The Ultimate Guide on Preparing for Your Business Headshot Photo Session
Whether this is your first time getting a business headshot or you’ve already got some experience, reading over tips and guidelines is a great way to prepare and feel confident going into your appointment.
This ultimate guide will help you:
Pick your headshot photographer
Figure out your clothing
Help with hair and makeup
Decide on the headshot location
Set goals for your headshot session
Plan enough time for your photography session
Discover helpful tips on selecting a headshot photographer that’s a good match for you to selecting the best outfits and even what to expect after your photography session.
How Do I Choose a Headshot Photographer?
It’s a good idea to do your homework before committing to booking a headshot photographer. Just like anything else in this world, there are good photos, mediocre photos, and painstakingly bad ones. You want to choose a headshot photographer who will give you a memorable experience and capture the side of yourself you want to show to your peers.
Here are key tips on how to choose a professional headshot photographer and tips for what to look for when making the decision on which headshot photographer is the right fit for you:
Portfolio – Take the time to look at the photographer’s portfolio on their website and across social media platforms. Are the photos consistent? Do the subjects in the photos stand out and get your attention? A professional headshot should feel natural and look like a person in real life. Ensure the photos are not overly retouched, and the skin has texture.
In the business of headshots – If you are looking for professional headshots, you probably shouldn’t be contacting a newborn photographer. We aren’t saying that their headshots are not up to par. It’s more that you want a headshot photographer who’s perfected their trade of work. As an adult, you aren’t going to go to a pediatrician to get your check-up. This is the same for headshots. Much time, effort, and experience is put into perfecting the headshot process.
Read reviews – Part of the research process is making the time to read reviews of the potential photographers on your list. Ensure no red flags, such as photos not being delivered on time. If there are positive reviews across the different platforms, that’s a photographer to consider working with highly. Check out WASIO faces headshots and portrait reviews.
Response time – With smartphones and smartwatches as an everyday part of our lives, we expect fast response times as consumers. Suppose a photographer doesn’t respond to you within at least 12 hours. Building trust from the early stages is part of the experience. WASIO faces a response time that typically is no more than 2-4 hours.
Pricing – Make sure to understand what is included with the service you choose. Each photography studio has different pricing structures. In most cases, there is a photography fee to pay, and then each photo is purchased separately on top of the studio fee. For WASIO faces, that is how the structure works: studio fee, and then each headshot image is purchased for an additional charge. Every photo that is selected will go through detailed hand retouch editing work. We are transparent with our prices and fees for headshots and portraits.
Clothing, Hair & Makeup for Headshots
You’ve selected your headshot photographer and booked your appointment. What’s next? Now the ball is in your court for preparation before your appointment. It is important to look and feel your best on the day of your headshot.
Clothing tips for men and women:
Tailored & fits – Whichever outfits you have in mind to wear, make sure to try them on before your headshot appointment. You want to make sure it still fits you properly. If it needs to have alterations made or needs to be steamed, make sure there’s enough time to get those tasks done. If the clothing isn’t sitting well on you, it can give you a sloppy appearance. Same for wrinkly shirts or dresses. Bring all your outfit choices on hangers to the studio.
Minimal patterns – Most times, patterns on clothing are very distracting. Small prints or stripes can still work fine but it’s not recommended. The same goes for logos. Having large logos all over your clothing takes the attention away from your face – which is the main reason you are there to get your headshot taken. Try to avoid patterns.
Solid colors – Solid colors are the safe option for your headshot photos. You can layer colors that are complimentary or stand out even more with contrasting colors. The decision on colors really must match with the line of work you are in. Deep blues, red, and green are all good color choices. The bottom line is it depends on how much impact you want your photo to have. Bold colors have a stronger impact and stand out.
Layers – Bring layering options for your headshot appointment. You can consult with the photographer which blazer, jacket or sweater looks the most flattering. Also, adding and removing layers in your headshots gives you more variety of which photos to go with depending on how you plan to use them.
