Tips for Business Portraits & Professional Headshots

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

View fullsize

- 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)

A Business Portrait or a Headshot, Which is the Right Choice for You? | Durham | Raleigh | Chapel Hill

A Business Portrait or a Headshot ? Which is the Right Choice for You ?

You might be an actor, a plumber, an artist, a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a salesperson, musician or physician and you need of a new picture for your professional use.

Do you need a business portrait or a headshot?

To answer that I'd like to tell you one of the most important pieces of advice I've ever received and it's the foundation of why virtually every successful business is successful. No matter if you are an actor or doctor or baker you are an artist. What you do for a living is your art/skill/craft/vocation - call it what you will - this is your passion - it's your art. If you focus only on your art you may love doing it, but you are on a course to fail. If on the only hand you say "I own a business ... and it just happens to be a deli, or a doctor's office or creating art" you realize that you must balance the books, do marketing to get clients, dream up new ideas so that you will continue to be able to do what you love to do.

Anyway, that's where I start my thinking when someone comes in for a headshot - how is your business structured and what type of picture will best help you achieve your business goals.

The Business portrait and the headshot - The Difference

First lets look at both, how they are the same and how they differ.

Both types of images need to get the feeling that you want to get from whomever seeing the picture. Are you welcoming, commanding, solid, sincere, in charge, affluent, competent, stunning, handsome, friendly, "the buck stops here",?

The Business Portrait - formal dress, professional pose, elegant props, lit with some drama and has rich colors. This is the type of image you might see in the lobby of a hotel or on the board of directors page of a company's website.

The Headshot - To be candid, it'a a product shot and you're the product. You'll typically smile or (in the case of an actor) be in character, but the look is fairly generic and welcoming. But I suggest the headshot even for the executive so they will something less formal, maybe for a company seminar they are hosting or blog post.

And then there is the headshot which is purely for commercial use; such as a print ad, website or brochure. These are very fun and bright.

Both the business portrait and the headshot can be critical parts of every company's business marketing plan. Just a nice picture of the person without finding out what the person wants the image to convey is not enough. Today many potential clients are surfing the net and choosing their vendors on the strength of an image.

So think about how the images will be used to help you reach your business goals and you will know what types of pictures you need.

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

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

Business Portraits & Corporate Headshots | Durham | Raleigh | Chapel Hill

NC Headshot Studio's Business Portraits

In business, an image can be the difference between making the sale and missing the opportunity. High-quality, professional business portraits and professional headshots capture the attention of your clients by adding instant personality to marketing materials, public relations efforts, social media and more.

About NC Headshot Studio's Business Portraits & Corporate Headshots

NC Headshot Studio provides you and your business with professional quality, business photos that bring your image and brand into focus. With next day, high res digital delivery and Raleigh and Durham Locations to serve you, NC Headshot Studio is the perfect solution for your business photography needs. 

• Individual Headshots: Our photographers are ready to serve you today! Simply click here to schedule your session.  
• Corporate Headshots: Do you have a company or team in need of a consistent photographic look and feel? Email bookings@NCHeadShot.com to learn more about our corporate program.

Using Business Portraits & Corporate Headshots

Business photography can help establish trust with your customers while achieving greater brand awareness.  Examples of effectively using business photography include:

• Marketing, Advertising and Publicity
  Enhance your outreach efforts by adding a personal touch to marketing, advertising and public relations campaigns with high-quality business photos that reflect the unique image and personality of your company.
• Corporate Websites, Intranets, Business Cards & More
  Your website is an ideal place to add a personable touch, as it’s where initial contact with potential clients often occurs.  
• Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
  Adding professional business photos to annual reports, investor dossiers, executive presentations, newsletters and more reinforces your company's image and helps create tighter relationships among clients, investors and other stakeholders.
• Social Networking
  Utilizing resources such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking sites, offer different ways to stay in contact with your customers.  Personalize the experience with high-quality business photos, which reinforce your image and help customers identify with your brand.
• Email Confirmation
  For service-related companies, making your customers feel confident, comfortable and self-assured is paramount, especially when entrance to a customer's home is required.  Build trust by including a professional business photo in your emails, letting customers see exactly who will be making their service call.
• Employee Recognition
  Make lasting impressions by recognizing employees with awards, personalized with their professional business photo!

Schedule your session today! If you are interested in retainers or pre-paid business certificates for your company or team, email bookings@NCHeadShot.com.

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