Tips For a Great Headshot. Part 2

A couple of days ago, we covered the first 5 Tips for a great headshot, which focused on clothing, even though you see just a little of it in a headshot.  Today we continue.

6.  Iron your clothes!  Wrinkles are visible and do matter.  They say something about you that you’d prefer people didn’t know.

7.  Hair and Makeup.  Let someone who knows how to use makeup for photography and enhance your best features just do it for you.  It takes so much pressure off.  Ditto on the hair.  If you are really fussy about your hair, and no one can do it the way you like, then at least get your makeup done.  If you want to do your makeup  yourself, that’s ok, but you need to get the right kind, and not overdo it.  Especially on the foundation, the eyebrows and lashes.  Everything should look natural.

8.  Think about the outcome, and the feel you want your photograph to have.  Light and airy?  Edgy? Dark and dramatic? Black and white?   Who is your audience, and what feeling do you want to convey?  Give some thought to this, too.

9. Practice your expression.  I am NOT going tell you to “smile!” And yet, you will.  But there are other ways to show expression.  Practice moving all those facial muscles around your eyes, forehead and mouth.

10.  Talk about your concerns.  If you have some feature, or fear, that you think might compromise the photographs you have made, please talk to your photographer.  Even after you see the proofs, if there is something (like a blemish) that needs to be retouched, please say something!  I’m of the mind that if the feature is permanently in place on you, keep it.  If you don’t like it, we can diminish it, but never get rid of it entirely (like a mole).  Speak up!  Once you have your files printed or published, it’s too late.

11.  Show your sense of humor.  This is very important.  Prepare to have fun!  Think of things ahead of time that make you smile.  Be ready, relaxed, and realize it’s actually  fun to have a headshot photoshoot.  Your photographer will help you with this.  Enjoy the experience!

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