Getting Ready: Headshots & Portraits

Here’s some advice for headshot photography and portrait photography. Ignore any suggestions you don’t like. These are recommendations, not rules.

As your favorite headshot photographer and portrait photographer, I guarantee that you’ll receive better photographs if you consider these suggestions.

Table of Contents

General Suggestions

  • Bring multiple outfits. More is always better.
  • Make sure clothes fit. People gain or lose weight. Check now.
  • Jackets should button properly. Collared shirts shouldn’t be loose or tight.
  • Fabrics fade. Consider new outfits. Stores have lenient return policies.
  • Avoid white and neon clothing. Bright clothes distract.
  • Bare arms and shoulders grab attention. Avoid sleeveless apparel.
  • Ditch patterns, stripes, and logos.
  • Solid colors are the safest and easiest to retouch, especially on men’s shirts.
  • Darker colors are slimming. Truth.
  • On-trend apparel dates photos quickly. Think timeless.
  • Guys need snug V-neck undershirts. Don’t let undershirts show. Sweat sucks.
  • Prevent wrinkles. Dress when you arrive.
  • Avoid bold accessories unless that’s your signature look.
  • Bring your glasses. Anti-reflective lens coatings are best.
  • Transition glasses are too dark. Bring clear glasses.
  • Clean your glasses. My photos will show dust and every fingerprint.
  • Manicures are recommended—for both men and women.
  • Choose neutral fingernail polish.
  • Shave immediately prior. Closely.
  • Trim nose and ear hair. Think tweezers.
  • Consider getting a fresh haircut a few days before your session.
  • Check your fangs. Food debris isn’t pretty. Toothbrushes are handy.
  • Natural makeup beats makeup counter makeovers.
  • Arrive hair and makeup ready.
  • Bring nipple covers when wearing braless blouses.
  • Avoid bad traffic, national news, doom scrolling, and rushing stress.
  • Don’t come hungry. Hangry is real.
  • Start drinking water today. Reduce puffiness, wrinkles, and pore size.
  • Don’t bother practicing posing or expressions. I’ll take care of that.
  • Empty your pockets. That includes your phone.
  • White and light-colored clothing is suitable under dark business attire.
  • Choose well-fitting shirts. Loose-fitting or tight-collared shirts ruin photos.
  • Contact a free Nordstrom stylist for wardrobe help. They’re great!

Firm, Organization & Corporate Headshots

  • Share these getting-ready tips with your subjects.
  • Give your colleagues 2+ weeks’ notice so they have time to prepare.
  • Create a schedule including each subject. Alternatively, create a group sign-up sheet.
  • If wardrobe color consistency is important, share that info with colleagues.

Studio Headshot & Portrait Info

  • Bring your apparel and bags to my studio.
  • You can change in my studio or a nearby restroom.
  • We’ll lock the studio if you’d also like outdoor portraits.
  • Most studio portraits are 3/4 length (mid thigh) so shoes aren’t needed.

Outdoor Headshot & Portrait Ideas

  • Wear a tank top or undershirt and change clothes faster.
  • I own a changing tent. Let me know if you’ll need it.
  • You can change clothes in your car. I’ll stand guard.
  • Or you’ll change inside my Houston studio before we go back outside.

Engagement Session Tips

  • Choose coordinating colors—not matching colors.
  • Cocktail attire always looks great. But you do you.
  • Pick sensible shoes. Or not. We walk everywhere.
  • Don’t wear cargo shorts, cargo pants, khakis, sweats, leggings, athletic shoes, or flip-flops.

Dating Portrait Recommendations

  • Bring what you’d wear on your first date.
  • Bring what you’d wear on your second date.
  • Bring what you’d wear on your third date.
  • Then don’t wear those clothes on your first, second, or third date.

Ideal Wardrobe Colors

Choose wardrobe (and makeup) colors that complement your skin-tone, hair color, and eyes. These color schemes and their complementary colors are traditionally segmented into four groups, and named for the seasons Winter, Summer, Autumn, and Spring.

For more information about selecting the best colors for your wardrobe and your makeup, I recommend the book Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson. Although this book was originally published in the early 1980s, the content remains timeless.

Winter

Winter complexions have dark or very light hair. Skin tones are often pale white, olive, or dark. Many Asians, African-American, Hispanic, and natural white-blondes fit within this coloring category. Intense colors like black, navy blue, red, and hot pink are ideal along with lighter colors including pastels in blues, pinks, and yellows. It’s always best to avoid brown earthy tones along with subdued colors like beige, orange, and gold.