Accessories – Necklaces, earrings and scarfs are not recommended to be worn in headshots. These items are very distracting in headshots. Scarfs are unflattering in headshots. They can add bulk and weight. Don’t cover your neck with scarves or other accessories. The less distractions, the cleaner the headshot looks.
Tie or no tie? – This is a question we get asked often. With modern headshots men tend to not wear a tie. Men in higher up positions can get away without wearing a tie to look more approachable and relatable. If you decide to go in the route of wearing a tie, we highly recommend that it has minimal patterns. If executed properly, a tie can add sophistication to your headshot. Avoid bulky ties from the 90’s because that simply looks old school.
Still looking for a few extra pointers? Read more on what to wear for professional headshots.
Hair tips for women:
If you are planning to do more than 1 look, we recommend starting with your hair down. Once you are satisfied with photos of your hair down, you can tie your hair up for the second look. Hair up and out of the face brings a stronger presence into a photo.
We recommend working with a hairstylist the day of your appointment. Get a good hair blowout or professionally getting your hair styled with how you envision it.
Don’t do any hair experiments on the day of your headshot. You want to look natural and like yourself. If you begin to experiment, you might not be happy with the way your hair is behaving resulting in not liking your headshots.
Make sure to come in with clean hair. If you have greasy hair, it will show in your headshots.
If you color your hair, it’s important to make the appointment at least one week out from your headshot. One week old hair looks fresh and good for headshots. If you color your hair in darker tones, coloring the day before or the day of your headshot isn’t a good idea because it can leave some lines on the areas around your face.
Hair tips for men:
If you are out in the sun a lot, make sure to get a haircut 1 week before your headshot. This helps to avoid any dramatic suntan lines on your face or head.
If you have facial hair and want to shave it off, we recommend going for more than 1 look. Bring your supplies to shave/trim in the studio in between your headshots.
Same as for women, if you color your hair, do not do it the day before. On shorter hair, it’s easier to spot the hair-dye color stains.
Makeup tips:
For professional headshots it’s always a good idea to work with a reputable makeup artist. They can help you achieve the look you are going for. For an additional fee, we offer to work with our in-studio makeup artist. Make sure to book the appointment ahead of time as she gets booked up fast.
Do not go overboard with the makeup. You still want to appear as yourself in your headshots. Being unrecognizable in your headshot is not to your advantage.
Avoid too much highlighter or shine. Matte makeup looks flattering in headshots.
Going for a more natural palette is highly recommended.
Some additional tips on how to be ready for your headshot:
Get organized with what you are wearing ahead of time hanging on hangers and it’s ready by the door for you to grab on your way out.
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water as you want your skin to look its best in photos.
Get at least 7 hours of sleep. Headshots get up close and personal. If you are lacking on your sleeping hours, it can show in your photos. If you run out of time on catching up with your sleep, do not worry, we will still be retouching the headshots you decide to go with.
Don’t make the decision to get a tan the last minute. You don’t want to be burned in your photos, that’s painful and not so flattering. You can use self-tanning lotions or drops like isle of paradise which looks more natural and can be mixed with your lotion or foundation.
Still looking to get more ideas on how to get ready for your headshot? Here are headshot tips for women and headshot tips for men.
Headshot Location
Are you deciding on whether you want indoor or outdoor headshots? It really depends on the style you are drawn to.
Studio photos can be either in a high or low-key style. High key headshots are brighter and are on a white backdrop. Low-key headshots are on darker backdrops with more dramatic lighting.
Making the decision to go with in-studio photos will help keep the photos consistent in the long run if you have a team of people.
If you are interested in outdoor photos, you need to discuss with the photographer the location ahead of time. When thinking about the type of outdoor backdrop style you are drawn to, remember that the headshot is about your face more than the environment around. Avoid distracting or very spotty outdoor backdrops.
Choosing a darker backdrop meaning with some trees in the back is ideal. When we photograph outdoor headshots, we always make sure that the light is shining through in the back. We bring our studio lighting gear to ensure each client has proper lighting outside.
