Female Headshot Instructions: How To Prepare For You Headshots

Overview

Hydrate several days in advance and get a good night's rest and some mild exercise the two nights before. Getting extra rest will help with eye puffiness. Light exercise and hydration make your skin look bright and soft, it helps your eyes stay moist and bright and gives you a little extra confidence for our session. Being hydrated and well-rested always looks best on camera! 

I highly recommend a manicure or have camera-ready nails. Nails may show in portraits and little details add a lot in a tighter headshot photo. Neutral or basic colors work best, but it's always important to be yourself as much as possible in your photos. 

Headshot Clothing

• The fit of your clothing is important. Baggy or excessively tight clothing won't bring out your best. Think proportions and angles, you want clothing that leads the eye in.
• Be thoughtful about how the clothing fits your neckline, you want to have the right amount of neck and chest for the look you are going for.  
• Bring ironed and wrinkle-free as much as possible.  I have a steamer for wrinkles during transportation. 
• Avoid horizontal stripes and small busy patterns
• For individual sessions, bring 3 or more of your best-fitting professional tops/dresses. These shirts and dresses should be solid or at least have a non-distracting pattern. Consider bringing one that matches your eye color.  Your session is not limited by time so bring any options you would like to shoot to compare looks.
• Bring a few professional jackets if that's a look you want.
• If you want to also try for a different more casual look for your Facebook, for example, bring some more casual options.
• Bring clothing that you enjoy wearing, you always look the best when you feel the best! 

Headshot Hair

• Please take the time to style your hair nicely.
• Do not get a haircut within three days of the headshot session.
• Bring everything you use to style your hair, including anything you use to tame flyaways.

Headshot Makeup

• My makeup artists will handle everything at the headshot session, and you do not need to bring any makeup if you add(ed) professional makeup.
• If you are doing your own makeup, please use a light hand. In my opinion, natural makeup that simply emphasizes your natural beauty is best.  Liquid foundation is best for on camera, so consider that if possible.
• Eyeliner can be especially distracting in a headshot. I generally prefer no eyeliner, but I suggest an especially light application if my clients are committed to using it.
• Bring lipsticks and/or lip glosses. Please bring basic makeup and tools to add, remove, and touch up. Try to avoid makeup with an SPF, which causes more shine.
• Gently exfoliate however no extractions & waxing during the week of the session.  Do NOT experiment with new lotions, creams, or treatments the week of your photo session

Headshot Jewelry

Headshots are all about the facial expression for me. If you really want jewelry in the shot, bring simple, classic, less distracting jewelry options. 

Headshot Glasses

• If you wear glasses every day, you should have your glasses in your headshot. If you sometimes wear glasses and sometimes wear contacts, bring the glasses to try.
• If you have multiple pairs, bring them, so we can try multiple frames and lenses.

Headshot Shoes

Just in case we go into something less zoomed in, bring multiple pairs of professional shoes.