How to Prepare for Your Headshot Session

Almost everyone gets a little weird when a camera is pointed directly at them.

Suddenly you’re thinking about your smile. Your chin. Your shoulders. Whether you normally stand like that. And somehow you’ve completely forgotten what you usually do with your face. That’s normal. You don’t need to know exactly how to pose for a headshot. That’s our job. But there are a few things you can do before your session that will make the whole process easier and help us get a photo you actually like.

First, know what kind of session you're booking

A headshot session and a portrait session aren't quite the same thing.

A headshot is generally a relatively simple photo focused on your face and upper body. Think LinkedIn profiles, company websites, speaker bios, press releases and other professional uses. The emphasis is on getting a clean, polished image that looks like you.

A portrait session gives us more room to play. We can incorporate different poses, wider shots, environments, props, multiple setups and more creative ideas.

If what you have in mind goes beyond a traditional headshot, tell us. You may actually be looking for a portrait session instead.

Wear something that feels like you

Your headshot should look like you on a really good day, not like you borrowed someone else’s wardrobe for picture day.

Choose something you feel good wearing and that makes sense for how you’ll use the photo. Solid colors usually photograph well and keep the attention on your face. Very small patterns, tight stripes and busy prints can sometimes be distracting. Also, be careful about choosing clothes that are too baggy or bulky because you're hoping they'll hide something. That can backfire. Extra fabric often adds visual bulk and can actually make you look larger in a photograph.

You don't need to wear anything tight, but clothing with some shape and structure generally photographs better than something that swallows you.

Bring options

If you’re torn between two shirts, bring both. Seriously. Throw them on a hanger and bring them with you.

Different colors, jackets and necklines can look very different once you're under studio lighting. Sometimes the thing you expected to photograph best isn't the thing we end up liking most. It's much easier to make that decision when we can actually see it.

Have an idea of what you like

You don't need to spend the night practicing poses in the mirror, but it helps to have some idea of the kind of headshot you want.

Look at other headshots. Save a few that you like. Maybe you prefer something straight-on and traditional. Maybe you like a slight angle. Maybe you want something relaxed and approachable rather than buttoned-up and corporate.

Show us.

We can direct you once you're in front of the camera, but we're not mind readers. If you don't give us anything specific to work from, we're naturally going to start with fairly standard headshot poses.

If you want something different, knowing that ahead of time gives us somewhere to go.

Think about where the photo will be used

A LinkedIn headshot doesn't necessarily need to feel the same as a photo for a company website, speaking engagement or press kit.

If your company has specific brand guidelines, let us know. The same goes for background requirements, crops or anything else you already know you'll need. And if you're not sure, that's okay too. We can help you figure it out.

Hair and makeup should still look like you

This generally isn't the day to experiment with an entirely new look.

Style your hair in a way that feels familiar and make sure you're comfortable with how it looks from more than one angle. The same idea applies to makeup. Camera lighting can soften things a bit, so slightly more definition than you normally wear can work well, but you don't need to pile it on just because you're having your picture taken. The goal is still for people to recognize you.

If you wear glasses, bring them

If you wear glasses every day, you should probably wear them in your headshot.

We know how to work with lighting and positioning to minimize reflections.

If you have multiple pairs and aren't sure which ones photograph best, bring your options and we'll take a look.

Tell us how much editing you want

This is a big one because everyone has a different comfort level with retouching.

Our general approach is pretty simple: we don't automatically make significant changes to the way you look. We'll make the normal adjustments a photograph needs, such as lighting, color, cropping and background issues, but we're not going to start changing your face without talking to you.

If you want more retouching, tell us. Want us to remove the pimple that decided to appear the morning of your headshot? No problem. Prefer a more highly polished or heavily edited final image? We can talk about that, too. On the other hand, if you want to look exactly like yourself, just with good lighting and a good camera, that's perfectly fine. There's no correct amount of editing. We just need to know what makes you comfortable.

You don't need to know how to pose

Having examples of what you like doesn't mean you need to know how to recreate them. We'll direct you. We'll adjust your shoulders, chin, body position and expression as we shoot.

Sometimes a position that feels a little strange looks fantastic from the camera's perspective.

And we'll take plenty of photos. You don't have to nail your perfect headshot on frame number one.

Tell us what you don't like, too

If there's something you're self-conscious about in photographs, tell us.

You aren't being difficult or vain. It's useful information.

Maybe you strongly prefer one side of your face. Maybe you hate a certain angle. Maybe there's something photographers routinely do that you know you don't like.

Tell us. We'd much rather know during the session than have you quietly dislike the finished photos afterward.

Give yourself a little breathing room

Try not to arrive after sprinting across town, fighting traffic and answering three emails in the parking lot. You don't need an elaborate pre-headshot ritual. Just give yourself enough time that you aren't walking through the door already frazzled. Take a minute. Check your hair. Straighten your shirt. Have some water. Then we'll take it from there.

Most importantly, don't try too hard

The best headshots usually happen once you stop thinking quite so much about having your headshot taken. We'll talk. We'll move around. We'll try different expressions.

We'll probably take some pictures you don't like on the way to the ones you do. That's part of it. You don't need to show up knowing how to be a model. But the more you can tell us about what you like, what you don't like and how you want to use the photo, the better we can make your headshot feel like yours.