Headshot Tips

Alliant P&C Champions Club

2023

Pebble Beach, CA

Headshot Preparation Guidelines

Preparation is key for creating your best headshot. You are about to have a new kind of headshot experience that will help you stand out from the crowd! The goal of a high-end headshot is to capture not only your true look, but your personality. 

 

The lighting will be amazing, and we will accentuate your best angles, but you will be in front of the camera, so it’s important that you arrive ready.

Clothing

  • The fit of your clothing is important. Baggy or excessively tight clothing won’t bring out your best.
  • Bring 2 suit or sport jackets. Solid colored jackets or dresses without patterns are best.  
  • For individual sessions, wear a pressed, solid color dress shirt without patterns. Wear a shirt  with crisp collars and collar stays. We don’t want curled collars! Shirts with more structure are better than floppy shirts.
  • Bring a couple complementary, simple ties, preferably without bold patterns.
  • I strongly suggest making the most of your headshot session by bringing some more casual looks: leather jackets, a turtleneck, a plain, high-quality t-shirt, and maybe even a cool hat if you have one. Hmmm, says the marketing team!  😊 
  • Bring outfits from head to toe so that we can take full- or half-body portraits.

Hair

  • Please take the time to style your hair.
  • Do NOT get a haircut within three days of the headshot session.
  • Bring your hair styling products and tools.
  • Bring everything you use to style your hair, including anything you use to tame fly aways.
  • Guys, come freshly shaven and trimmed, including your nose hairs. Trim any crazy outlier eyebrow hairs, but don’t go nuts.
  • Bring jewelry you love or always wear. We can shoot with and without jewelry. Sometimes I prefer no jewelry to eliminate distractions, but it’s up to you what we shoot! 

Make-Up

  • If you are doing your own makeup, please use a light hand. In my opinion, natural makeup that simply emphasizes your natural beauty is best.
  • Eyeliner can be especially distracting in a headshot. I generally prefer no eyeliner, but I suggest an especially light application if my clients are committed to using it.
  • Bring lipsticks and/or lip glosses. Please bring basic makeup and tools to add, remove, and touch up. Try to avoid makeup with an SPF, which causes more shine

 

Glasses & Shoes

  • If you wear glasses every day, you should have your glasses in your headshot. If you sometimes wear glasses and sometimes wear contacts, bring the glasses to try.
  • Just in case we go into something less zoomed in, bring professional and polished shoes.

Questions? 

Reach out to Denise Wynn, Michelle Arriaga or Melissa Houtcooper!