DeJean’s

I’m sure you will agree that a headshot is one important element that opens doors to many opportunities. It can easily be considered a major key to an individual’s, or a company’s branding. So to help ensure we have an effective headshot session, I’m providing you with a few tips that may smooth the process.

WHAT TO WEAR
People can be unsure of what to wear for a professional photo shoot. I always suggest wearing what you usually would when meeting a potential client. Even though a headshot is just head and shoulders, wearing an un-ironed shirt, or a scruffy t-shirt will show in the photo. This equates to a much longer than expected turn-around time, as well as an additional fee for corrective retouching. If you usually wear glasses, decide whether you’d like to wear them in your portrait. If you aren’t going to wear them, or aren’t sure, take them off around 15 minutes before. This will allow enough time for the red marks on your nose to disappear.

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Your hair should be well groomed, including facial hair. I suggest you bring a hairbrush or a comb to do some touching up before being in front of the camera. If you wear makeup, don’t be tempted to over \ apply. You want it to enhance your natural attributes and minimize your flaws without making you look like a different person. This should be a fairly natural representation of yourself. If you usually choose a bold color lipstick, wear it with pride! Since this headshot will probably last you for at least two years, I would recommend you stay away from trends, be it fashion choices or hairstyles. For business headshots, ask yourself, “Would I want my client seeing me like this?”. I can’t help but think of looking back at my high school pictures, as I write this. So, do yourself a favor and trust this advice. In fact, I highly recommend investing in a professional makeup artist.YES,MEN TOO!

SLEEP
For a few days prior to your headshot appointment, it’s a good idea to try and get plenty of sleep. While photoshop can do miraculous things with bloodshot eyes and dark circles, it’s much easier (and will therefore save you the added expense) to do retouching on a rested face. You’ll also have more energy and better focus during your shoot. Headshot sessions can take a lot of energy. It’s not just standing in front of the camera for fifteen minutes to an hour. You’ll need to pull up some charm and intensity. Being well rested will help insure a successful session for you, your photographer, and the re-toucher.

WATER
This might not sound important, but it has the potential to make a huge. impact on your results. Being dehydrated can cause dull skin, deeper wrinkles, dry chapped lips, and puffy dull eyes. Chronic dehydration can also be very aging. I recommend that all my clients try to drink at least 2 liters of filtered water every day leading up to their headshot appointment. It really can make a difference in how vibrant you appear in your pictures.

HOW TO POSE
Place your body at a 45º angle to the camera and head turned back towards the photographer. Another option will be to have your body facing directly at the camera. If this doesn’t make much sense now, I will guide you through this during the shoot. Keep your back straight. Poor posture can project a lack of confidence. Through a lens, the way you hold yourself reflects how confident you look, so sit (or stand) tall and be self-assured.

RELAX
Finally, relax and let the photographer lead the moment. It is VERY common for people to feel at least a little awkward having their photo taken. So in this moment, I will do what I do to connect with you and build rapport to help you become much more relaxed. This will enable us to capture you at your best. Just follow my lead. There you have it. I hope you find these suggestions useful. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. I am happy to be of help.
See you at our session!
DeJean