1. Rest

Since a headshot is focused all about the eyes and facial expressions, it’s key to look fresh and rested. Get a good night’s rest the night before coming in for your headshot. Also, stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. It’s all about looking fresh, energetic and confident.

2. Hair & Make-Up

It’s actually a great idea for both men and women to get pampered up before coming in for your headshot session. The makeup and hair should not be overdone and still look natural. Getting your hair styled is important especially if you have frizzy hair as the “fly-aways” will show up in your photos. We recommend for women to have hair out of their face as it elongates the neck and is more flattering. This is simply to enhance your features. The makeup artist will know what to do if you have oily or discolored skin.

3. Smize

As Tyra Banks taught us all, it’s all about the smize. What is a smize? It means to smile with your eyes. Our eyes are the souls to our personalities. You could have the best smile but it could be worth nothing if you don’t portray that in your eyes. Even if you do want to go for a more serious look and feel, you have to have that spark in your eyes. We love teaching our clients the perfect headshot squint. That way, they are not forced to smile or give some unnatural expression that will make them feel uncomfortable.

4. Clothes

Make sure that your outfit of choice is a clear representation of how you would like to be portrayed. Someone who works in the marketing field will most likely have a different outfit and color selection than a CEO of a company. Make sure that your clothes is clean and properly steamed, there should be no wrinkles. Remember to bring cuff links and tie selections for options. Also, it’s important to select clothing that doesn’t have crazy patterns, it never looks good in a professional headshot.

5. Background Selection

It’s important for your headshot to stand out of the crowd. Besides getting a good quality photo, the background is a key factor also. We offer a variety of looks and backdrops that could be used for your headshot. Make sure to check with your company to find out what guidelines they may have. Check out our portfolio to find out all of the different options. Keep in mind that we could come on location or have the headshots taken at our Gaslamp Quarter studio.