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Professional Headshots and Professional Portrait Sessions: What to Bring and What to Wear
When you're getting professional portraits or headshots taken, here's what you need to know in advance…
HOW TO PREPARE BEFORE YOUR SESSION:
- Get a good night's sleep the night before. The more rested you are, the better you'll look.
- Drink plenty of water at least an hour or two before your session. Hydrated skin looks much healthier. Try not to drink too much coffee and avoid eating greasy, salty or fatty foods for a day or two before your shoot.
- Apply moisturizer. Men as well as women should use this tip. Moisturizer prevents your face from looking dry and it gives your skin a fresh, smoother texture. Use a plain moisturizer without any color or shine in it. Be sure to do this before you apply any makeup or powder.
- An important tip about makeup: Whether you're doing your own makeup, or having a stylist do your makeup for you, it's essential that you avoid anything with too much gloss, sparkle or shine. This includes high gloss lipsticks and lipgloss, as well as face creams, bronzers or blushes that contain any sort of shine or sparkle. These tend to look too unnatural and they cause your skin to reflect too much light in photos.
WHAT TO BRING:
1- A comb or brush and a light hair-spray. Heavy sprays and gels make your hair look unnatural and stiff, so something with a light hold is a better idea.
2- A light face powder (yes, also for men) and a powder applicator. It's very important to bring powder that can be used to reduce any shine on your face that may build up during your shoot. Make sure the powder is a good match for your skin tone.
3 – A plain lip-balm. For men (or women who prefer not to wear much or any makeup), bring a lip-balm. Dry lips show up very badly in photos. A non-shiny, non-waxy, no-color lip-balm is essential! Avoid chapsticks and beeswax lip-balms, as they tend to leave a white residue.
4- If you normally wear makeup, bring it with you. Be sure to bring whatever you normally wear and bring a few different shades of shadows and lipstick, as some colors may not look as well on camera as others.
5- Deodorant. You don't want to have perspiration stains in your photos, so remember to apply an extra ‘layer' of deodorant right before your session begins.
6- A toothbrush or dental floss. Just in case you have the remnants of your last meal stuck in your teeth!
7- Eyedrops. Sitting and not doing much blinking for any period of time, can be very irritating for your eyes. Red, watery or puffy eyes will ruin your photos, so having eyedrops with you, is essential for your photo session. Chances are, you won't need to use them, but it's better to have them just in case you do.
WHAT TO WEAR FOR INFORMAL PORTRAITS OR HEADSHOTS:
A simple shirt (or sweater) and jeans, is always a good bet here. Do not wear work-out clothing or sweats, although a plain hoodie is fine. Make sure your jeans are basic as well. No patches, sparkles, splattered paint or bleach marks. Avoid jeans with rips or holes.
IMPORTANT: Do not wear tops with logos, brand names or any obviously printed words on them. These draw the eye away from your face, which is the last thing you want in a head shot or portrait!
WHAT TO WEAR FOR FORMAL PORTRAITS, FORMAL HEADSHOTS AND CORPORATE HEADSHOTS:
Men: A well tailored jacket and a well tailored shirt, nice trousers and nice leather shoes. Women: A figure flattering top, a tailored jacket, a tailored shirt, a dressy sweater, nice trousers or skirt, or a casual cocktail style of dress.
If your photos are for online dating sites, or if you want to convey a more casual, personal look for your headshots, then you don't want dress as if you're going to a job interview. To avoid a corporate look, women should not wear button-up, tailored shirts. Men should not wear a tie.
WHAT TO WEAR FOR UNIQUE, PERSONALITY-BASED PORTRAITS OR HEADSHOTS:
Clothes, hair and makeup that define your individual personality and style…
Vintage clothing, traditional ethnic clothing, unusual designer pieces, etc.
THE BASIC RULES ON WHAT TO WEAR TO ANY PROFESSIONAL PHOTO SESSION:
1- Colors which look great on almost everybody: White, black, and greys are always a good choice. For color, choose earth-tones (reds and browns) and jewel-tones (turquoise and most blues). Certain pastels are also good: in particular, light blues, lavenders and pinks.
2- Colors to avoid: For most people, khakis, greens, oranges, dark purples and yellows are not flattering to the skin and should not be worn for photos.
3- Clothing choices to avoid: Large, bold prints, logos or patterns. You don't want your outfit to dominate your photos. Don't wear clothing that is too loose or too clingy. Very loose clothing and very tight clothing both have the effect of unflatteringly altering the shape of your body. Shiny fabrics should generally be avoided as well; anything with a lot of shine, will reflect light and tends to overemphasize the figure.
4- Do not over-accessorize. Too many extra visuals will detract from your face, which should be the only focal point in your pictures. If you have one particular piece of jewellery you'd like to wear, don't wear any other pieces with it. A big, bold necklace can sometimes look really wonderful, but not if it's also worn with big, bold earrings. Small, basic earrings, one or two simple rings and either no necklace, or a very simple one, is the best choice for women. A simple watch and just one ring (if you wear any) is usually the best choice for men.
5- Heavy application of perfumes or body-sprays before your session is not a good idea. If you must wear a scent, wear much less than you normally would. Many people have allergies to scents, and you don't want a photographer who is trying to take your photo through watering eyes and sneezing fits.
Although there are a lot of things to factor in here, they're all quite simple. If you keep these tips in mind, you're certain to look and feel your best for your professional photography shoot!
About the Author
Tamea Burd is a Vancouver photographer specializing in wedding, portrait, corporate and headshot photography. Her website: www.tameaburdphotography.com