How to Get the Most Out of Your Headshot Session

If you want a really great photo, it's important to remember that the photographer is only half of the equation.

The other half is you!

The goal of today's article is to help you prepare for your session so you get fantastic shots.

​Part 1: The Psychology of Getting a Great Headshot

​What is it that separates those who look natural and relaxed on-camera from those who have fake smiles and "deer-in-the-headlights" expressions?

Confidence.

And how do you get confidence?

By being aware of a few, simple things:

Plan to look WORSE before you look GREAT.

Cameras used by professional photographers pick up EVERYTHING. They capture blemishes, wrinkles, flyaway hairs, and a whole lot more.

This means you'll probably look WORSE than usual in the first few test shots as your photographer sets everything up.

Think about the following scenarios and see if you can spot a pattern:

• Angry with someone? You'll need to have a difficult conversation before things can clear up.
• Break a bone? The doctor will probably have to break it again to set it so it can heal.
• Dealing with annoying challenges at work? You'll probably have to devote many agonizing hours to fixing the the problem before it will get better.

The common factor in those situations?

As with most things in life, before things can get better, they have to get worse.

Well, the same is true for headshots.

You might be used to taking selfies you like but now you have to go through the pain of seeing some photos of yourself you DON'T like at the beginning of your session before you're warmed up sufficiently and the photographer knows you well enough to start capturing AMAZING shots of you.

This is of course assuming you've hired a highly-trained photographer who knows how to direct you and fix anything you're not liking.

Just remember to trust the process and give it a little bit of time.

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It's a collaborative process.

With us, we run a Seven-Minute Headshot Branding Process at the beginning of a shoot to figure out our clients' angles and learn what they LIKE and DON'T LIKE about their appearance.

We're not exactly sure how many other photographers have a specialized process like this, but the important thing to remember is that your photographer does not know you the way you know yourself.

For instance, it can be jarring to see a professional photo of yourself when you haven't had one taken in 15 years. You'll look noticeably older than what you're used to seeing!

The process of headshot photography requires two simple things:

• Be honest with yourself about how you look: How old are you now? Have you gained any weight? Is your hair thinner now? With a highly-experienced photographer, some changes can be made with lighting and camera tricks, but other things might need to wait for retouching afterwards.
• Be honest with your photographer about what you're thinking: If you see something you don't like, point it out and ask if it can be adjusted.

And remember that everyone has completely different preferences. Some people prefer to look older while others want to look younger. Some want their hair fuller whereas others want it more tamed. Some want their face narrower, and others want it wider!

This is why you can't expect your photographer to know exactly what you want at the beginning of your shoot.

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A great headshot should look like you.

It can be easy to fall into the trap of wanting to look way better in your headshot than you do in real life.

We don't recommend this though, because a headshot is simply meant to be a marketing tool with two purposes:

1. It lets people see what you look like.
2. It creates a great first impression and builds trust.

If you look significantly different in your headshot than you do in real life, things can fall apart when people meet you in person. They might lose trust in you if they feel like your headshot was dishonest.

Think of things like excessive skin smoothing, facial and body slimming, and hair thickening as dishonest portrayals of yourself.

That being said, it's still OK to look a little better in your headshot than you do in real life.

And that's where lighting tricks and natural retouching come into play. That's where we as the City Headshots team excel!

When giving feedback to your photographer, try to be as specific as possible with what you want changed. It's much more helpful to say, "Can you make my face look slimmer?" or, "I think my face looks too wide," than to say, "Honestly, I just don't like anything about this photo."

The more specific you are, the faster you'll start moving towards what you want (especially if you're working with us). You can even show a photo you've taken of yourself in the past that you DO like so your photographer has something to start working from.

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​Part 2: Know What's Included in Your Package

Most photographers clearly state on their website how many outfits, retouches, and photos are included in each of their packages, so be sure to review that information before coming in for your shoot.

