Wardrobe
For our basic headshot session the framing of the photos will be mid chest/shoulder up, so bring a variety of tops (pullovers / button up shirts/blouses). Solid colors with simple necklines, The goal is basic. It’s best to avoid anything with patterns, prints, stripes, etc.
The focus of a headshot is the face/personality so our goal is to not draw any attention away from that. With that in mind It’s best to avoid very loud colors. The exception would be if you feel that very vibrant colors are a big part of your look then we can use them.
Layers are also a good option (ie. jacket or button shirt over a tee, etc.). Please try and bring clothing that is wrinkle free as they are difficult to fix in retouching.
If you want to wear jewelry, simple and light jewelry is always better than large and loud. Again, goal is to not distract too much from the face.
Please try your clothes on before the session, preferably at least a couple of days prior so there are no surprises. Every now and then a client will come to the session and the clothing doesn’t fit well. At that point there is nothing that can be done about it.
Makeup
My quote that I tell everyone is our goal is to capture you as you look on your best day. Keep this in mind when doing your makeup. You want a natural, wearable look. Earthy or natural tones, DO NOT OVERDO THE MAKEUP! Photoshop is a magical thing, we can fix pretty much anything in post but if you cake on the makeup we can not recreate a natural face with pores. Our goal is for it to look un-retouched and a lot of times clients can create that look just with the makeup they wear. I always suggest wearing it like you are going to the office.
When possible try and avoid anything that creates too much of a shine to the skin. The dewy look might be great for other situations but, in a headshot, it can reflect too much light and create hot spots on your face. This tends to make you look oily and they are not easy to retouch and the result can look unnatural.
Lastly make sure you either keep the color close to the color of your neck or continue the makeup down to your chest on any skin that will be visible. Makeup looks very obvious when the face is one color and the neck is another.
Hair
Clean dry hair done the way you normally wear it is best. If you have long hair we may want to get some shots in a ponytail so bring a small unobtrusive tie for that.
Avoid getting your haircut on the day of your session if you can. Sometimes hair takes a couple of days to look natural after being cut.
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Sleep
You are investing in your headshot which will be with you for a couple of years. Avoid staying up late the night before if you can. Get some good sleep and you will look and feel better at your session.
Accessories
Accessories can make or break a headshot. Done right they can provide personality, done wrong they can be very distracting. Less tends to be more when it comes to headshots. Small earrings with no other jewelry can create a great clean look that contributes to showcasing the face and personality.
Eyeglasses
If you wear eyeglasses and have more than one pair, bring them all so we can see what looks best in your images. Avoid light transition lenses, if you can, as they may go dark with the studio lights.