A great headshot is much more that just a portrait that is technically perfect! You should have headshots you love and which reflect your personality, the vibe you want, are of high quality, and will help you stand out from the crowd. Check my blog post “6 reasons why you need professional headshots” to know more.
That is why I send all my headshots clients a short questionnaire, it helps me know more about their field of activity and the reason why they need this portrait. They also receive my Headshot Session Guide to answer most of their questions and help them prepare.
There are a few characteristics of a great headshot apart from the light, the angle and the pose that your professional headshot photographer will take care of. Sticking to these simple guidelines will help you leave your session with the pictures you were looking for!
1) Stay simple
The purpose of a headshot is to show who you are in a professional manner. The best way to do so is to keep your headshot clean and simple with nothing to distract from you. That includes the background and your outfit.
2) Confidence and approachability
Showing your personality leads others to feel confidence in you. They feel they already have a sense of who you are by just looking at your picture.
The Association for Psychological Science reports that your decision to trust someone is made in a tenth of a second of seeing their face! A tenth of a second… It might be a good idea to take advantage of it and put your best self out there!
3) Personality comes first
Your headshots should look like you. Do not overdo it with the make-up, hair, clothing or expression. Just be you!
4) Conservative colors
We don’t want the colors you select to take out the focus from where it should be, on you and your personality. So stay away from neon or too bright colors!
5) Hair and makeup
It is up to you to decide if you want a professional hair and makeup appointment or not prior to your session.
Keep in mind that your headshot will probably be your first impression for employers, clients, or coworkers. You should keep it natural but still look like your best self.
6) Reduce oily skin & Skip the spray tan
A lot of us have oily skin that reflects light. It results in noticeable shiny spots that often show up on the forehead, cheeks and nose. To limit it you can either use blotting paper and ask a professional makeup artist to help you.
Despite your best efforts, your skin may still look a little shinny on your headshots. Don’t worry, it is something your headshot photographer should be able to tone down while editing your portrait after the session.
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, I recommend that you do not get a spray tan before your session (even a few days prior) as it tends to photograph orange even when it’s applied subtly and by a professional.
I hope that those few tips will help you prepare for your next headshot session. If you want more tips and advices, go to my blog!
Find more about my brand photo sessions
If you have any question on brand photography or if you want to know more about my sessions, Contact me! I would be happy to create new blog posts or help you make the experience easy and relaxed as well as provide you with images you will be proud to share.
Here are a few other blog posts you might find useful. You can also check my other brand sessions!
Meet Laure, your brand photographer
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