Selecting backdrops with famous landmarks is not ideal for headshots. You don’t want anything distracting in your headshot photo. If you are interested in professional photos with famous landmarks, it’s better to go for a portrait session where the context of the environment is more visible in the photos. Curious to learn more about personal branding photography? Read more about what is personal branding photography.
Supporting local business is a great way to contribute to your area. Picking a photo studio that is in driving distance for you is a convenient option for a longer-term relationship with a photographer. If there is a good headshot photographer near you, then you are in luck. Building a relationship with a local headshot photographer can be beneficial in the long run. You will need to update your headshot more than you think.
Keep in mind that updating your headshot at least once a year is important. Keeping your headshot consistent with how you look in real life gives you more credibility when you are meeting people in person. If you cut or color your hair, shave your face or alter your appearance in any other way, those are good examples of when it would be the time to get a new headshot.
If you are looking for a headshot photographer with a style like WASIO faces but live in a different state, you can reach out to us. If it’s 5 or more people, our team can travel to your location. If it’s just an updated headshot for yourself, we have a huge network of photographers who photograph in a similar style that we would be happy to recommend.
Set Goals with your Headshot Photographer
When talking with your photographer about the details of your headshot appointment, discuss the vision you have in mind. What do you want to portray in your headshot? What color palette of clothing and backdrops you were considering. This way, when you come into the studio for your headshot session photography, you and the photographer will be on the same page.
Also, be open to hear the photographer’s feedback and if they have any additional suggestions to provide.
Most people come in for their business headshot or portrait session with the vision of getting more than one final photo.
Here are ways to use your professional headshots:
Updating your LinkedIn profile picture
Changing your company directory photo
Email signature photo
Marketing materials
Updating resumes
A common question people ask is whether they should be smiling in their headshot. It’s good to have a variety of different expressions. Your company website might have something more serious. We always recommend putting a smiling headshot in your email signature to add a warmer tone to your emails.
A headshot photographer should be interacting with their clients during photo session as much as possible. It’s important to break the ice and make the person feel comfortable being in front of the camera.
At WASIO faces, during your headshot session photography experience, we help guide and coach you on the facial expressions to achieve the different looks you are looking to achieve. We give input on which photos would work best on the different platforms you are using.
How long do business headshots take?
Professional business headshots photos session can take anywhere from 30 minutes up to two hours. It depends on how many outfit changes you bring. If you want different hairstyles. Also, if you are interested in switching out the backdrops and having both high and low-key photos.
Block enough time in your calendar so that you are not feeling stressed that you are running short on time.
How the Headshot Experience Works at WASIO faces
Here is a step by step on what to expect from your business headshot experience with our studio.
Once you book your headshot appointment with our team, there is an option to discuss the details of your headshot session before you come in. If you marked “yes” for discussing the details ahead of time, we will setup a call to go through any questions you have or answer those questions via email. Whatever is the most convenient for you.
Unless stated, we tend to go with a natural grey backdrop in our studio. The color we use is universal and works well on a lot of different platforms. If you have more than one look, we will switch out the backdrop colors that will work best with the clothes you brought in.
Upon arriving to our studio, we work together to help you decide which outfit to start with. Of course, it’s normal that it can feel awkward in the beginning. With our facial coaching, we will help you become more comfortable and by the end of your headshot experience your confidence in front of the camera will grow.
Throughout the photo experience, we review the photos together as we take them in the studio. After going through all the planned looks, the final photo selection will be made at that time.
We will help you narrow down the photos. This can be a difficult process, but our eyes have been trained to see what works best for everyone. We will walk through the photos and point out the different things that we see.
After narrowing down the images, the final decision will be up to you to select which photos you want to keep. The final photos selected will go through detailed hand retouches.
The final photos are delivered via email within 5 business days from your headshot appointment. Need your headshots sooner? There is an option to get them next day for an additional fee. Each photo is sent in 4 different sizing depending on the platform you decide to use it on.
After reviewing this ultimate guide on how to prepare for your business headshots you should be feeling confident about your appointment. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to us here.