Autumn

Autumn complexions have golden skin undertones that can be described as pale peach, golden beige, or golden brown. Individuals with red and brown hair and golden or dark eyes fit in this category as well as some individuals with golden brown or black hair. Colors that are most complementary include rich warm colors like camel, beige, olive, orange, gold, dark brown, and warm gray. Colors like black, white, pastels, and blue tones should be avoided.

Summer

People with Summer complexions have very pale skin with pink undertones. Many individuals with natural blonde hair and sometimes brunettes with pale skin and eyes are often segmented to this category. Since there’s not much contrast between the skin, eyes, and hair of someone with a Summer complexion, clothing choices are particularly important. For the best results, try to choose neutral colors and pastels. Some excellent color choices include powder blue, dusty pink, mauve, lavender, plum, and pale yellow. Vivid colors, earth tones, black, and orange should be avoided.

Spring

People with Spring complexions have subtle golden skin tones that are usually creamy white or peach. Individuals with this coloring usually include natural golden blondes, auburn, or strawberry blonde redheads. Members of this group also often have light green or blue eyes as well as freckles and rosy cheeks. Colors that are most complementary include pale, soft colors like peach, camel, golden yellow, golden brown, aqua, ivory, bright greens, reds, blues, and coral. Colors like black, white, and dark or dull colors should be avoided.

More Color Help

If you want to explore color theory further, you might check out the services offered at Katy’s Color Match Studio, where Audrey Schlorholtz “helps identify which colors coordinate with your natural harmony.” That description sounds a bit theatrical, but it might be for you if you’re a fashionista who needs color assistance.

Reducing Facial Redness

If you have issues with facial redness caused by acne, irritation, general flushing, or rosacea, here are some preventative measures you might consider. But don’t worry—if redness appears in your corrected photographs, I offer retouching that can minimize or eliminate those issues.

  • Stay well hydrated, especially in the days leading up to your session.
  • Moisturize your skin regularly with products designed for sensitive skin.
  • Avoid alcohol, spicy food, and hot drinks 24 hours before your session.
  • In the hours before your session, remain in temperature-controlled spaces.
  • Consider bringing a cool (not cold) facial compress to reduce surface redness.
  • Get consistent rest in the days before your session to help minimize reactive skin.
  • Avoid situations where you might be sunburned before your session.
  • For rosacea, check with your dermatologist for the latest topical treatments.

Eyeglass Tips

If you commonly wear glasses, headshots and portraits should show you wearing those glasses. But glass glare is real.

Glass lens reflectivity varies based on coatings, quality, and shape. With better anti-reflection coatings, glass glare is minimized. I use photography techniques that minimize glare further, and I have techniques that mitigate the issue when we can’t get the glare out.

Removing Lenses

If your glasses don’t have an anti-reflection coating, are transition lenses, or are blue blockers, consider removing them, asking your optometrist to remove them, or borrowing blank frames.

Although I can’t remove your lenses for you due to liability concerns, it’s a relatively straightforward process. You can check out a helpful YouTube video that shows the process if you need visual instruction.

Alternatively, if you’re considering new glasses, Warby Parker offers a free try-on service. Choose five frames from their website, and they’ll send you test frames with a 5-day try-on period. Shipping is free both ways. For those glasses, removing the clear glass that ships with the demos is quite easy and low risk.

Your Next Prescription Update

I often mention this to subjects wearing blue-light-blocking glasses, but did you know that evidence shows that blue blocker lenses are ineffective? A 2019 study in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics found that it’s unlikely that blue light filtering prevents retinal damage, and a 2021 JAMA Ophthalmology study found that they didn’t improve visual performance or reduce fatigue. Similar results came from a study with the fancy title, Blue‐light filtering spectacle lenses for visual performance, sleep, and macular health in adults.

Lens Choice & Social Interactions

When ordering your next pair of eyeglasses, please consider refusing options like blue-bockers, transition, or thick lenses. Those lens types make your eyes less visible than thin, clear lenses. When you order your next prescription lenses, don’t ignore these considerations because your choices may impact your social bonding and trust signals.

For example, a 2017 Cognition study showed that people can better connect with others when they can see their eyes. With that in mind, I strongly recommend clear glass lenses with the best anti-reflective coatings that are as thin as possible so people can more easily see your peepers.