There are also a few other things to remember:

1. ​Arrive camera-ready if you didn't book a stylist: If you're scheduling without a stylist or makeup artist, most photographers will give you about 5 minutes before the shoot begins to make some last-minute adjustments. There often won't be time for you to put on full makeup or do much to your hair. Remember that the more time you spend getting ready, the less time there might be for the actual shoot.
2. ​Know what's included (and not included) in retouching: If your package includes retouched images, it's important to understand what can and can't be done, and how long each retouching pass will take so you can plan accordingly. With us, it's about 2-3 business days for the first retouch pass, and then it takes about a day for each additional adjustment you want. Most experienced headshot photographers like to keep their retouches natural, meaning standard blemish removal, teeth whitening, removal of facial shine and flyaway hairs, and lightening up of under-eye circles. They'll often charge an additional fee (and it might take longer) for advanced work such as removing double chins, slimming the face, or increasing hair volume. If you have a particular question about what's possible in a retouch, reach out to your photographer.
3. Be clear about your needs before the shoot: Knowing what backgrounds and specifications your photographer can shoot on is important. When a client surprises their photographer by showing up and asking for a completely different-style photo than what they have in their portfolio, it can often create challenges, especially if the photographer does not have access to a certain background or there won't be enough time in the package you selected. If you need anything out of the ordinary, be sure to email your photographer ahead of time to confirm whether it's doable.

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​Part 3: Preparing for the Shoot

As you can see. from all we've discussed, there's a lot you can do to make your shoot a success. When a fully-prepared client meets a highly-trained headshot photographer, magic can happen!

So to finish this article up, I'd like to give you a list of 10 quick things you can do before going in for your shoot:

1. ​Know your goals for the session: Find out any specifications you need to match beforehand and make sure you're clear on why you're doing the headshots. If working with us, the more clear you are with what you need, the more effective we will be in capturing the right photo for you.
2. Prepare your looks beforehand: Grow or cut your hair, get beauty treatments if needed, and plan out the clothing you're bringing. If you're doing a multi-look shoot, make sure to have at least 2 outfits per look so the photographer and/or stylist can help you decide which will work best for each look. Remember to iron any clothing, especially if your photographer does not carry a steamer (if you're working with us, we do carry steamers in our studios).
3. Try to keep stress levels down: The week of the shoot, eat well, drink lots of water, and avoid sunburns or scratching your face. Think happy thoughts to avoid stress and blemishes, but remember that if a blemish shows up, it can be retouched! Also, try to avoid alcohol the day before the shoot because it can cause puffiness and increase the appearance of bags beneath the eyes.
4. Practice expressions ahead of time: Taking a look at photos you really like before the shoot can be beneficial because you can practice making the same expression in the mirror. Get used to what your face is doing before your shoot so it's easier to pull off strong expressions on-camera. This can help a lot if you're not working with a photographer that's good at directing expression because you'll know exactly what your face is doing and it won't feel like such a guessing game.
5. Pack a lint roller: Just in case your photographer doesn't have one, it can be a good idea to bring your own lint roller in case you see anything on your clothes (we carry lint rollers in our studios).
6. Write out a song/artist list: Some photographers let you choose the music. If you want to play specific music during your shoot, think of a few artists or songs, or you can create a Spotify playlist and share it with your photographer.
7. Bring contact info and plan to arrive early: Plan your route ahead of time because you don't want to be stressing out about arriving late and cutting into your shooting time! Make sure to keep your photographer's contact info handy so you can call them if needed.
8. Get plenty of sleep the night before: If you have trouble sleeping, remember that dark circles under the eyes can be minimized with makeup and/or retouching.
9. Eat breakfast so you're well fed and energized: If you're doing a longer shoot, it can also be helpful to pack a snack like a Granola bar. And if you're going to be drinking coffee before your shoot, use a straw to avoid teeth stains.
10. Come to your shoot happy: Keep an open mind and have fun during the session!

If you're shooting with us, we can't wait to meet you! Feel free to email us at info@cityheadshots.com if you have any questions or concerns before your shoot.

Take Your Headshots from OK to Fantastic
​By learning a few "tricks of the trade"

Download our special guide:

• Learn our Hidden Angle Formula to find your best side and start using it to look more trustworthy and experienced on-camera
• Discover why certain colors look 10X better than others and how to match pieces perfectly so you look fantastic - even if you're awful at matching clothes
• Learn the 8 secret expression tricks we use to help our clients instantly look more confident and relaxed in photos - and how you can use these to look your best with ANY photographer you shoot with

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