The Headshot Philosophy

The headshot, like everything you do in business, and in life, is all about attitude. A positive attitude will almost always be more successful than expecting to fail. Your attitude in the photo is actually more important than what you wear. It is more important than whether or not your tie is straight or your hair is combed. It is more important than the color of the background or, well, almost anything else.

Don’t get me wrong. All of the other elements in the photo (cloths, hair, jewelry, background, light, etc) are vital elements and will effect how people perceive the person in the image. That is to say, it will effect how they perceive you.

Tip number one: interview your photographer carefully. You want to get great value from the photographer. But value is determined by how successful the photoshoot will be. And that is directly related to how comfortable you feel with the photographer.

Tip number two: If you are going to get a hair cut, get it a week before the shoot. This way, the cut will grow in a little and you will have some time to get used to how your hair looks and feels.

Tip number three: Plan your outfit in advance. If anything needs dry cleaning or ironing, take care of it. It is the little things that can throw off a great photo. Wrinkles can be distracting, expensive to retouch and can be taken care of in five minutes with a hot iron.

Tip number four: Wear what you feel comfortable in. A brand new outfit, if it doesn’t fit right or makes you feel awkward, can make you tense. An outfit that is an old friend can help you relax and let the real you out. Bring a few different outfits. But don’t bring something that you don’t like. Remember that being more conservative for your headshot wardrobe is often better.