Getting Ready for Your Session

Start getting prepared a few days before your shoot. You'll have a more stress-free time during the shoot and the resulting images will look so much better than coming in cold!

1) Clothing

The clothes you choose to wear will reflect your individual personality. My advice: the simpler the better. 

• Solid colors look great.
• If wearing something with a pattern keep it simple.
• A simple blouse or shirt works and you can slowly add layers.
• Bring a few changes of clothes to your session.
• Ensure that ALL clothes are ironed and pressed before the shoot. Wrinkles are a photographer's nightmare.
• Have a lint brush or roller handy.
• Don’t worry about shoes if just shooting headshots. Be comfortable.

2) Hair

• Bring a brush and some hair gel or spray to the shoot to help tame fly-aways. 
• Start with your hair down,  then at the end of the shoot put it in a ponytail for a more casual look.
• If you can afford it hire a hair stylist for the morning of the shoot.
• If a haircut and/or colour is necessary, do it a week before so you are used to the new look.

3) Makeup and Face

• Drink lots of water the day before your shoot.
• Start natural using just enough makeup to cover up any blemishes. Avoid using products with SPF in them as they create shine.
• Wear enough makeup that you feel comfortable in, and add one more layer of mascara than normal.
• Bring your makeup, lipgloss or lipstick, and moisturizer with you in case your skin gets dry or you need touchups.
• The night before brush your lips with your toothbrush to help get rid of any dead skin.
• Don’t do any extreme beauty regimens right before your shoot, like facial peels, tanning or extensive exfoliating. 
• Clean up brows and upper lip hair a few days before your session.
• FOR MEN. Shave right before you leave for a shoot. (A 5 o'clock shadow is another photographer's nightmare.) Use cooling gel or aftershave to help with skin irritation.
• Bring some blotting tissues to soak up any oil or sweat that might build up during your shoot. The studio lights can get pretty hot. 
• Wear clear contacts not coloured. Coloured contacts can look very fake in photographs. Bring eyedrops.
• If you can afford it, hire a Makeup artist to do your makeup and stay with you during the shoot for touchups.

4) Practice Makes Perfect

• The morning of the shoot, look at your face in the mirror and see what side you like better. Everyone has a good side, find yours. Remember though, a mirror will flip your face and the camera won’t so the images could look a little different than what you were expecting. 
• Smile at yourself. Notice if you have one eye that is visibly smaller than the other. If so, bring the side of your face with the smaller eye towards the camera. It will help reduce the difference between the two.
• Practice different expressions in the mirror. Do you look better serious or playful? A good photographer knows how to get different expressions from you during the shoot.

5) During the Shoot

• Follow the photographer’s direction even if it sounds a little silly or feels weird. We live in a 3-dimensional world but the image is 2-dimensional.We know the best posing on headshots and the best way to shape your face. 
• Playing some favourite music will help ease the tension. Let your photographer know before the shoot starts what you like to listen to.
• Headshot sessions should be fun so relax! Don’t be afraid to let your guard down and have some fun.
• Don’t force your smile. It will look awkward in the images and your cheeks will be sore after. A good tip is to leave a little space between your teeth when smiling, enough to put the tip of your pinky in between. Saying the word 'money' or anthing that end's in 'ie" will do it. Your smile will look more genuine.
• Squinting your eyes just a little will also help the shots look more confident and natural. No deer in the headlights look. This is not a wildlife shoot!
• Relax after a few shots and take a breather. Take a sip of water and step away from the lights every so often.

 6) After the Shoot

• You've already decided on backgrounds either in studio or on-location. Now let your photographer know how you want the photos to be edited. Do you want any imperfections Photoshopped out? Some people like everything to be cleaned up in their headshots. (Freckles, moles, scars etc…) This is something that should be discussed with your photographer. If he/she doesn’t bring it up, then you bring it up. Don’t feel awkward asking or being asked about this, if they’re truly a professional then they’ll expect this.
• Everyone asks ‘Can you Photoshop this… or this… can you get rid of my double chin? Can you make my eyes bigger?’ Well, that depends. Sometimes we can, sometimes we can’t. Every image is different. We will try our best to make you look amazing. If you don’t want any alterations done, please let us know beforehand. 
• If you do want any major editing done, please keep in mind that it may cost extra.
• Do keep in mind that as photographers we spend more time editing than shooting. Please give me a realistic time frame to deliver your photos. If you want major editing to be done, expect that it may take a little longer for them to be finished.

 

Hopefully this guide will help you prepare for your big day in front of the camera, and will make your experience a little more stress-free. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.