What should I wear for a headshot?
Solid colours in mid to deep tones photograph best, and it helps to bring something with sleeves. Busy patterns and very bright white tend to pull attention away from your face, which is the one thing the picture is meant to be about.
How many outfits should I bring?
Two is plenty for an hour and three or four for a longer session. Beyond that the time goes into changing rather than photographing, and the extra outfits rarely make the final selection anyway.
Should I have my hair and makeup done beforehand?
If it makes you feel more like yourself then yes, and slightly more than you would wear on an ordinary day works well under lighting. It is entirely optional though, and plenty of good headshots are made without any.
Can I wear glasses in a headshot?
Yes, and you should if you wear them daily, because a photograph of you without them will not look like you to anyone who knows you. Reflections are handled during the shoot rather than fixed afterwards.
What background works best for a headshot?
It depends where the photograph is going. A plain wall suits a corporate profile, while a room from your own office or home gives a softer, more human result. We will decide when I see the space.
What is the difference between a headshot and a personal branding session?
A headshot is one strong picture of your face. A branding session produces a set, including you at work, details of what you do, and wider images with room for text, so you have material for a whole website rather than a single profile picture.
Is a LinkedIn photo framed differently from a website photo?
Yes, and it is the most common thing people get wrong. LinkedIn crops to a small circle, so the face needs to be large in the frame. A website hero image is wide and usually needs empty space beside you for a headline to sit.
How often should a headshot be updated?
Every two or three years, or sooner if your appearance has changed noticeably. A photograph that no longer looks like you creates an awkward moment when you walk into the room.
Is an AI generated headshot a bad idea?
For anything professional, yes, though not for the reason most people expect. Very few people consciously spot one. The trouble arrives when somebody finds out, or when you appear on a video call looking like a slightly different person, and a photograph meant to build trust quietly does the opposite.
What makes a headshot look dated?
Heavy retouching, a strong vignette, a fake blurred background, and anything with a coloured gradient behind it. Simple, well lit and honest ages far better than anything fashionable.
Can you photograph my whole team in one visit?
Yes, and it is much cheaper per person than booking individually. Five people or more works out at a hundred and fifty dollars each.
How do you keep team headshots looking consistent?
The same position, the same lighting and the same distance for everybody, set up once and left alone for the whole session. Consistency comes from not moving anything, which is why doing them all in one visit matters.
How long does each person take in a team session?
Roughly ten minutes each once the lighting is set. A team of ten is comfortable in a morning, including the time people take to arrive and settle.
What happens if somebody is away on the day?
They can be added afterwards. I keep a note of the exact setup so a later session matches, though it does mean a second visit and a second travel fee.
Can new staff be added later and still match?
Yes, for the same reason. The setup is recorded, so somebody photographed a year later still sits alongside everyone else without looking like an afterthought.
Where do personal branding photos usually get used?
Websites, LinkedIn, speaking profiles, press, proposals and social media. The set is deliberately varied so one session covers all of it rather than producing twenty near identical pictures.
Do you photograph families?
Yes. At home, in a garden, or somewhere outdoors that means something to you. These tend to run better when nobody is trying too hard, which is easier in a familiar place than in a studio.
What is the best time of day for outdoor portraits?
The hour or so before sunset, without much competition. The light is soft and low and it flatters almost everybody. Midday sun is the hardest light to work with and I will suggest moving the time if I can.
Can we shoot outdoors, and does that cost more?
Outdoors costs the same. Some locations require permission or a permit, and I will tell you if the place you have in mind is one of them so it can be arranged in advance.
What if the weather turns on the day of an outdoor session?
We move it to another date at no charge, with no notice required. Weather is nobody's fault and it is not treated as a cancellation on either side.
Do you direct people, or leave them to get on with it?
I direct, because almost nobody knows what to do with their hands and being told is a relief rather than an imposition. It is mostly small adjustments rather than posing.
What if I do not photograph well?
Almost everybody says this and it is almost never true. What people usually mean is that they dislike the snapshots taken of them, which is a different thing entirely from a session where the light and the framing are being chosen deliberately.
Can my dog be in the photos?
Yes, and dogs are usually the most relaxed subject present. It helps to have somebody on hand who can hold the lead just outside the frame.
Do you photograph headshots for actors and models?
Yes, though be aware that casting has its own conventions about framing and finish. Tell me what your agency asks for and I will work to it rather than to a corporate standard.
Should a therapist or an attorney be photographed differently?
Yes, because the two are selling different things. A therapist needs warmth and approachability, an attorney needs authority and calm. Same technique, quite different result.
Can I choose which photographs get edited?
Yes. You see the full set from the session as small previews, you pick the ones you want, and those are the images that get finished and delivered.
What if I need more images than the package includes?
Additional edited images are a hundred dollars each and can be added at any point, including months later, since the whole session is kept on file.
How do I choose between the one hour and the two hour session?
One hour suits a single strong headshot with a couple of variations. Two hours suits multiple outfits, more than one location, or anyone who needs a proper spread of images for a website.
Do you photograph on location for a company website?
Yes, and it is usually the better answer for a business. One visit produces the team, the workspace, the details of what you do, and enough variety to build a whole site around.
Are the photographs retouched?
Exposure, colour and contrast are corrected on everything delivered, which is included. Skin is not smoothed, features are not altered, and nothing is removed from the frame. The aim is a good photograph of you rather than a different person.
