How to prepare for your professional headshot session

I know, you hate having your photo taken. But you’ve got a corporate headshot slot looming in your diary. A trip to the dentist would be preferable.

Plus, you don’t have time for it, right? You’re in back-to-back meetings and forgot today was ‘The Day’. But:

a) You’re probably going to have to live with having this new image of you on your company’s website for several years

b) The people who see it will make a snap judgement about what you’re like, and whether they might want to work with you.

So it’s worth getting it right.

It really doesn’t have to be an awful experience though…

If I was hired to take your professional portrait, here are my tips to making your professional headshot session as comfortable as possible - dare I whisper it, even fun.

Give yourself some breathing space. If you can, block out 10 minutes in your diary before your allocated time slot to do whatever you need to do to feel calm and ready - whether it’s brushing your hair, checking there’s no spinach in your teeth or popping outside for a breath of fresh air.

Don’t overdo the makeup
. With the right lighting (which I’ll take care of) less is more.

Wear simple clothes that reflect your brand. If you’re CEO of a Shoreditch start-up, by all means rock your funky new boilersuit - but in any case, avoid loud colours and distracting patterns. If in doubt, go for neutrals - the focus needs to be on your face.

If you’re really nervous, tell me and we can take things slowly.

Tell me what your good side is! By the time we meet you’ll have spent many years scrutinising your face at every angle, so do let me know.

Don’t fake it. Sometimes people ‘switch on’ what they clearly think is an appropriately professional smile. Don’t. It’ll look wrong. As we chat, I’ll capture genuine expressions as they emerge.

Try not to lean backwards. A lot of women seem to do this - and it looks really unnatural. But don’t worry, I’ll let you know if you’re doing it.

Above all, come with an open mind. The key to a good portrait isn’t what you’re wearing, what the lighting set up is, what direction you’re looking in, or whether you’re having a bad hair day.

It’s about my ability to put you at your ease, so you look like you: authentic, confident and approachable.

I think I’m alright at that.

Contact me to discuss your business headshot needs.

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Charity photography: The Salmon Youth Centre