How to prepare for your Professional Headshot in 2022-for men!
After you’ve found the right headshot PHOTOGRAPHER for you or your company
Finding a professional headshot photographer to create your headshot is only this first step in being happy with the end product. Once you have spoken to a few different head shot photographers about their process and seen their work and decided on one, it’s now up to you to get yourself ready for the photography session. Whether your’s will take place in a studio or at your place of work there are a number of steps you can take to come away with a professional headshot that turns heads.
The first step to prepare for your headshot starts days before the photo session. Now you aren’t going to lose those 5lbs that have been hanging around since the holidays in a few days but you can improve your skin and hair with a few simple steps…
Step 1… YOU!
Days in Advance: Do you want pictures with facial hair? Figure in growth time. You can trim a beard beforehand, but unless you’re George Michael, it’s tough to sprout one the day before. (And if you want a look with and without a beard, don’t forget to bring your razor to the shoot).
A few days ahead: Nothing brand new. Get all beauty treatments a few days ahead to allow them to settle in (haircut, color, eyebrows, tanning, etc.). On the other hand, if your image is highly stylized (you know who you are), then go for it! This is all about the authentic YOU.
72 hours before: Hydrate, drink up! By which I mean water. Stay away from the sauce. (alcohol causes inflammation which shows up as puffiness & reddish marks beneath your eyes) and stay away from salty foods (bloat). Stay out of the sun. Moisturize.
Night before: Sweet dreams. 8 HOURS OF THEM! The more sleep your body gets the more it heals itself.
Day of: Wear or bring clean, pressed clothes. Bring options! We will have time to try different looks.
Step 2….CLOTHES:
They say clothes make the Man. Well I don’t know about that, but I do know that you can leverage them to work for you. Whether you are leveraging a power suit for that formal headshot or sporting a casual look, keep these 5 things in mind… Style, Pattern, Material, Color and Fit.
SHIRT STYLE
Collared shirts are an easy choice for a professional look. Non-collared shirts (t-shirts or sweaters) can work in certain scenarios and usually work best in conjunction with a jacket.
If the images are for a company website your company will probably dictate what they would like. Do your best to adhere to their suggestions or you will stick out like a sore thumb on the website. If you work for a company who encourages individualism then by all means find clothing that fits your style and personality and let it shine.
Whatever shirt style you choose for your headshot keep in line with what you’re comfortable in. And make sure it’s ironed!
PATTERN
A plain, non-patterned shirt always works best. If patterned, a very subtle one is acceptable. Unless you are a fashion designer, or artist, or have some other profession that you want something that will be louder than you.
**and if you’re doing a video headshot then avoid patterns at all costs as they can cause visual banding in video that is a total distraction.
MATERIAL
Shirts that work best do not easily wrinkle and bounce-back when scrunched.
There are generally 2 things to creating a fabric. The type of cloth, and the weave pattern.
For a shirt that will stay wrinkle free think polyester blends, with a hint of spandex. (yes spandex makes for a great non-iron shirt). The classic cotton shirts have a tendency to be wrinkled by the time you get to the last button. That will not work well for a headshot that is scheduled for the afternoon and you have to wear the shirt to work. Some companies chemically treat the fabric to keep it from wrinkling so look for clothing that is labelled non-wrinkle or wrinkle resistant.
When it comes to the weave you can dress it up or keep it casual. If you want to instill a bit of flair to your look then go for a patterned weave like a herringbone or super fancy jacquard.
For a standard business casual look think the classic poplin or pinpoint oxford.
If shirt weave is more than you care to think about then simply find a classic look that is easy to keep ironed and crease free.
COLOR
An off-white or color shirt is much preferred over white. However, white shirts are acceptable, especially when covered by a dark jacket or sweater. Regardless, if a colored shirt is available, it’s your best option.
The color is up to you! Make it something that will add you your natural coloring. If you have blue eyes pick a color that makes them pop. If you are super pale, I don’t suggest pale yellow. If in doubt hold up different colored colored shirts to your face and see which look the best.
FIT
Keep your shirt and jacker on the looser fit side rather than a tight fitting shirt. A snug fitting shirt only works when there are no weight concerns. If not, the tight look can easily add around 20 extra pounds of “visual” weight.
An easy way to make sure your shirt fits well for a picture is to look at the top with the buttons on your collared shirt buttoned to the neck. If you can fit a few fingers into the collar and your head turns freely then you are good to go.
