Tips for Awesome Professional Headshots

Getting a new professional headshot photography can be a scary situation. I often see people that I’ve known for years to be super happy and jovial turn into statues as soon as they get in front of the camera.They’ve often had bad experiences in the past and have not liked how their photos turn out and now they would rather go to the dentist than have a picture taken. I would say that 95% of the people that I meet tell me that they do not take a good picture.

Well, I am here to help change that. If you are a professional and just started a new job and need to update your LinkedIn profile or if you’re an actor looking for headshots that truly represent who you are, I will make you relaxed and comfortable. Follow the steps below to make your session successful.

Get Some Rest

If you’re exhausted in life, you’re going to look exhausted in your photo. Dark circles can appear under your eyes and although they’re easy to fix it’s just good advice to get some rest. If you’re a professional I can guarantee that you are working hard and are stretched thin between work and family obligations. It can be hard to find time to take care of yourself. But for at least 3 days leading up to your headshot session try to get a good night’s sleep. Start hitting the gym or go for a run so that your body feels good and you sleep well at night. If you’re stressed and running low on sleep it can affect more than you think, you can have a bad attitude and a crummy complexion.

Eat Well

You are what you eat. (I really need to start practicing what I preach here.) The food that you eat can affect your mood and complexion also. Avoid salty foods that can make you puffy and sugary things that can make you break out. Alcohol can also make you look bloated. Instead make sure you drink a lot of water and eat clean fresh healthy foods. Who knows maybe scheduling a headshot will help jumpstart you on a new healthier lifestyle. WebMD has a good article about eating well and looking great.

Manage Your Time

If you know that you get nervous having your picture taken, you might want to book a little more time for your session so that you give yourself enough time to warm up to the camera. There’s no limit on the amount of photos we take, I’m not going to run out of film. Also, don’t squeeze your headshot session in between a bunch of other appointments. You don’t want to be rushing here and get all sweaty and then during the session be worried about leaving on time to get somewhere else. You should leave your session feeling relaxed and energized not stressed out and drained.

Dress for Success

I’m going to encourage you to bring more clothes than you think you’ll need. I’ll help you go through and pick the right clothes to wear. Remember you want to dress for the job you want not the job you have. Professional headshots that will elevate you have a lot to do with your face but just as much to do with what you’re wearing. You are branding yourself and need to look fantastic. When you book a session with me I’ll send you a complete guy to help you pick the right clothes based on your skin tone.

Plan for Success

I can take amazing photos of you and it is still possible for you to not like them. How could that happen? We need to work together and collaborate on your headshots. If there are things about yourself that you are self conscious about and I don’t know those things, then I can’t address them. If you expect your photos to look a certain way and I have a different direction in mind then you might not like the photos. Open communication is the key to the success of your headshots. Do not be afraid to show me examples of photos that you like. Find other headshots that you like, pick headshots from my website and let me know what you like about them.

If you’re looking for more information about a professional headshot session with me, you can find it here.