From showing your professionalism to potential employers to showing who you are on the company website, everyone needs a headshot. Along with your qualifications and accomplishments, a headshot will let people know who you are before they meet you. It makes you more approachable and throws out the guesswork. It also helps you stand out amongst competition.
They can be used in linkedin profile, resume, website or anywhere you’d want. If you’re getting published, awarded or invited to speak in a conference, a headshot shows people the face behind the brilliance.
It’s a good idea to bring some options with you. Solid colors are the best as they don’t draw attention. A general rule of thumb is to avoid clothing that are brighter than your skin tone. If you do want to rock a white shirt, it’s a good idea to layer it with a jacket. Your clothing can have details but try to stay away from logos, or distracting patterns and graphics.
Getting a haircut a day before the photoshoot is a huge gamble. Try getting a haircut a week or so before the shoot and give it time to settle in. This also give you time to learn to style it if it’s a new hairstyle. It’s a good idea to have your photograph taken with a hairstyle you plan on keeping for a while. It’s always a good idea to carry hair ties if you have long hair. Feel free to bring any styling products for the last minute touch-ups.
It’s a good idea to keep minimal makeup. You’d want to look natural and more you. The amount of makeup depends on the purpose of the headshot. If it’s a corporate headshot, wear makeup that you’d wear to work. The camera picks up all the shine from your skin when studio lights are used. It’s best to keep away from shiny makeup. The only exception is your lips which look best when they’re not dry. Carrying a balm or gloss with you to the shoot is a good idea.
Glasses or no glasses. The delima. If you wear glasses all the time, it’s a good idea to wear them for your headshot. Again, You’d want to look like you.
Lastly, whatever outfits you choose, carry a blazer with you as a backup.
A solid colored backdrop is most the common background for a headshot. White is the most common color followed by grey and black. A white backdrop headshot can be used to cut out a used in marketing and promotional material very easily.
Besides solid color, there are other options like textured backdrops or workplace environment headshots. They’re more expensive and are generally included in a portrait or personal branding session.