JACKET STYLE
Think “professional” and you should do just fine. Again, simplicity is the key. Also keep in mind the audience you wish to attract and narrow your focus to speak to your target market.
PATTERN
A plain, non-patterned jacket always works. But if you like a bit of flair then go for it, but a subtle one is still classy and can really make your headshot pop.
MATERIAL
As with shirts, fabric that works best does not easily wrinkle and bounces-back when scrunched. Have it cleaned and pressed.
COLOR
Darker colors tend to be your best choice. They are not only viewed as being more professional but engender a healthier and slimmer persona: (read they take 10 lbs off)
Black: stirs a sense of both creativity and protection, as well as power, seductive, authority and nimbleness.
Navy: evokes a feeling trustworthiness, integrity, caring, credible, conservative, orderly, calm and loyal.
Dark Brown: practical, solid, reassuring, reliable/dependable, friendly, stable, wholesome and genuine.
Dark Green: masculine, vitality, dependable, tactful, family, nurturing, flexible, conservative, and wealthy.
Deep Purple: feminine, romantic, luxurious, inventive, intuitive, mysterious, wealthy and sophisticated.
Deep Red/Burgundy: harmonious, balanced, supportive, imaginative, spiritual, kind, non-conformist.
Dark Gray: knowledgable/wise, classic, mature, sleek, refined, dignified, controlled, and contemporary.
FIT
The primarily concern for any garment is tightness. While you cannot go wrong with a jacket that is a skosh too loose, a garment that is too snug can make you look disheveled and careless. And that is never a good look.
Therefore, a comfortable, loose fit is vital.
TIE STYLE
Think “professional” and you should do just fine. Again, simplicity is the key. Also keep in mind the audience you wish to attract and narrow your focus to speak to your target market.
We recommend keeping patterns simple and colors subdued. Shiny ties will draw attention away from you as will loud colors such as orange and bright pinks.
Not sure how to tie a tie? Check out this video...https://youtu.be/wOLUCYb-Xsk
PATTERN
Keep patterns simple and colors subdued. Or go all out and make the tie reflect your personality. But remember the idea is keep the viewer’s gaze fixed upon your eyes/face, not an abundance of colors and patterns.
COLORS
Colors to avoid are orange, pink, and iridescent hues.
Step 3…..Your Face! or at least how you carry it.
Bring a happy heart and your smile will take care of itself.
Teeth or no teeth?
You know how you feel when you’re smiling naturally. Bring that through in front of the camera. If you feel self conscience infront of the camera it is your photographers job to put you at ease. and chat with you for a bit till you are comfortable and relaxed. Once you are feeling relaxed and happy, you will look relaxed and happy. A forced smile will come through as disingenuous in your headshot and that is not an impression we want to make. So trust yourself to smile in your most genuine way.
Your photographer may ask you to pose in a way that feels un natural or strange. trust the photographer to guide you to a pose that looks great in camera even if it feels weird when you’re doing it.
Remember, your session should only take a few minutes. It’s a short enough time to turn off the outside pressures of the day and simply be present.
Step 4….. Accessories-to amplify not override
JEWLERY
Simplicity is the key. - people are drawn to shiny things. Less is more when it comes to getting someone o remember your face.
If you must wear jewelry, necklaces that photograph best are simple with no center focal-point design. Even though we can center a necklace feature, it may not appear to be so in the image – so much depends on how your body is angled.
Earrings that photograph best are simple and small. Dangling earrings can be problematic (for both men and woman) as with any sort of a tilt of the head the earrings will hang freely on one side, while falling askew on the other side of the face.
Bracelets & Watches, though do not generally become an issue in a headshot portrait, if there is a possibility that your hands might show, please keep any wrist-wear simple so that it does not distract and draw attention away from your face.
EYEGLASSES
It is best to remove glasses or at least the lenses from the glasses to limit both glare and distortion from the glass. We are able to minimize the glare from our lights during the shoot, however the distortion the glasses may cause to your eye may require a complete rebuild of your eye in post. If at all possible remove your glasses or have the lenses removed for the photo.
MAKEUP
Generally speaking, men require no makeup.
What issues do exist can easily be remedied with retouching in post production.
I hope these tips get you ready to take on the world with a headshot that speaks to your personality and style, while keeping the focus on you.