Tips for Business Portraits & Professional Headshots

Tips for Business Portraits & Professional Headshots - Durham & Raleigh Professional

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- 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)

What's the Difference between a Headshot and a Business Portrait | Durham | Raleigh | Chapel Hill

NC Headshot Studio's Headshot & Business Portrait Difference

Once upon a time, a headshot was a traditional portrait

....used for marketing yourself as an actor or business person. And then the digital revolution hit. And, headshots devolved into a candid snap shot, taken with very little thought to light, background, expression etc.

It got thrown up on facebook, linkedin, myspace, twitter etc, without a thought of who might be looking at it or what it says about you. And, it became a sloppy, amateur marketing tool that was right up there, in terms of usefulness, as a driver's license photo.

Along came the Business Portrait.

A direct reaction to the vacation snap shots that are permeating the online profiles, business portraits are in demand by CEOs, Actors, and other people who are concerned about how their image is perceived by their target audience.

The biggest difference between the “modern headshot” and a "business portrait" is philosophical. Every part of the business portrait, from the light, composition, clothing, makeup, jewelry, background, expression, etc, is a conscious decision, on the part of the photographer and the subject, to create an image designed to stand out. The image that is created, is designed that way specifically because it will help your audience accept you as their choice.

Business portraits are about marketing, branding and the business of your industry.  Corporate Headshots are about the person and the brand of the individual.

They are a visual representation of your competence and reputation.

So, if you call us and ask about “headshots” for you or your company, don’t be surprised if we prob you for more understand to gain a better insight into your actual needs of the photography session. 

NC Headshot Studio is a premiere headshot, business portrait, and commercial photography studio located in Durham, North Carolina.  We serve Durham, Raleigh, and the Chapel Hill areas.   You can see more of his work at http://www.NCHeadShot.com