothing). Both of these together or by themselves can help to smooth out your skin and have an even looking color.
Also, a little mascara will help your eyes pop and some lipstick or lipgloss can highlight your smile.
Caution: Don’t apply heavy makeup as it can look cakey on the skin, just a dimes-worth all over your face will work.
Relax and Have Fun
The most important tip is to have a fun and playful attitude. Don’t be too serious or overly self-conscious. Relax and have fun and you’ll get some great images. I am known for helping people to relax in front of the camera and may make a few jokes to help you smile big or even better laugh. I work very hard to capture a natural photo that will look like how you look working with clients/customers/patients.
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