Headshot Tips:
Getting Ready For Your Portrait Session
Choosing clothing for headshots: MEN
What to wear for a professional headshot
When choosing clothing for your professional headshot: think classic. Pick your favorite suit that fits you well and is preferably a classic dark color like navy blue or gray. Choose a suit that doesn't bunch up when you button it or if you sit down, and a shirt and tie that match each other and the suit.
Try to stay away from anything with bold, distracting patterns or colors. Clothing with really tight grids or a small herringbone pattern can have a moiré pattern effect on camera, so stay away from tight grid-like patterns. Thin stripes that are a little further apart are okay. Ties look best when their tone lands between the suit and the shirt-- so a light shirt, a dark suit, and a tie in a shade somewhere between them. Some ties are too shiny-- try to stay away from really reflective, shiny, silk ties.
If you don't wear a tie, choose a non-white shirt if possible: white shirts without a jacket and tie to break them up can lose detail in the color and folds. And if you wear a button-down shirt, it's best to wear a jacket or sweater of some kind to layer the look. If not, choose a darker color shirt or something with pockets or details to avoid it looking like a head floating on a blank, boxy shirt, and unbutton a button or two. And make sure we can't see your undershirt beneath the button-down shirt: wear a v-neck or no undershirt at all.
For ideas of good clothing looks and headshot attire for men, see our Wardrobe Ideas Pinterest board:
Choosing clothing for headshots: WOMEN
What to wear for a professional headshot
Choose a professional suit or business-oriented outfit that has a classic look: you shouldn’t be able to tell what decade it is in the photo. Don’t choose anything with bold, distracting patterns or colors, unless you can layer a plain blazer or sweater over it so not
much of the pattern is showing and you get just a pop of color.
Clothing with tight grids or a small herringbone pattern can have a moiré pattern effect on camera, so stay away from grid-like patterns. Thin stripes are okay.
Try not to wear stark white unless it’s under something, such as a suit jacket, cardigan, or sweater. V-necks accentuate the neckline and generally look best on women. Just don’t choose something with too low of a neckline: no cleavage. And no turtlenecks: they tend to make people look like they have no neck at all in photos.
Try to stay away from short sleeves or tank tops: executive headshots tend to look better without bare arms, but if you'd like to try showing arms in a sleeveless blouse or shift dress, we could make it work. Just bring a blazer or sweater to put over it as an additional
option.
For jewelry, go for something small, classic, and not very reflective or flashy. Earrings shouldn’t dangle more than an inch from your earlobe. Simpler is always better, so if we notice your jewelry before we notice your face, we may ask you to remove any excess jewelry.
For ideas of good clothing looks and headshot attire for women, see our Wardrobe Ideas Pinterest board:
Makeup- do it yourself or hire a make-up artist?
If you do your makeup yourself, do your makeup how you usually wear it for an average day, or possibly a nice dinner where the steak is $30 but not $75. Do not wear heavy makeup; a close headshot will show clumps of mascara or dark lipstick. Choose light to medium eyeliners, eye shadows, and lipsticks that are only a shade or two darker than your skin tones. This brings your features out in a subtle manner without making it look like you're wearing lots of makeup. Avoid caking on heavy foundation, or wearing shiny eye shadows or lip gloss: too much shine is distracting on camera and looks wet.
Skin blemishes, pimples, and even wrinkles can be retouched. It’s not cheating. We promise.
How much is too much makeup for a headshot? Everyone is different, so it depends on how much make-up you usually wear: you want your headshots to be easily recognizable as how you generally look in person. For some people, that means wearing your make-up exactly how you usually wear it, for others it's wearing a little more, for others a little less. If you don't wear much makeup every day, don't do your makeup like Kim Kardashian for your photos.
Should I hire a make-up artist?
We're often asked if we recommend having a hair and makeup
artist present for your session, and our answer is always, "it's up to
you." You know yourself best and your own makeup routine and abilities.
We normally recommend makeup artists for people who barely wear any
makeup or wear no makeup at all, if you have uneven or blotchy skin, if
you can never get your hair to sit right for a photo, if you've never
liked the way your makeup has photographed in the past, or if you just
want that extra bit of insurance for your photo session. There's a more extensive breakdown here
of who benefits the most from having a pro stylist on site for their
headshot. We work with makeup artists who specialize in headshots and
have been trained in makeup specifically for print and motion
photography. They will work with you to talk through how much makeup
you usually wear, what colors and tones, and will build upon your usual
look to make it photo-ready. The goal is for you to look like you, but
for your features to pop and you look naturally beautiful.
Here's an example of what professional makeup looks like on
camera. The first images are of our two brave volunteers with no
makeup, then with makeup they applied themselves and their hair how they
normally wear it. The final photo was taken after a professional hair
and makeup artist applied their makeup and styled their hair. No
retouching was done to the photos below.
How to prepare for your headshot
Prepare for your headshot by taking care of yourself in the
days leading up to your headshot session. Avoid drinking alcohol or
smoking, and drink plenty of water for a few days and on the day of your
headshot. This will make your skin very hydrated to fill in lines and
wrinkles, undereye circles, and give you a healthy glow. Get plenty of
sleep the night before your photo so you're rested and ready to go.
Hair: Don’t cut or dye your hair right
before the shoot, especially men since stylists tend to cut hair a
little shorter so it looks like it's at its proper length about 2 weeks
later. Some shades of freshly colored hair can look too vibrant and
unnatural on camera, especially a hair color with any red tones--
drawing more attention to your hair than your face. A new haircut also
looks its best after at least a week, and colored hair looks more
natural after 1-2 weeks’ worth of shampooing.
Teeth: If you want to whiten your teeth
before your session, start as early as possible and use a natural
whitening method, or have your teeth whitened with your dentist. A quick
emergency whitening method that works for many people is to mix some
toothpaste with about 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of
food-grade hydrogen peroxide, and about 1/2 teaspoon of water. Polish
your teeth with this mixture and it should quickly whiten your teeth a
shade or two. But don't use this method more often than once a month-
baking soda is abrasive and can wear away at your enamel if used too
frequently. (And retouching is also a much safer option!)
Beards: If you have a beard, trim it evenly
so it’s nicely groomed. If you’re going clean-shaven, get a good shave
before your headshot. Darker colored beards tend to be accentuated in
photos- trim it well so it's not too thick.
And remember to have fun and not take it too seriously! We
know that's a little difficult after all these do's and don'ts, but we
promise to make the experience as relaxing as possible. You got this.
:)