How to prepare for your headshot and personal branding photography session
Organise these things for the week prior:
Schedule an appointment for a hair cut and/or colour
Schedule an appointment to have your nails done, if this is important to you
Schedule an appointment to have your eyebrows done, if this is important to you
Purchase any clothing that we identify as a gap during our pre session consultation
Gather your outfits for the photoshoot and ensure that no items are in the wash, as there’s nothing more annoying than realising something is dirty the morning of the photoshoot
Organise these things the day before your photoshoot:
Gather and iron your outfits for your photoshoot (don’t forget shoes)
Collect any accessories that you would like to wear for your photoshooot, such as earrings, necklaces or watches. If your watch is a functional one, such as an Apple watch, I recommend keeping it off for your photoshoot, however, if it’s a statement piece, like a Rolex, then it may add to your branding image
Wash and dry your hair, either the day before or the morning of your photoshoot
Trim ear, nose and eyebrow hairs, if needed
Drink plenty of water and have an early night before your photoshoot, it does make a difference
On the day of your photoshoot:
If you are having your hair and makeup done, please arrive with clean, dry hair and a moisturised face only
Men may wish to freshly shave or tidy up on the morning of the shoot, if this is important to you
What should I wear for the photoshoot?
During your pre photoshoot consultation, we will cover your wardrobe choices in depth and we will select outfits for the day. We may even identify any gaps in your wardrobe for you to acquire before the date. I assure you, you will be guided through this entire process. Having said that, this is a general guide for selecting your outfits.
What message are you trying to send with your headshots? Each profession and individual will have a unique message to send. For example, a psychologist may want to send a message of warmth and sincerity, a business person may want to convey a message of professionalism and confidence and so on. Even within a profession, it’s important that you think of your offering and the clients you wish to attract. However, there are a few main rules to follow.
Colour choices matter. You will know what colours suit you and we will work out the best colour choice based on this and the branding message you are trying to convey. If in doubt, I will encourage you to bring a few choices and we can select the best ones together.
There are some general rules for your wardrobe choices, although, from time to time, rules can be broken! These are as follows:
Loud and busy prints. These generally detract from the headshot. It’s best to stick to plain prints and colours, representative of your brand
Loose fitting clothing. This can make your appearance look larger than it actually is. I often use clamps at the back of outfits to create form and shape if clothes are too baggy
Clothing that doesn’t fit well. Over the past two years, many clients have not worn pieces in their wardrobe due to working from home. It’s important to check that your pieces still fit well
This isn’t the time to dramatically alter your look. Headshot and branding photography is all about depicting your brand. It should represent the person that your colleagues and clients know and recognise. We should remain true to who you are with our wardrobe, hair and makeup choices. Ask yourself how you would style yourself and what you would wear on your best day going to work. This is where you should aim for your photoshoot
During the photoshoot, we will aim to shoot three elevations. The first one, is the one that represents the person and brand that you are every day. If suits are your thing, that’s what we will shoot. If you have a more relaxed vibe, that’s where we will land. We will aim to shoot about 3-4 looks at this elevation. We will then choose one outfit more relaxed than this look, and one outfit more dressy than this look. This will give you the widest range of options in the future, as you will have all looks on hand. It’s also helpful for various uses, like your resume, linkedin, social media, email footers and dating websites. We want your headshots and branding images to have the maximum number of uses
The following outfits are for inspiration. These are looks that photograph beautifully for personal branding and headshot sessions
