PREPARING FOR YOUR HEADSHOT OR BRANDING SESSION
Thank you for booking a session with me! I know you may be feeling a little nervous or anxious about getting in front of the camera, and that is totally normal. But rest assured that I try to make all of my sessions fun and relaxed, so that you will feel as comfortable as possible.
I’ve put this guide together to help us make the most of our time together, and really achieve great images that are unique and personal. Of course, every session is different and not everything will apply to you – these tips are to prepare for all eventualities, so please just take the suggestions below that resonate with you.
You may have seen that I have provided you with a small questionnaire to fill in – this not only keeps all of your info in one handy place, but it also helps me ensure that we are making the best of our time together.
So if I haven’t yet received all of your details, now is the perfect time to get them to me.
WHAT TO EXPECT
I photograph with a relaxed and natural lifestyle approach, which is less about posed portraiture, and more about capturing your personality. This is most likely what your customers want to see, rather than anything too posed or formal.
THE BEST LIGHT
For outdoor shoots, the most flattering light is always early morning or early evening when the sun is low in the sky, and depending on its direction at our chosen location.
I will of course keep an eye on the weather – if it is forecasting a complete downpour or it is very gloomy, I like to have a “rainy day” backup date – usually the following day or we can make a plan for the following week.
For indoor shoots, it’s always helpful to send me a few pictures of the space you’d like to use (or a quick video call at the same time as your scheduled shoot), so that I can see where the light is coming from and plan accordingly.
PLANNING YOUR OUTFIT
The most common question: “What should I wear for our session?”
This will completely depend on your chosen style so I can’t tell exactly what to wear – you want to be you, so if you’re a casual jeans-blazer-converse creative, then wearing a dress suit with heels isn’t going to work. Being true to your style will make the best impression and help you relate to your customers.
Soft textures for blouses, tops and dresses fall nicely without being too restrictive – If you’re planning on wearing a dress, it it worth noting that structured dresses tend to crease or produce unsightly lines (unless they are a perfect fit), which is difficult to edit out without changing the shape of your body. For colder months outdoors, these could be teamed with a blazer, lightweight jacket and scarves.
Next and H&M provide some great options when shopping for branding clothes. There is also lots of inspiration in terms of what works well on my Pinterest Board, so be sure to take a look at those too and save your favourites.
DO:
– Pick something comfortable. The last thing you want is to be constantly readjusting, as any discomfort will show in your photos.
Soft textures are very flattering whilst incorporating comfort.
– Include your brand colours. To ensure your images are perfectly on brand for you, neutral colour clothing (ivory, creams and greys) is often best teamed with pops of colour or accessories in line with your branding colours.
Above is an excellent example of how choosing your outfit to reflect your branding colours can work really well for your website!
– Bring another option. It’s a good idea to bring along an extra top and/or jacket as a back up for different lighting and backgrounds, or for a quick change to add variety.
– Include your props… An extention of the outfit if you will! Include anything you use within your business to help tell the story of your brand. It could include your laptop, journal, a favourite mug, or any tools you use often within your business.
AVOID:
– Showing any underwear or straps. Please ensure bra straps are neatly hidden to avoid the need for unecessary editing, meaning your gallery will take longer to get to you.
– Strong patterns, busy prints or logos, as they can be too distracting and don’t photograph well. Unless of course the logo appears on your uniform 🙂
– Stripes can warp in digital images, pulling focus to your body shape, so are best to avoid.
– Wearing something you normally wouldn’t wear. I understand you may want to look more professional than your normal everyday clothes, but now is not the time to experiment with new looks and risk not liking how you look in the final images.
Not sure about your branding colours yet? Then it’s best to stick to neutrals and subtle colours for now, so that you’re not stuck with a set of images that clash with your branding colours once you’ve decided on them. Here are some neutral colour palettes as an example, or you can see more HERE.
… Of course, if you love rocking a rainbow dress with purple hair then go for it! You absolutely should embrace your personality to stand out 🙂
PREPARATION TIPS
Remember that these are only helpful hints to help you look your best – whilst editing is possible, these tips will help speed up the editing process which in turn means you get your images sooner :)
Take from it what you like to ensure you get the best results from your session.
FACE & SKIN
Try to get a good night’s sleep the night before – if you’re tired it will show in your face and body. For red eyes, eyedrops are your friend. Avoiding alcohol the night before your session goes a long way too.
If you’re exfoiating, scrub away any flaky facial skin the day before (not the morning of) to avoid redness on the day.
Don’t feel like you need to cake on make-up to hide blemishes – it’s almost always easier to Photoshop these away than to clean up overdone make-up.
The same goes for fever blisters – They happen. Don’t stress. They won’t ruin your images.
Please be mindful of the sun and tanning during the week before your session – tangerine tones or clothing tan lines are not a great look for your professional photos 🙂
HAIR & MAKEUP
This is really down to personal style – you may want to do your own makeup, or pay a professional… What I would advise though, is not to try a completely new look on the day – so whether you’re having your make up done professionally or doing it yourself, ensure you have a test run before so that you’re completely happy and comfortable on the day.
I’d suggest wearing just a little more makeup than you normally do on a daily basis… So if you don’t normally wear lipstick, then consider trying out a neutral shade or lip gloss for a more polished look.
Just don’t overdo it – you don’t want to end up with a set of photos that you don’t like, because it doesn’t look like you. Have a play and see what you like!
If we’re going to be outdoors, be prepared in case of a windy day – bring bobby pins, hair clips, headbands or any other favourite accessories.
If you’re getting a haircut for your shoot, avoid doing it less than two weeks beforehand, in case it goes wrong – you just never know.
For men, a fresh cut a couple of days before the shoot is fine. Have a fresh shave or trim, and use a new razor with shaving cream and a moisturizing after-shave lotion to limit bumps and redness.
NAILS
A fresh coat of nail polish for ladies will make a world of difference in your photo shoot. Pick a neutral colour that won’t distract in your shoot or clash with your outfits. If doing this the morning of the shoot, be careful not to scuff it while getting ready. Or if you don’t normally wear nail polish, then just make sure your nails look tidy and clean, including the cuticles.
GLASSES
It’s worth considering the glare on glasses can detract from your eyes in photos, however if clients and friends wouldn’t recognize you without glasses, you’ll want to wear them in your shoot. You could have your lenses removed from your frames for your shoot (Hollywood does this to avoid glare in movies), or you could loan a pair of similar frames. But also not imperative.
WHAT’S NEXT?
ON THE DAY
We will meet at our chosen time at your chosen location, although I do try to arrive earlier for outdoor shoots in order to assess the light. Remember to bring any particular props that are essential to your business, to incorporate into your session.
GALLERY PREPARATION
On completion of your session, a selection of images from the day will undergo a clean edit in preparation for your gallery.
A secure online gallery will be shared with you, where you can choose your favourites, and let me know if you have any specific retouching requests.
EDITING & RETOUCHING
Your favourites will be fully edited, including removal of any distractions from the background.
Any specific retouching such as blemish removal, smoothing of fine lines etc can be requested in the notes section of your gallery’s favourites list.
ANYTHING ELSE?
Once your chosen images are edited, your digitals will be provided via a link with a download PIN, which will enable you to download them directly to your computer or device.
Thank you for reading these tips – I’m so looking forward to our session together!
