Tips for Business Portraits & Professional Headshots - Durham & Raleigh Professional
- General Tips
- Tell us your expectations and intentions. Let us know what kind of look you want
- Tell us how and where the photo will be used (so we can be sure it's appropriate)
- Drink lots of water and be well rested (so your eyes will not have dark cirlces)
- Your skin might not look it's best after drug/alcohol use. Try to abstain from these before your shoot
- Arrive on time. Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes early (we may have other clients scheduled before you) unless you are scheduled to have MakeUp and/or Hair services provided in studio.
- Please call if you are running late or arrive early
What to Wear - Everyone
- Wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you look great
- Make sure your jacket and shirt fit you well. A poor fitting jacket or shirt will be obvious in the photos (especially around the neck)
- Don't overdress
- Turtlenecks are almost always a bad idea (since they crowd the face)
- Clothes should be neatly pressed and should look new or like new
- Avoid busy patterns and large lines/stripes
- Blue/green/turquoise shirts/blouses or accents can help emphasize blue/green/hazel eyes
What to Wear - Men
- The standard business look is a suit jacket, dress shirt and tie
- A casual business look is often a jacket and open dress shirt, shirt and tie (no jacket), or dress shirt on it's own
- Polo shirts are a good look for some businesses. Be sure the shirt is in good condition and fits well
- For a no-jacket casual look, bring colored shirts - ideally darker than your skin tone
- A white dress shirt by itself is a bad idea - unless you plan to wear it underneath something (jacket or sweater)
- Bring a few different jackets, shirt colors and ties so we have choices for the photo
What to Wear - Women
- Avoid big prints and busy patterns
- Different necklines will change the apparent shape of your face. Bring a variety different shirts/blouses to see what works best
- For a no-jacket casual look, bring various colored blouses - ideally darker than your skin tone
- Be stylish and fashionable, but remember the picture is about your face and not your clothes or jewelry
- Sleeveless tops/dresses can draw attention to your shoulders/arms. Consider bringing items with a variety of different sleeves
Remember: Select and wear clothes that make you feel comfortable. Select something that makes you look and feel good.
Jewelry
- Keep jewelry extremely simple - small is better
- Avoid jewelry that would distract from your face or that looks dated
- The picture is about your face, not your jewelry
- Consider if facial piercings or multiple ear piercings are appropriate for where your photo will be displayed
What to Bring
- Your previous headshots (so we can improve)
- Sample headshots to help communicate the look you want
- Favorite Music (iPod/MP3 player, phone, thumb-drive)
- Various changes of clothing (see above)
- A good attitude
- Lip balm
- Hair brush/comb
- Makeup and hair products you prefer (especially if you have allergies)
Hair and Makeup Tips
- Make-up should be clean and natural
- Wear a heavy layer of translucent powder - your face will appear flawless in photos. Shine disappears, pores seem smaller, skin looks even, and blush is smoother
- Line lips before applying matte lipstick, then reline. Don't overdo it. Dip a cotton bud in powder and run along lip line to prevent color from bleeding
- Avoid shimmers or products with lots of sparkle or shine
- Avoid frosts or overly-bright colors
- Don't get a new hair cut just before the shoot (you may want to let it grow-in a bit or get used to styling a new cut)
- Do not try/use any new product on your hair, face or body the day before or few days before your shoot. In case you have a bad reaction to the product
Please Arrive With
- Hair styled and makeup already applied (if not using makeup artist)