How to look great in your corporate headshot profile pic!
You arrive at work, check your email & there it is… The subject line/meeting invite/memo/notification - like a giant beacon in the night sky - you can’t unsee it.. “Let’s update your corporate headshot!” For some of course, this is a dream come true - “Woo! A nice little change to my weekly work routine, I get to meet up with some colleagues - maybe grab a quick coffee on our way back the desk”.. But if you find yourself filing that email invite under “Not Keen”, trust me you are not alone :)
So, before you come in for your headshot, & stand on that ‘X’ on the floor, read on below for some hot tips to help you get great results!
You want to look great, we want you to look great.. So let’s remove the ‘work’ part of things, and celebrate being humans together :)
Our approach to photographing people is very conversational.. What does that mean? I’m glad you asked.. Really we might have a quick chat about or weekends just passed or our weekend plans coming up, and in amongst that I’ll get you to stop talking momentarily so I can get a clean shot.. It’s very low-key, and unofficial, and our aim is to capture you as a real person.. with a personality and everything..Let us speak openly..
This is super important - if you have a ‘good side’ or a certain angle that you prefer to be photographed from, then please let me know.. You know you better than I do, so it’s best to have a quick chat about this before we start your session.. Our studio is a safe and judgement-free space so please feel comfortable to let me know how you’re feeling and it will be much easier to get great results..
Just a quick note on smiles.. Together, our main focus is to capture a photograph of you looking content, confident, and happy.. You can still look happy without showing your teeth, and we’re all gloriously different so don’t feel like you need to supply a huge toothy grin if that makes you uncomfortable..What should I wear?
The aim here is look professional (of course), but also relaxed, friendly, and confident. We want you to feel like you, but it’s best to avoid clothing with brandnames, logos and lettering all over them (unless you’re wearing the company logo of course).. Try to avoid super fine/thin stripes - digital cameras sometimes struggle with these..
Try to avoid wearing white - a lot of corporate headshots are photographed on a white background, and if you wear white, we’ll lose you in the background and we want you to make a strong presence within the frame.. White shirts are great - just make sure you’re wearing a jacket as well..Make up, grooming and general presentation..
Fellas - if you generally have a super short beard or the classic ‘few days growth’, then think ahead and/or trim your beard the morning of the shoot & neaten up any edges to look sharpish.. Also, trim those nose hairs because the camera will see them for sure.. It’s a great idea also to give you face a quick splash/wipe and towel off in the bathroom before your shoot - this will help prevent your skin from looking shiny under studio lights..
Ladies and fellas - if you normally wear makeup, there’s no need to wear more makeup for a photoshoot.. If you’re unsure, a more natural look will present very nicely.. Also, be aware - some makeup with built-in sunscreen can look shiny on camera - your skin will look best with a more matt appearance..Your Hair..
This is a biggy.. If you have long hair, it looks best neat and tidy.. Best thing to do is bring your brush & give your hair a little tidy up just before your shoot.. If your hair gets all crazy & frizzled in warm/humid weather (for example), use some anti-frizz spray to pull it into line.. During the shoot we’ll be looking for hair detail & keeping the gaps out of your bangs etc. as well.. You’re also welcome to wear your hair up-style if that’s your vibe too - just remember, we’d love to capture the personal you as well as the professional you..Do you wear glasses?
Make sure your glasses are super clean going in to the shoot.. We’ll me making sure your glasses are sitting correctly on your face [ie. not slipping down your nose - unless that’s your trademark look of course #influencer ;) ].. Sometimes studio lights can be reflected in the lenses of your eyewear obscuring your lovely eyeballs, so we might need to tilt either your head (or your glasses) just a smidge to eliminate the reflection..
Hope this info gives you some good clues about what to expect and helps you feel more at ease about updating your corporate headshot/profile pic.. If you have any questions or further concerns, feel free to drop us an email here or hit that little button below.. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the studio! :)