I like to make my shoots fun, relaxed, and productive.  I will work with you to create modern professional headshots that will stand out above the rest.  Your session will be tailored to you so you can meet your personal and professional goals 

I want you to BE YOU!

A part of feeling confident and relaxed at your session is planning ahead of time.  Here are some tips that will help you plan for your session.

 

CLOTHING:

No matter what session you choose I suggest you bring a couple of changes of clothing to give you more options. If you have a uniform bring this or a formal look, & often people like to have a more casual outfit also.

Remember- Dress for your industry and if you are in between jobs or just getting out into the world remember this amazing advice from one of my favorite movies (Picture Perfect) “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have”.

Bring clothing that makes you feel confident and that you feel comfortable in.  

Colors: Black, white, and grey are a good safe bet, but other colors that work well include navy, burgundy, and green, particularly if shooting outdoors against earthy tones. Matching your top with your eye color is also a great way of helping them to stand out and mottled fabrics can give a nicer texture over block colors.  Avoid shirts with busy patterns, as they distract from your face. Go for a solid-colored shirt that elongates or features your neck. So, turtlenecks are out, as are solid black and solid white shirts, as they wash out your skin tone. Also, avoid clothing with large logos. you don't want anything to distract from your face and eyes

Select your clothing options and accessories to wear during your headshot photoshoot and put them in a bag the day before your headshot photography session, so you're not stressing to find and assemble them the next day.  

Headshot portraits focus mainly on the shoulders, or mid-chest, up to the top of the head, so the shirt is the most important item.  If you booked the Entrepreneur Portraits I will get full-length shots as well so do not ignore the bottoms.

Classic timeless styles are great and will help to make your headshots last longer. Keep patterns simple.

Avoid extreme low cut tops, thin straps and strapless tops are they tend to make us look winder on top and could give the appearance of you being naked in a headshot. 

 

All freshly pressed of course.

 

Use these links to find more tips and inspiration:

Color inspiration: https://www.pinterest.com/samanthamarkeyphotography/choosing-what-colors-to-wear/

Outfits to flatter your figurehttps://www.pinterest.com/samanthamarkeyphotography/outfits-to-flatter-your-figure/

 

JEWELRY:

This is a personal taste thing.  I find that simple jewelry is best, studs, or small rings for the ears if you choose a necklace choose a thin chain, which often gives the best look.  You do not want your accessories to take the focus away from you.

 

GLASSES:
 

If you normally wear glasses then it is a good idea to wear them in your portraits however they do tend to provide the challenge of glare.  If your glasses have anti-reflection coating it may be ok but, I do advise that you visit your optician and either borrow a pair of blank frames or get them to remove your lenses for the shoot. As we can have problems with reflection and refraction. Invariably we’ll shoot some shots with and without glasses. You might like to bring along a couple of pairs of frames.

 

SKIN:

If you can, drink plenty of water in the week prior to your session, as this will keep your skin plump, smooth and clear. Try to eat healthy foods, as fried and salty foods cause bloating and water retention.  Also avoid sun exposure, which can make you look tired and leave your skin irritated. Get plenty of sleep to avoid dark circles under your eyes!

Men: it’s important that you’ve mastered your facial hair look before your session.  Whether you’re clean-shaven or prefer to keep your facial hair, it’s necessary that it is well maintained. 

Women: go light on the makeup, natural looks tend to be best for headshots.   

HAIR:

I recommend that if you are going to have a haircut for your new headshot, have it a couple of days before as sometimes it takes a couple of days to settle in.   

Men: go light on the hair gel.   

Women: Clean, well-groomed and neatly styled is perfect.  Avoid excessive hair decorations.

 

TEETH:

It is not a bad idea to brush your pearly whites right before your shoot.  Try to avoid food and drinks that can stain teeth prior to your shoot, coffee, red wine etc. 

 

NAILS:

Yes, Nails!

Your hands may end up in some of our shots, so get a manicure for your nails. For women choose a neutral, skin tone polish, or a clear coat, so as not to distract from your face. For men, a clean trim is enough.

 

SLEEP:

A good night's sleep will promote healthy skin and eyes, you know you want to look fresh!  If you can avoid alcohol the night before that is also helpful!

 

Some extra tips:

Practice your awesome smile.  Take some time in front of the mirror and practice moving your face around.  (You will be surprised how most people forget how to move their face as soon as a camera is looking at them).  Watch what your face does have fun with it.  Do you have a favorite side (I might ask)?

Above all relax and enjoy.  Do not sweat this stuff, as I will be coaching you through so that we can really get you feeling confident in front of the camera.  

 

 

After your session, I will do some simple edits to your images including perfecting lighting, colors, and tones.

 

Additional editing available:

 

Wrinkles, laughter lines & spots…

We can never escape the aging process totally but I can help reduce the visible signs. Generally, I use soft lighting which helps to naturally smooth lines. I do have another not so secret weapon called “Airbrushing” and although I never remove lines completely as it looks too false, it is possible to help reduce them further should you feel the need. Spots on the other hand, which seem to have a strange habit of appearing on the morning of your shoot, can be zapped out with no problem at all.


A good first impression can work wonders. - J. K. Rowling