How to Prepare for Your Headshot


By Joe L.

Booking a photographer is only the first step in achieving a successful headshot. There are a number of elements that you need to consider and decisions you'll need to make before a single shot is snapped.

Dress the part

Take a minute to think about what your headshot will be used for, where it will be displayed and who will be looking at it. If you are getting a headshot done for business purposes, then you will need to wear something that reflects your line of work. It might make sense to bring a few outfits to the shoot and see what the photographer recommends. Also, be aware that the camera picks up everything! Make sure your wardrobe is wrinkle free and give it a quick inspection for any stains you might not have noticed before. Also try everything on once more to make sure that everything fits comfortably and allows you to strike a number of poses with ease. 

Choose an appropriate backdrop

The backdrop can range from something as simple as solid white to an on location office setting. You should make sure that the background doesn't distract from the focus of attention(you!) and that it matches with your wardrobe. Pick a neutral color(white, gray or black) if you are worried about matching your wardrobe. For on location shoots, it's sometimes possible to pick a location that reflects the nature of the headshot. For example a classical musician might take a headshot on the concert stage. The creative possibilities are many.

What to bring

For anyone with long hair, a brush is a must. Flyaway hairs will show up in the final picture and they can be costly or sometimes impossible to remove after the shoot. For females, bring touch-up make up if wearing makeup. For serious model/actor shots bringing your own make up artist can make a huge difference in the final product. 

Choosing your headshot

The most difficult part of the process can sometimes, be choosing the final photo. You may have some personal biases that actually steer you away from the best shots, so it can be helpful to bring someone with you to the shoot to help you pick out the best shot or shots. Or go over the proofs with friends before you make your final choice. Also, think about what emotion you are trying to convey in your shot. Are you going for something serious, casual, or dramatic? Try to gauge other people's reactions to your photos, which ones do they linger on the longest? That is a sure sign that something about that photo captures their attention.

Retouching?

In the age of Photoshop, it can be very tempting to overdo the retouching. For personal use and glamour type shots, anything goes. But for business shots and actor/model shots, it has to look like you! In these cases, if you do decide to go with retouching stick with the basics of, teeth whitening, small blemish removal and other small enhancements. Wrinkle smoothing can also be acceptable, but within the bounds of the age of the client.The bottom line is this, if you can tell it was retouched then you shouldn't use the photo. Booking a photographer is only the first step in achieving a successful headshot. There are a number of elements that you need to consider and decisions you'll need to make before a single shot is snapped.

Joe is an avid photographer and specializes in portraits. His DC headshots studio is located in the heart of Capitol Hill.

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