Headshot Preparation & Style Guide

Simple guidance to help you look confident, professional, and unmistakably like yourself.

If you’re unsure about what to wear or how to prepare, that’s completely normal. Most people don’t do this often.

You don’t need to get everything right before you arrive. We’ll help guide you once you’re here.

There’s no single “correct” way to look for a headshot. The right choices depend on your role, your goals, and where the images will be used.

✅ Quick Prep Summary

If you only read one section, read this

• Get a decent night’s sleep if you can

• Wear clean, well-fitting clothes

• Dress for your role, industry, and where you’ll use the headshots

• Bring a few outfit options, especially a jacket if you have one

• Don’t stress about temporary skin issues or looking “perfect.” Lighting and retouching can help with that

• You don’t need to know how to pose. We’ll guide you

That’s it. Everything below is just helpful detail.

🧠 If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed

If this starts to feel like a lot, pause here.

You don’t need to make perfect choices.

Showing up rested with a few solid options is enough.

Worried about acne, redness, or a breakout right before photo day? That’s very common. Those are things we routinely take care of in retouching, so it’s not a reason to stress or reschedule.

👔 What to Wear (Simple & Safe)

Before choosing specific outfits, think about where your headshots will be seen and who they’re for. The goal isn’t to dress like someone else. It’s to look like you, in the context people expect.

• Dress in a way that matches your role, industry, and typical work environment

• Fit doesn’t need to be perfect, but clothing that fits comfortably and intentionally always photographs better

• Choose structured layers like a blazer, jacket, or cardigan when appropriate

• Neutral and muted tones photograph well. Blue, navy, gray, charcoal, teal, and soft pinks are all solid options

• A button-down under a blazer is a classic, flexible choice

• Company polos or branded shirts are perfectly fine if that’s your normal workwear

Glasses: Wear them if you usually do. Just wipe the lenses beforehand.

If you’re unsure whether something feels too formal or too casual, bring it. We’ll help you decide once we see it on camera.

🚫 What to Skip

Avoid anything that pulls attention away from your face:

• Very busy patterns or high-contrast designs

• Vibrant or neon colors

• Wrinkled, saggy, or poorly fitting clothing

• Large logos or graphics, unless appropriate for your role

• Reflective, oversized, or flashy jewelry

• Anything overly trendy or attention-grabbing

• Fine pinstripes can sometimes create visual banding when images are compressed or resized for web

💇 Grooming Basics

You don’t need to change how you normally look. Small details make a big difference.

• Wash your face prior to the session to reduce shine

• A haircut or trim a few days before is fine

• Facial hair should be neatly groomed

• Tidy brows and trim stray ear or nose hairs if needed

• Moisturize lips, but avoid applying face lotion right before your session, as it can add shine under studio lighting

💄 Hair & Makeup

Simple, familiar, and camera-friendly

You don’t need professional hair and makeup to look good in your headshots. Most clients do their own hair and makeup, just as they would for work.

• Wear your hair how you normally do for your job or role

• If you wear makeup, keep it natural and matte to reduce shine

• If you don’t usually wear makeup, that’s completely fine

• Bring any products you like for quick touch-ups

Studio lighting can emphasize shine and uneven skin tone more than people expect, but we’ll manage that during the session and in retouching.

If you choose to book professional hair and makeup on your own, that’s fine too. We’re happy to share referrals if you’d like, but it’s never expected.

✨ Retouching Reminder

Don’t stress the small stuff. We’ve got it covered.

Final images are professionally retouched, which means we can usually take care of:

• Temporary blemishes or breakouts

• Uneven skin tone or redness

• Under-eye darkness

• Stray hairs or frizz

• Minor clothing wrinkles, lint, or shine

Retouching is meant to clean things up and help you look rested and natural, not to change how you look. Permanent features like scars, moles, or defining marks are left as-is unless you request otherwise.

If there’s something you’re concerned about, feel free to mention it during your session.

📸 Before & During Your Session

Here’s all you really need to know.

Before you arrive:

• Get a decent night’s sleep if you can

• Stay hydrated

• Bring an extra outfit or two if you’re unsure

• Arrive with your hair styled and outfits prepared. We have a dressing room if you need it.

• Please arrive at your appointment time. No need to come early.

During the session:

• You don’t need to know how to pose or which side is your “good side”

• We’ll guide you step by step and make small adjustments as we go

• We’ll review images between looks so you’re not guessing how things are turning out

Most people feel a little awkward for the first few minutes. That’s normal.

Many clients tell us they’re not photogenic, not models, bad at having their photo taken, or worried about specific insecurities. We’ve heard it all, and we don’t judge.

There’s nothing you need to perform or prove. Just show up and we’ll take it from there.