3 Quick Tips to nail your best look
Have you avoided updating your professional LinkdIn portrait because you hate how you look in front of a lens? Here's some helpful tips to beat nervousness and love your image! Quit ignoring the need to update your professional networking profile picture and follow these tricks to get your best side online.
What makes a great headshot portrait? How do you prepare for a portrait session? What are some ideas to make your session go smoothly and you love your photos?
You gotta dress for your success! You know how good you feel when you put on that outfit and wear it to work, social functions, and even before you leave the house. Why wouldn't you want to feel as amazing for your professional photos? It's wise to check with your photographer about the outfit to make sure it won't clash with the planned style of headshot session. Many clients send their photographers a quick pic beforehand to clarify color schemes and the like.
Double up on the options.
Accessories go a long way in communicating who you are to a captive audience. Plan a bit of accessorizing in little ways to beef-up the small parts of an image.
We've all seen the movie scene where a newscaster will work out their vocal cords and warm up their vowels with some awkward verbal calisthenics.
(think: Ron Burgundy in Anchorman's opening scene... How Now Brown Cow...)
In a similar vibe it helps to warm up your muscle-memory for photos to practice various poses in front of a mirror before your session.
How to practice your pose.
- It’s all about the eyes. That’s where the viewer looks first. Don't think so? What do you look at in the mirror the longest? You guessed it, your eyes. If you tend to squint when you smile, that's alright, but practice slightly opening your eyes with your squint. In the photography world this practice has been dubbed "The Squinch".
- Practice relaxing and breathing while you are trying different poses. It’s usually the moments in-between each pose that feel the most natural. After you hear the shutter click or the lights flash, you tend to relax a bit and breath easier. The photographer knows this as well so you two can work for every moment together. Those are sometimes the best moments you'll capture in the session.
- Posture is pivotal. A studious photographer keeps one eye fixed on the posture of their subjects. You can rehearse good posture by simply straightening your back and lowering your tense shoulders. An extra helpful hint is to practice lowering your nose ever so slightly so the camera sees more eyes than schnoz.
- Remember what we said about outfits? It’s a great idea to throw on one of your favorite outfits and practice in front of a mirror while rocking your favorite Vogue look. The confidence you feel in your best outfit can speak louder than those comfy sweats you’ve been wearing all day.
The photographer wants you to look and feel amazing. It’s our goal to help you feel comfortable in front of the camera and capture the simple essence you want to see in your images. It's a journey together and we are committed to helping you find the shots you love.
Perhaps too often a photo session can become transactional between the subject and the lens-lugger. But keep one powerful tip in mind: you're both there to make a great image together.
BONUS: "Portraits" or "Headshots"?
What's it called anyway?
If you have heard the term "headshots" when referring to photos you may associate the term with a extra colorful, soft-focus, glamor shots styled portrait from the early 90's. Portraits have come a long way since then and the terminology has somewhat melded into a multi-use phrase.
Rest assured, in the photography industry "headshots" typically refers to professional portraits made for professional use. Much like what you'd see on an actor's IMDb.com page.
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