What to wear:

  • First of all, make sure you feel comfortable. Headshot photography is all about micro expressions. If you're not confident about what you're wearing, it will translate to your micro expression you give the camera.

  • Don't shy away from bold colors. Black, grey and white looks good too. If you're questioning whether or not to bring an outfit, just bring it. I can give you a second thought and my professional opinion. We can't shoot it unless you bring it with you, so bring it.

  • Avoid busy prints and seasonal attire. Small patterns can look great in person, but typically don't translate to a photo the same way. I would suggest sticking to solid colors or large patterns.

  • Bring full outfits. We are capturing headshots, but we also may try some 3/4 and full body portraits as well.

 

Women:

Dress to impress.  I want you to look the best version of you.  How you would present yourself to the world if you're in an important interview or running for president?  Come with your hair and makeup how you would normally do it.  Headshots are all about subtleties in expression, but subtleties can also be applied to makeup.  Err on the side of looking natural. 

JEWELRY
Jewelry can be a great accessory in person, but in headshots it usually distracts from the face.  I usually will ask you to remove any distracting necklaces and earrings.  Studded earrings are less distracting.  However, if jewelry is your thing, bring it!

Here are some further guidelines for makeup:

  • Use liquid foundation instead of powder

  • Go easy on the blush/bronzer

  • GLOSSY lipstick, not matte (keep it close to your natural lip color)

  • No visible hard-edge lip liner

  • No hard-edge liquid eyeliner

  • Keep eyes looking defined but natural

  • Soft blended eyeliner

  • Neutral color eyeshadow is usually best

  • BLEND BLEND BLEND UNTIL YOU BLEED

  • No lines of demarcation or heavy smoked-out eyeshadow

  • No false eyelashes (unless you are used to wearing them and you know how to correctly apply them)

  • Wear mascara and curl your lashes

 

Men:

Dress to impress.  Show up like you're ready to take on the world!  If you plan to get a hair cut, trim or just a clean up, try to plan it out a few days before the shoot rather than the day of.  Beards, scruff, clean shaven...these are all good looks!  However, if you want the beard look or the scruff look, just make sure you've cleaned up around the edges.  You're absolutely welcome to bring your grooming products if you'd like.  If you have a beard and you want to get a look both with the beard and clean shaven, that's fine too.  You can shave midway through the shoot.   

If you're going for more of a corporate look, (sport coat or suit jacket), that's great!  Bring a handful of combos.  I suggest a light and a dark jacket, a few shirts, (highly recommend solid colors), and an assortment of ties.  Ties can be tricky.  What looks good in person might not translate to camera, so bring a handful and we'll find the right match!

I don't like seeing makeup on men in headshots.  If you arrive with makeup on, I'll most likely ask you to wash it off.  I DO, however, recommend that all men bring chapstick.

Today's first impression isn't the same as it used to be.  You're probably not standing — physically — in front of every new client you meet.  More than likely, it's taking place through a website, the image in your email signature or on your business card.

More than ever, your professional headshot or business portrait is today's handshake. This makes it vitally important to have a professional image that communicates something other than stiff, outdated, obsolete, impersonal, dry, archaic, boring, trite, passé...see where I'm headed? If a picture is worth a thousand words, what would your headshot say? 

CONFIDENT. INTELLIGENT. HONEST. WARM.  KNOWLEDGABLE. DRIVEN. OUTGOING. CAPABLE. REAL. APPROACHABLE. DETERMINED.