6 Ways to Prepare for Your Headshot Session
No matter your industry, having high quality, current headshots is vital to your business and your career. It used to be that real estate agents and corporate finance leaders were the only ones required to have such images taken, but today everyone benefits from improving their online presence.
Headshots allow you to put your best face forward — literally! Whether you’ve already got a headshot session booked or you’re contemplating having one done, I have 6 tips for you to prepare for your headshot session!
Wear Clothing That’s Flattering and Speaks to your Brand
For classic headshots (such as corporate, teams, etc) we recommend neutral, modest articles of clothing that you feel comfortable in and that are flattering to your complexion and features. However, if you are doing headshots for your own brand, or is less of an office setting, we recommend clothing that reflects the brand image. Do you own a gym? Then sports attire or a golf tee may better fit your brand! I also suggest a mix if your brand is more casual!
Clothing should also be clean and freshly pressed. Also keep in mind which colors you wear for your headshots! If you can, try to tie in your brand colors with pops of color, whether it’s your backdrop, your tie, or even your shirt.
Bring a Second Outfit
You’re going to want to have some variety when choosing your favorite headshot images, so bring a second or third outfit to the session. Have a single blazer? No problem! Bring a few different tops.
Keep Accessories to a Minimum
This is a headshot, so we don’t want to detract from your face. Too much jewelry can lead the eye elsewhere, so it’s best to stick to small and modest pieces if you choose to wear any accessories at all.
Have Your Hair/Makeup Done Professionally
If you were looking for an excuse to get a haircut, blowout, or professional makeup, this is it! Not only does handing that responsibility off to someone else reduce your burden on picture day, but it ensures that you look and feel incredible. (Just a note: professional retouching is standard in all of our headshot images. Don’t fret too much about acne or anything else temporary)
Psstt… did you know we include professional hair and makeup for ALL sessions?!
Make Sure Hair is Out of Your Face
This goes along with the last point, but to ensure we get a good shot you’ll want to keep hair out of your face. If you have bangs they should be trimmed and neat (same for beards!), and if you have long hair ensure it is styled to not fall into your face.
Determine the Ideal Backdrop
Many clients prefer to have their images taken at either their business location, home office, or in studio against a neutral background. Together we can help determine the best place to do your headshots but do think about the general aesthetic you’re going for and relay that to your photographer. If you want a bright bold background, be sure your photographer has that available.
I happen to know a pretty great photographer in Western Pennsylvania that can help you BE THE FACE of YOUR BRAND! When you book a session, I will provide you loads of tips to prepare for your session and we will design your photoshoot to best portray your brand image!
Ready to book? Give me a call at (412) 212-8092 and let’s start planning!
WHY YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT
What does your current headshot look like? Is it a selfie? If it is, and even if it isn’t, this blog post is for you. Why?
Whether you’re a CEO, business professional, entrepreneur, creative, or even a student, you NEED a professional headshot. Most of us have social media platforms and on every single one of those platforms, you have a profile and on that profile, you’re asked to show who you are. Today, we all have cellphones too, which so many use to take a selfie, because it’s easy! Right?
Even with being able to take selfies so easily, if you are in a position that you are presenting yourself, whether internally or to potential clients, you should have a professional headshot on any platform or website where your target client can read about you.
So, why work with a professional? Continue reading to find out how I work with my personal branding clients to photograph them for their brand!
- Consultation: At every consultation, I am going to ask you about your brand! Why? Because knowing details about your brand will help me pose you and portray you to meet what your brand is. My job is to take your brand and photograph it through you! Do you want to look friendly and welcoming? Or maybe you want to look strong and serious? We’ll also discuss styling. If you’re in a corporate position, we’ll discuss a variety of corporate looks. If you’re a creative, we’ll discuss what you generally wear to meet with clients. Maybe you’re a mixture of the two, like a developer? These are all of the things I will discuss with you to help you plan your headshot session so I can capture your personality in your business!
- Hair and Makeup: Professional hair and makeup is key to having outstanding corporate and personal branding portraits. My hair and makeup artist will style you so that your look matches your brand and you look like you. Guys, this even applies to you! For men, a professional hair and makeup artist will assist in ensuring your hair is groomed perfectly for your photoshoot and they will touch-up any skin discoloration and blemishes, so that you look like your best self!
- Styling & Posing Guidance: The wrong outfit and wrong pose for a headshot can send the wrong message. Maybe you’re a professor or tutor who wants a headshot that is a little bit more casual but very welcoming to parents and students that you’ll be working with. If you are wearing a full suit and posed and guided into a corporate headshot, this isn’t going to show your true personality and reflect YOUR brand. However, if you’re a CEO, a suit and tie and corporate headshot may be excellent for your company website. I guide and pose all clients to ensure their professional portraits meet their business needs.
- Professional Retouching & Image Design: All of my clients receive professional retouching for their portraits, including corporate and personal branding portraits. I will also ensure your images are created to meet your needs, whether it’s for a social media, a billboard, or book cover. I will help design portraits that can be made into banners or profile photos.
Making an investment in an excellent headshot is key to your business (+ it may be even be tax deductible, ask your CPA!). A professional headshot will take into account many factors like the ones above and will make you stand out from the selfie crowd. As professionals, we put so much of our passion into our business, why not do the same for your images?
Your headshot is your first hello. Are you creating an excellent first impression?
If you’d like to take your headshots to the next level, I’d love to chat with you and learn more about you and your business to design a photoshoot just for you.
