Professional Headshot
As a business person, branding forms a crucial part in the success of your business. Considering that people often link your face to the business, you need to ensure that you have a high-quality headshot. Although using you’re your phone to take a photo is a good, they aren’t great.
Using professional headshots taken by a professional photographer is highly recommended. They know what needs to be put into the shooting to come out with an excellent photo. Perhaps you have little experience or new to professional headshots, don’t worry. You have come to the right place to know more about the professional headshot. However to do the most professional headshot, it is always best to take in a photo studio where there are skilled photographer to help you with the best headshots for your corporate images.
What Is A Professional Headshot?
A professional headshot is a photo of a person’s face and at times features shoulders. It’s usually taken for professional purposes such as for use in a corporate website, about us page, profile image on social media, as a promotional picture of authors, models or actors hence the name professional headshot.
How Should I Dress for A Professional Headshot?
A professional headshot is an important aspect for your branding. This is why you need to ensure that the clothing is exceptional to reflect your credibility, personality and what you stand for in your line of profession.
When it comes to the design and style of dressing for the headshot, always keep it simple. Avoid as much as possible heavily textured and clothing with patterns. They divert the focus which should be centred on your thus overwhelming the purpose.
Some patterns might add effects to the headshot affecting its quality. However, if you can’t avoid a pattern completely, then you should consider using clothing with thin strips. The headshot appears great with plain clothes that bear no logo or writing.
If you are wearing earrings or necklaces, then you should keep them simple. Avoid conspicuous jewellery that will divert the focus from your face.
Clothing Tips for Men:
- Avoid silk, reflective or shiny materials.
- Wear a navy grey or dark suits.
- Carry various outfits, ties, and suits and more than one business casual shirt.
- Try to pick a tie that matches your dress shirt or suit.
Clothing Tips for Women:
- Avoid stark white when not wearing a sweater, cardigan or a jacket.
- Wear jewellery that matches your outfit but not distract the outlook.
- Avoid short sleeves.
- Carry a variety of suits, professional blouses, and dress shirts.
What Is the Best Color to Wear for A Professional Headshot?
When it comes to colour choices, plain is the best. It doesn’t bring any distractions on the photo enabling you to retain focus. Select mid-tone colours in purple, wine, green and blue since they’re universally flattering.
Wearing tops in flesh tones like yellow, peach, beige, or ream is not advisable because they’ll blend your face into your outfits. Orange or bright red can only be suitable if you feel super confident otherwise pass them.
White or star black is not great choices either since they distract the studio backdrop or the camera’s exposure. You can substitute black with neutrals such as forest green, maroon, navy, and chocolate.
Generally, you should always keep in mind that darker colours express maturity and brighter colours express youth. This should guide you when deciding the image that represents your professional persona.
Consider your skin complexion as well. If your skin tone is light then you should avoid lighter colours since they might make you look washed out. Also, if you ate medium-darker skin tones, avoid natural tones which look like your skin complexion.
Above all, ensure that the colours you pick are good to you. Seek advice from a professional photographer if you aren’t sure which colours to choose. It is also advisable to bring extra outfits for the headshot.
How Should I Pose for A Professional Headshot?
When taking the headshot, make angles your friends since they have a significant impact on the outcome. Avoid just sitting face in front of the camera. You should try turning one shoulder at an angle such that its closer to your camera.
To avoid a double chin, lean your head slightly forward and tip your chin down. Although you might feel it’s ridiculous, the pose makes your jawline tighter delivering a great headshot.
Regardless of the pose, what makes an excellent headshot is the smile you put. A beautiful smile will complement your outfit to deliver an incredible appearance. Once you are facing the camera, take your time to ensure you are relaxed before the caption is taken.
Here are top tips for a professional headshot:
- Practice your facial expressions.
- Relax and breathe.
- Communicate with your eyes.
- Avoid “straight to camera” body position.
- Keep your back straight.
- Practice chin awareness.
- Place your hands appropriately if they appear on your headshot.
How do you take professional headshots?
1. Use a friend or find a tripod
While using a friend to take the photos is recommended, you might have to use a tripod if you can’t find anyone to help you. A friend will help you to achieve better angles and adds criticism to ensure the headshot is super quality.
When on your own, consider borrowing or buying a tripod alongside a holder for your phone to correctly position the camera. You can then set up a timer and pose for the pictures as you check.
2. Choose a location with a simple backdrop and good lighting
The best place to take your headshots is indoors where there is no direct sunlight. However, you should ensure that the lighting is excellent. You can acquire extra artificial lighting if the natural light is not good enough.
Whether you are taking the photos indoors or outdoors, ensure you have a backdrop that has a solid colour. Consider purchasing a backdrop online if you can’t get a wall with a solid colour.
3. Equip yourself with a good camera
The importance of a good camera for professional headshot is essential. Make sure you have a camera with excellent resolution and enough space to store the photos. You don’t want to stop halfway to create some space in your camera.
4. Pick an appropriate time
If you prefer using natural lighting next to a window, then your timing has to be great. Also, ensure that you get enough time so that you won’t be in a rush during the shooting. Give yourself plenty of time for rehearsal and the shooting since it involves checking the photos as you take.
