How to prepare for your Branding/Headshot Photo Shoot
Hello and welcome to my blog! As this is the very first post I thought it’s just fitting that it will be all about how to prepare for your branding/headshot session.
BEFORE THE SHOOT
Making a good first impression in your career or your business is absolutely critical. When you go for job interviews, attend important meetings, deliver a speech or hustle for business at a network event, you need to pull out all the stops and make the effort. With this in mind, I would suggest you treat your photo shoot in a similar way. The goal is to showcase the best version of yourself, just as you would on at a job interview or client meeting.
One of the most important things I can say to you in relation to your shoot is that feeling good about yourself is crucial. I know it’s easier said than done, everyone has their hangups, no matter how small or big they seem. It’s the one thing I have no control over and can be the key difference between a good photo and a stunning one. The less you worry about the things you don’t like about yourself and the more you feel the self-love, the better the shoot will go and the better your final images.
This definitely doesn’t mean you need to be at your ideal weight, have zero spots or the perfect haircut. It’s about that feeling you get when you believe you’re looking good despite any spots and extra few pounds because you’re feeling self-confident. If you’re struggling with this, it can help to treat yourself to a new outfit / haircut / make up. I’d also recommend reading a book or listening to some podcasts like Fearless Self-Love, The Love Yourself Podcast or the Self-Love Fix.
CLOTHES
The big question… what to wear for your shoot?
All the my packages include enough time for at least one outfit change, while it’s optional for headshots I strongly recommend to bring a selection of outfit changes/combinations along for any branding session you book. This way you will get the most out of your photos with a variety of looks and different locations.
It’s best to plan what you’re going to wear in advance rather than decide at the time of the shoot or an hour before you’re due to leave. Do bear in mind that my shoots are usually in public spaces so you will be limited as to how much and how often you can change. I tend to use clean, spacious public toilets for changing, like bars, cafes or hotels. It’s all very glamourous. ;-)
Go with clothes that make you feel good about yourself. Avoid wearing shapeless, overly baggy, or too tight clothes - they can be very unflattering on camera. Close-fitting clothes work best. Make sure your clothes are not overly creased, if the material is prone to wrinkles it should be ironed and transported in a clothing bag. Overly wrinkled clothes are a nightmare to edit and in some cases impossible to make them appear unedited/natural.
I recommend to avoid wearing too much white (especially on bright days), as it tends to overexpose in the picture and draws people’s eyes to it and away from your face. If you want to wear a white shirt or dress it would be good to break it up with a jacket or cardigan.
Note to women - Make sure your bra straps are well hidden and avoid wearing anything that goes see- through in strong light. (This actually happens way more than you’d think).
To help make sure your photos stand out and jump off the page, we would recommend bringing some bright coloured- tops or scarves. A bit of colour pop can really make a difference to your photos. As you can see in the gallery and across the whole website I work a lot with colour apart from some black and white images of course. This will help the photos stand out from the crowd, but if you don’t normally wear colour, then don’t worry. We’ll aim to find some colour in the background to include in some shots.
Please remember these are just guidelines not rules. I want you to feel as comfortable as possible during your photo session.
Hair
Definitely consider going to the hairdresser before your photo shoot, if you feel you need to top up your colour at the roots or your hair has gotten too long or damaged. I would strongly advise against trying out new hairstyles/colours as there could be the chance that you won’t like it. This way we avoid having to unnecessarily reschedule the shoot or you ending up with images you might not like yourself in. Apart from a few stray hairs I cannot to fix hair issues in Photoshop and I want you to be happy with your resulting pictures. Same goes for your nails, if you’re planning to get details shots that will include your hands, make sure they are looking clean and don’t have chipped or 2 week old nail polish on them.
Facial hair
Men - please trim any beards, moustaches or sideburns – making sure to sort out any wiry stray hairs. If you’re shaving, we recommend using a brand new razor and moisturising afterwards. Don’t do it amour before you’re ready to leave to avoid irritated skin or possible rashes. If you shave/trim the night before that should be plenty of time.
Women - if this is something that affects or bothers you, it might be worth booking a treatment.
Make-up
It’s recommended to wear slightly heavier make up than you normally would for the camera. Make sure to highlight your cheekbones and eyes - your most important features. It will be worth bringing it along so that you can touch up if need be. You can also use different lipsticks throughout the shoot to get more variety.
It’s a good idea to consider to have your make-up done professionally. You can book a hair and make-up artist as an add-on and they will get in touch with your directly and meet you before your branding/headshot session. This is obviously optional and you can also just go to a department store like Selfridges or John Lewis, who offer make-up appointments in store. I promise it will make a big difference to the photos and you will feel great.
Last but not least, make sure you’re having fun. Don’t worry too much about all the little details. Take a deep breath, get out of your head and enjoy the experience. I’m there to look out for out of place stray hairs or on off kilter top, so you don’t need to worry about it. If you feel it would help have a glass of bubbly or a shot before the shoot to help calm your nerves. I know for a fact that you wouldn’t be the first person to do it.
