Preparing for a Headshots Session

Whether you’re doing a Toronto headshots session, or elsewhere. Use these tips!

A comprehensive article on how to prepare for your Toronto headshots session.

Inexperienced to Photoshoots? No problem.

We’ll keep this as simple as possible so that you know EXACTLY what to expect when you end up in need of photos, and scrambling because you don’t know how to prepare to make your headshot session to the best of your ability.

Let’s discuss what (and what not) to wear and how to prepare for your upcoming photoshoot in Toronto.

What NOT to Wear.

Unless specifically required to do so as part of your branding requirements or some specific guidelines, when you are getting ready to get your headshot photographed, avoid really bright or really dark clothes, checkered shirts, polka-dots, striped shirts like you might see a mime wear, and anything which draws attention away from YOU as the subject. So, to re-cap.

AVOID THESE CLOTHES FOR YOUR HEADSHOT SESSION

• super bright clothes which can wash you out

• neon coloured clothing

• checkered shirts

• polka-dots

• ripped clothes

• stained or dirty clothes

The whole point of headshot photographs is to showcase YOU, not your clothing. If you want your clothes to stand out, consider hiring us for a portrait session, where the outfit is much more integrated into the aesthetic than would be in a headshot session.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

Well, that depends on what theme of headshots you’re going for: are you trying to impress a lady for a dating profile photo? Or are you trying to gain people’s attention on LinkedIn so that you stand out when you message them? Or perhaps you literally just want to blend in. Here’s what to wear for each of the following scenarios.

What to Wear for Corporate / LinkedIn Photos

• Clean, professional clothing

• Corporate colours like blues and greys

• Minimalist clothing with few distractions

• Bring multiple outfits, shirts, blazers, belts, ties, etc., to have multiple options

• Coordinate with your photographer to choose colours which match the backdrops the photographer has

WHAT TO WEAR FOR HEADSHOTS USED FOR Dating PROFILES

• Wear clothes and colours that illicit emotion.

• Blood reds and sharp suave looking clothes to attract your ideal mate are encouraged.

• Dressy is good, but so is casual!

What to wear for headshots to stand out on social media

If you want to stand out from every other message in someone’s inbox, consider a photo with a colour pop. We do colour pops quite well! In fact, this is what we strive for in most headshot sessions, unless specifically requested not to. We dislike boring, and don’t want you to fade into the fog of blandness like everyone else with their boring basic headshots. So for this reason, we encourage you to wear the following!

• Wear what everyone else in your industry wears, but add a splash of colour—we’ll match the background of your shirt, or your tie and pocket square, so that you get a colourful and rich image.

• Smile. Seriously, wear a smile. Nothing gets someone’s attention quite like a happy person smiling at them!

What to wear for headshots if you want something bland

• Greys / whites / blacks / deep blues / anything monotone

• We’re falling asleep just thinking about this. Don’t be this person. Stand out from the pack. Be a leader! Or don’t… who are we to tell you how to live your life?

So now you know a bit about what not to wear for your Toronto headshot session, what to wear, and you’re probably still not convinced that you’re going to have a great headshot session! Let’s change that and give you something to visualize so you can come in and ROCK your headshots!

How to Prepare for your TORONTO Headshot SESSION

Let’s start with the night before. When you’re reading this, try to visualize the process. It’ll bring a ton of comfort and assurance as you walk through the steps when you’re actually getting ready and make you feel calm and at peace with the process. After all, there’s really nothing to worry about. You’re just getting some headshots done!

Sleep well the night before YOUR HEADSHOT SESSION

Nothing looks worse than someone who looks hungover or tired. Get your sleep, and be able to keep your eyes open for longer than a second!

Stay Hydrated DURING YOUR HEADSHOT SESSION

Believe it or not, dehydration shows on most people’s appearance. Drink plenty of GOOD fluids like water, and… well, more water!

Wash Makeup off the night before, apply fresh makeup next morning

While this applies specifically to women, men should consider exfoliating / scrubbing their face the night before, moisturizing, and moisturizing again in the morning!

Pack face wipes FOR YOUR HEADSHOTS

If you have oily skin, this will be a great tool to help wipe off that excess oil, and if you swear a lot this also helps.

Pack moisturizer FOR YOUR SESSION

You can wash your face and moisturize it again for a nice fresh face. If you have dry skin this will really help you shine on camera.

Don’t watch the news in the morning

This is more of a half-joke, because again you do as you please. However, we have noticed that clients who come in happy, cheerful, and full of joy have generally had better results than people who came in worried or anxious because of something they heard on the news.

Arrive early to your headshot session

The earlier you arrive to take your portraits, the better. You don’t want to arrive at our photography studio with nerves on your mind or tension in your body. Whenever you rush somewhere, you’re telling your body that it’s not where it’s supposed to be. That state you enter carries on towards the next activity you engage in, so if you’re late to a meeting, you’ll generally be more anxious during that meeting, than if you weren’t late—unless you don’t care about that meeting, then who cares about the meeting, nothing to worry about—we’re quitting anyways, right?

Ask yourself “What’s the best that can happen?”

Posing a positive question sets your mind on a task to look for the positive things which can happen during your session. This helps keep it busy from “what’s the worst that can happen?” which is a common question most of us intuitively try to resolve in our minds to avoid looking silly in front of others.

Compliment the photographer and tell them how handsome they are

This last part is optional, but it’ll definitely get you some bonus points! :P

In Summary

If you’re worried about your headshots session—don’t be. You’re in talented and skilled hands, and you’ll love your final results, especially if you follow the tips above. Most importantly, dress for success and expect to enjoy the session. Ask yourself, what’s the best that can happen during my session, and don’t let anything else cloud your excitement!