Get the most out of your headshot session!

This guide is designed to make sure you get the most out of your headshot session with me. Please read it carefully as it will be extremely helpful in getting the perfect shot when we meet! Also note that these guidelines are specifically for actors/models. There are minor changes for corporate shots and musicians (mostly in wardrobe choices).

In no particular order:

1. Make sure to bring at least 3 or 4 different shirts to the headshot session. These should be various colors and none of them should have a heavy pattern (solid or almost solid colors work best). Pick colors that you feel bring out your eyes or skin, i.e. colors you would wear anyway. Make sure the shirts are clean, pressed, free of wrinkles and don't contain any logos. I always suggest a black or dark grey shirt included in the mix (sometimes this looks the best). A good T-shirt or even tank top (for women) can have striking results in the final image. The common theme here is that the shirt should not take away from YOU in the image.

2. Makeup for the ladies: Keep it simple! The last thing we want to see in an image is caked on makeup. Your makeup should be simple, clean, and not distracting. We can have a professional makeup artist on staff if you like. This is the BEST way to do it.

3. Regarding hair, BRING A COMB AND PRODUCT! Make sure you have whatever you need to fix flyaways, and gel down stubborn hairs. For the ladies, you can get your hair professionally done before the shoot, or we can even do a simple pony tail. The hair should not be too wild, and needs to be styled in a way that flatters your face (instead of covering it up).

4. The session will take about an hour. Be prepared to stand and bring water and a snack just in case. We will review as we shoot. I will question you as well throughout the shoot to get an idea of what you are seeing and to make sure we are on the same page. It's a LOT of fun, but also hard work. I guarantee that by the end of the session you will have learned something about yourself, leave feeling good about yourself, and have had a great, positive experience!

Here are some more details about hair/wardrobe/makeup:

WARDROBE

Choosing the right outfit is key to a successful shoot. Here are some general rules for men and women regarding clothing:

•   In general, clothes should be form-fitting. Oversized or baggy clothing will not work for photos because it simply looks like the wrong size. Men who wear suits should make sure the suit jacket is tailored and not bulky, and that their shirt fits snug around the neck, with a very well tied neck tie. Any collared shirts should have a clean, neat collar without a lot of embellishments.

•   Please make sure the outfit looks fresh, clean, and ironed. Old, worn, wrinkled, and stained clothes will appear such in the photos. 

•   Choose colors that work well with your skin tones, and colors that bring out the eyes. This is anything that is going to make you pop in the photo, without overpowering the face. You know what colors you like wearing best, so try to stick with these.

•   There should be no writing, patterns, buttons, logos, or large frills on your top or dress. The best shirts and blouses have a solid pattern, or a very subdued pattern which won’t distract from your face in the photos.

•   Please bring at least 3 or 4 outfits to the photo shoot so we have options. Some outfits will work better against a particular background, and some patterns just will not photograph well Having these options can help make the most of the shoot.

•   In general, no hats, hair clips, pins, earrings, necklaces, etc. in the photos, unless we are going for a specific look. 

FACE/MAKEUP:

If you wear glasses on a daily basis and will wear glasses in the photos, please bring 2 or 3 pair of glasses with you as some might photograph better than others and avoid glare.

• For the ladies, we want the face to look as natural as possible and how you would look on your “best day." Here are some make-up guidelines:

• Most importantly, please do not arrive wearing lots of heavy make-up, as this tends to look unnatural in photos. You still want to look like you in the photo. As previously mentioned, you on your “best day.”  

HAIR:

Hair should look clean, neat, polished, and natural — how one would normally wear it with a more polished look. For example, do not arrive with tight curls in the hair if your hair is naturally straight. If your hair is naturally very curly, do not straighten it for the photo. Also, there should be no hair in the eyes or face. Please bring hair product and a hair brush to the photoshoot.

Guys: Polished, neat style with hair out of the eyes. Avoid wearing a lot of product in the hair, as this can show up in the photos. 

Girls: Hair should be out of the eyes and face.