How to prepare for your headshot session
Updated: Mar 11
If you're like 99% of my clients, you might be feeling a little nervous before the big day. To put your mind at ease, here are my top tips to help you get in the zone for your headshot session...
What’s your purpose?
What’s the reason you’re having your photo taken? Is it for a new offer for your business, a general LinkedIn update, or for online dating (seriously!). That’s going to take you to the next question which is, who is your audience?
Think about how you want to portray yourself, in particular, which aspects of your personality you want to convey.
This could be - “a trustworthy expert with a sense of fun,” or “an outspoken professional that thinks outside the box.” This is going to be really helpful when it comes to choosing what to wear and how to pose for your photos.
What to wear?
One of the top questions I get is what to wear. Think about your audience, and how you want to appear in their eyes. Is it time to crack out your jazziest t-shirt or more of a sharp jacket type of occasion? Most importantly, what clothes do you feel the most comfortable and confident in?
However, there are some tips I offer that apply to most people:
Block colours tend to work really well
Black can sometimes look flat in photos
Make sure clothes are well ironed if needed
You can vary your shots by bringing something easy to slip on - e.g. a jacket or scarf (although there is no time for a full costume change on a taster session)
Try not to go for something overly summery or wintery - if you plan to use shots all year round (although it’s not much of a big deal in my opinion)
A note on makeup: if you feel good in it, go for it. If not, you do you! I do think if you have pale lips, a bit of colour can make you look healthier. But that can also be achieved by biting your lip a few times (Victorian era pro-tip).
What about the weather?
Trust me - I will be keeping a close eye on the weather on the day of your shoot.
Cloudy day - no problem (good even - nice soft light).
Wind - we can handle it.
Rain - a bit is ok.
Anything more then we might be restricted but there’s generally shelter to be found that can still provide great setting for photos.
If it’s a total write-off, I’ll do my best to reschedule, otherwise you’ll get a full refund.
What will happen when I turn up?
It’s best to arrive at least 5 minutes early so that we don’t lose a second of shooting time. I am going to give you a very warm welcome and we will then spend 30 minutes walking, chatting and shooting.
The vibe will be very relaxed: I will constantly be trying to put you at ease, make you laugh and give you lots of direction so at no point will you be left feeling awkward.
My goal will be to get natural, relaxed shots where you look relaxed, confident, and *yourself* (on a good day!).
What if I feel super nervous / can’t pose?
You and the rest of us! One of my main jobs on the day is to tell you how to pose, whether to look at the camera, whether to smile or not. I’ll give you loads of encouragement and positive feedback to make the shoot feel fun and relaxed. At no point will you be left feeling like a lemon, wondering what to do!
After swe say goodbye, I will select the absolute best images of you to edit, and you'll receive an online gallery within a couple of weeks.
Any more questions?
I'm here to help. Drop me a hello to ask me anything and, maybe even chat about your own shoot.
Need some inspiration on the many ways you can use the photos once you have them? Grab my free guide: 13 game-changing ways to use brand photos to grow your business.