GUIDE TO A GREAT PHOTO SESSION
Expert advice from a professional to achieve genuine expressions creating great photos.
First Things First
Arrive well-rested and hydrated for your shoot. Feeling good means looking good.
Arrive with clean hair and skin – no excessive make up except as warranted by the theme of a specific portrait session.
If you wear eyeglasses, plan to wear them for the photo. Ideally, they have a non-glare coating; however, if they don’t (or you are not sure), consider borrowing a pair of frames with no lenses to avoid glare. I will do whatever I can control to avoid glare from a camera and lighting perspective.
Be prepared to enjoy the experience and learn a few new posing techniques to look your absolute best!
Wardrobe Choices
Wear clothes that fit you well. Slightly snug is better than baggy or loose. Make sure you arrive with your garments steamed or ironed as necessary. Wrinkles in clothes are not flattering.
Be sure to bring plenty of options. We can work on a combination of looks if you bring a greater number of options. We may vary the background as necessary so it’s better if you have different color combinations. Try wearing
a top that compliments your eye color if possible.
Layers work well. Consider wearing a jacket and a blouse or shirt underneath. Avoid clothing items with shoulder pads or other padded material.
Do not wear charismatic tops with complex patterns. Do not wear tops with branded logos or text. Avoid any clothes with shiny fabrics. Low necklines should also be avoided for headshots.
If you have long hair, be prepared to tie it back for a different look.
If you wear earrings, be sure they are subtle and be prepared to remove them if necessary. Stud earrings work best. Hoop or dangling earrings can get lost in your hair and in the photo. They can be an unnecessary distraction from your beautiful appearance in a headshot but are sometimes nice in a full portrait.
If you are planning on wearing a sports coat or blazer, don’t wear a tie. If you are planning on wearing a suit jacket, make sure you wear a complimentary tie but nothing too bold. Do not wear a suit jacket with no tie, as it will appear that you have “dressed down”.
If you are wearing a shirt with a button-down collar, prepare to have it buttoned down. If you do not want it buttoned-down, wear a shirt without the button-down collar.
If you have a dress shirt with a different color inside the collar, avoid wearing it. Many white shirts now have nice fancy liners or a different pattern around the neckline which looks great but not necessarily great for a professional headshot.
Finally, try not to wear your wardrobe in a vehicle for extended periods of time as they can produce unsightly wrinkles and leave seams from the seatbelt. Your wardrobe should be neatly pressed and clean for best results.
Hair & Make Up
As noted above, avoid excessive make up unless the shoot warrants it. If you plan on wearing lipstick, bring it with you (or multiple options) so you can touch up as needed.
If you choose to have a hair and make up artist at the session for an additional fee, we will coordinate sufficient time for preparation.
Book a call with me to learn more about headshots or portrait sessions.