As a professional headshot photographer I think it’s fair to say not many people really enjoy getting a new headshot made – who really enjoys looking at photos of themselves, right? But whether it’s your first session or you’ve done this before, learning how to prepare for your headshots can help ensure the best possible results and a photo you’ll be happy to use for several years.
A well-prepared headshot session not only makes you feel more confident but also helps your photographer (hopefully me, but the same applies whoever it is) capture you at your professional best. Here’s a guide to help you get ready for your upcoming headshot session, with tips that go beyond just choosing the right outfit.
1. Understand the purpose of the headshot
Before you even start thinking about what to wear – and if you should take your glasses – it’s important to clarify why you’re getting a headshot and how it’s going to be used. Are you updating your LinkedIn profile? Is your company refreshing its About Our People web page? Perhaps you’re an entrepreneur building your personal brand?
Preparing for your headshots by understanding the conext helps you and your photographer align on the best style, background, and expression for your photos.
For example, an entrepreneur may have an informal, outdoorsy personal brand and want to use the photos in emails when they write directly to clients and customers. So we should probably shoot that outside in natural light with a vibrant background, an informal pose, and smart casual attire.
Whereas a law firm refreshing their About Us page is much better served by a set of corporate-feeling headshots on a matching plain background. They should probably wear a suit, and depending on their clients they may prefer a more serious expression to big cheesy smiles.
And somewhere in the middle, a company with a reputation for light-hearted comms might go with one ‘formal’ headshot in smart-casual attire that reveals a ‘silly’ version when you mouse-over the images on their website. The message: “we’re professionals, but we’re fun to work with!”
2. Choose your outfit carefully
What you’re wearing is an unavoidably prominent aspect of the headshot, so it plays a crucial role in how you’ll be perceived. Here’s a few tips to help you choose wisely:
- Keep it simple: solid colours and unfussy designs work best as they keep the focus on your face. Try to avoid busy patterns or distracting logos if you can but it’s not the end of the world if that’s all you’ve got. In fact if you’re known for your love of bold stripes or busy patterns then by all means wear them for your headshot – it’s got to be the essence of you, after all.
- Consider your industry: it may be obvious but while a sharp suit might be ideal for a corporate lawyer, someone in the creative arts might very easily wear with a colourful open-collar shirt, or even a graphic tee design. So there’s no need to tie yourself up in a suit or a button-up shirt if it’s not how you work and engage with your clients.
- Comfort is key: on that note you need to feel comfortable in what you’re wearing – and you need to feel like You. If something’s too tight or awkward, or you feel self-conscious in something you wouldn’t normally wear, it can show in the photos.
3. Consider bringing a couple of outfit options
As you prepare for your headshots if you’re not sure what outfit to choose then wear your favourite on the day and bring another option for me to look at. I can help you choose the best one based on the background, lighting, and the overall vibe you’re aiming for.
Depending how long we have there may not be time to photograph you in both options, but if we do have time and your session includes multiple headshots per person you’ll have much more variety to work with than simply ‘smiling’ and ‘not smiling’ options.
4. Grooming and personal care
Your headshot should reflect you on a really good day, the best version of Professional You. Paying attention to grooming and personal care as you prepare for your headshots can make a significant difference – and this applies to everyone equally!
- Hair: if it’s been a while then get a haircut about a week before the shoot, so your hair has time to ‘settle’. Then on the day of the shoot style it as you normally would to ensure you look like yourself. Although naturally if you prefer the shaved smooth look you’ll want to refresh it that morning. For facial hair give it a tidy up the night before or morning of – and don’t worry about shaving nicks, I can fix those in editing.
- Skincare: hydrate your skin by drinking plenty of water and moisturising well in the days leading up to your session. Ladies who are used to using foundation can easily hide oily skin shine under the lights by using a light, matte foundation. Men shouldn’t be afraid of getting a bit of a ‘powder’ before their session to reduce shine, there’s no shame! But using soft tissue to pat down oily skin can be effective too.
- Makeup: If you wear makeup aim for as natural a look as possible. By the same token you should look recognisable to your clients, so you don’t want to radically change your look. However, this headshot may be used for several years so try not to overwhelm your features with a heavy makeup style that may look dated long before the headshot is refreshed.
5. Get a good night’s sleep before your headshot
This might sound simple, but getting enough rest before your session is crucial. A good night’s sleep helps reduce those pesky under-eye bags and circles, keeps your eyes clear, and gives your skin a healthy glow, ensuring you look refreshed and vibrant in your photos.
Yes, I can and will help reduce the prominence of eye bags etc in editing, but a general sense of weariness isn’t something you can edit away unfortunately!
6. Practice your pose & expression
Your expression is, obviously, even more important than your outfit and grooming. So as daft as it sounds try spending a few minutes in front of a mirror practicing different expressions. If possible, take photos of yourself and make very small adjustments for each one – tilting your chin up or down a touch, putting a fraction more or less smile in your eyes – and see how dramatic a difference these tiny changes can make to how you perceive yourself.
Whether you want to convey confidence, approachability, or authority, knowing what works for you will make the session smoother. And remember, even a hint of a genuine warm smile can make all the difference.
7. Arrive a few minutes early for your headshot
Most headshot sessions take place at your place of work – I don’t have a studio myself and much prefer to shoot people somewhere they feel comfortable, without dragging them halfway across London. Wherever your session will be, make sure you know where it’ll be, how long it takes to get there from your desk, and what time it’s at.
And then on the day set an alarm for 30 minutes before that time, and another for however long in advance you need to leave your desk to arrive a few minutes early – and then make sure you do actually arrive a few minutes early!
This gives you time to settle, adjust your outfit, and relax before it’s your turn. Rushing to your appointment can leave you feeling flustered, which will almost certainly be reflected in sweaty complexion, rosy cheeks, and your general demeanour.
8. Talk to your photographer
Your photographer – especially if it’s me – doesn’t want to make you look bad. They want to make you look good on camera and feel good about yourself when you leave. So the first thing I’ll do when you walk in is ask your name and how you’re doing, and then I usually like to find out a bit about what you do, how long you’ve worked there, when you last had a headshot – and how much you hate having your photo taken!
Don’t hesitate to discuss your goals and concerns with me. For individual sessions we’ll usually have discussed these in advance, but for team sessions I’ll likely have only spoken to the organiser. So So whether it’s about the look you’re aiming for or any insecurities you might have I absolutely love getting feedback from the people I’m making headshots with as it helps me do my job much better.
And when we’re reviewing what we’ve shot so you can select one to keep I would much rather hear “I definitely don’t like this, and I definitely prefer that” as that means we can go straight for the good stuff if we have another go at it.
9. Relax and trust the process
This sounds like a bit of a pretentious thing to say, but I’ve spent hundreds of hours tweaking my process to get the best results, and I’m always refining it with every shoot. It’s my goal to send you away with a photo you actually like, and that process starts with having a wee chat first, through to asking you not to spare my feelings as the photographer when we review the first batch.
So relax, enjoy the attention, and trust the process. The more comfortable you are, the more natural and authentic your photos will be.
Well done – you’re ready for your headshot session!
Even if you only follow a few of these tips as you prepare for your headshots you’re pretty much guaranteed a better result than simply ‘winging it’ on the day. With a little planning and the right mindset you can walk into your session with confidence, and trust me to help you present the best version of you.
Remember, a great headshot is more than just a snap, it’s a powerful tool that can enhance your professional image and help you make a lasting impression. And I’m there purely to help you nail it!
