Women’s Headshot Tips
The best way to add value to your brand is with professional headshot photos of yourself and your team.
Your headshots will speak for your business and your dedication to your brand. They will also display your self-confidence and your commitment to your business.
Businesspeople use their headshots for all their professional material, including social media accounts, LinkedIn profile, business newsletters, and marketing material. Headshots are the first glimpse people get of your business, so you should make them memorable and engaging.
When women come to our studio, we welcome them with some helpful advice and tips on how to be themselves in their photos. We have worked with hundreds of clients and our photographers will happily guide you on how to take the most interesting professional photos.
To help you prepare in advance, here are a few tips on how you can look and feel your best during your photoshoot.
1. Have Faith in Your Photographer
When you choose a headshot photographer, don’t pick them for their cheap prices or their promotional style. Choose an experienced headshot photographer whose work you like and who makes you feel confident and relaxed.
You want your photographer to help you unwind and be yourself. You don’t want to be uptight and stressed because this will show on your photos. You also want to have faith in your photographer that the photo they will take will be professional and representative of your brand.
You will work together with your photographer toward creating great photos. Inevitably, this relationship will show up in the photos. The smoother the relationship, the better the photos.
2. Be Yourself
Don’t try to be someone else in your photos.
Whatever your brand style, make it shine through your photos. You want people who see your headshot to understand who you are and how you work. If your photos tell a different story than your brand, your customers will be confused and possibly disappointed.
Before your photoshoot, think about what your brand is. Is it hip and fashionable? Formal and professional? Creative and artistic? Choose your clothing and general attire in a way that matches your brand style. This will help potential customers understand at first glance who you are.
3. Choose Your Clothing
It is easy to obsess over what clothes to wear for your photoshoot. Our advice is to keep it simple and wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
Your Clothes’ Color
We usually suggest you choose solid colors and stay away from patterns such as stripes and prints. Of course, if you feel your personality and brand support something more colorful, then go ahead and wear whatever makes you feel happy!
While many women like a classic black and white combination, the intense contrast doesn’t always work on photos. If you have a choice, go for various shades of greys, blues, dark greens, and browns.
Pale colors can fade in the photos, especially flesh colors such as peach and beige. They will make your face blend in with the clothes—and you don’t want that.
Clothes Style
Try to stay away from seasonal clothing and choose styles that can be worn all-year round. Your photos will appear more temporal with all-season clothing.
We generally advise against short sleeves. A jacket, a long-sleeved shirt, or a blouse work wonders. Likewise, a low-cut top will divert people’s attention away from your face.
Choose clothes that fit you well—not too big, nor too small.
Jewelry and Accessories
Wear discreet jewelry that speaks for yourself. Again, though, remember who you are. If a piece of jewelry is crucial to your brand and is a symbol of yourself, then put it on.
Remember that headshots are usually photos of your face, neck, and a little bit of chest. Don’t wear very long necklaces because they will probably be cut off from the bottom of the photo and the necklace will look awkward.
4. To Makeup or Not to Makeup?
Wear your normal makeup. Don’t try to feel glamorous. You are not auditioning for a TV show. Your natural make-up will do fine. It will bring out your best features and help us when we retouch the photos. Don’t try to hide any pimples and wrinkles. We can edit your photos after the photoshoot and, anyway, you want to look human and approachable—not perfect and untouchable.
5. Smile
Wear your most honest and genuine smile. Don’t force a smile on your face: it will appear unnatural. People respond to other people’s smiles, so an authentic smile is what you need to develop a rapport with your customers.
Some women choose to display a full, welcoming smile. Others prefer a more reserved one. Whichever you choose, opt for the smile that makes you feel yourself.
6. Stand Straight
You want to be relaxed but not hunched. Stand up straight but keep your shoulders down. You may choose to bend on a chair or a railing to add movement to your posture. Or you may prefer to sit on a chair or steps, or to stand against something. The choice is yours—just go with whatever feels natural to you.
While we typically advise against crossing your arms, you may still do it if this makes you feel more comfortable. Just don’t make them too tight because it is likely to make you appear tense, distant, and aloof.
7. Call Denver Headshot Co. for Your Headshots
Our best advice for the most professional and genuine headshots is to call Denver Headshot Co. Andrew, Gwen, and Jackie will listen to you and make you feel welcome and relaxed. Talk about what makes you feel more comfortable and we will take it from there.
Contact Denver Headshot Co online or call now 720-712-4829 to book your appointment. We can take photos in our studio or in an outdoor location of your choice.
