You’ve taken the plunge and booked your headshot photo shoot. Go you! This is an investment in your personal brand and your business, so you want to make sure you get the most out of it and come away with a set of headshots that you absolutely love. Here are my three tips for making sure you ace your shoot on the day. 

1. More is more!

A good photo shoot is a true collaboration - you and your photographer are the crack creative team. It’s really important to brief your photographer well as the more information you can give them, the better they’ll be able to deliver shots that you and your clients will love. Don’t hold back! Have a chat with them and talk through your ideas and suggestions. Send your brand guidelines, details of your target audience, or some sample images of headshots you like. Creating a mood board on Pinterest is a great way to capture the look you’re going for. Photographers love it when clients bring ideas of their own. 

2. Prepare well

Thoughtful preparation is key to a great headshot shoot. It’s a good idea to choose several different outfits to get plenty of variety into your headshots. It will help you show different sides to your personality and your business, and it means you have lots of options for where you can use the photos. Consider what props and accessories you can bring to help tell your story, such as books, journals or stationery. Contrary to popular belief, it is not easy to digitally retouch roots or grey hairs after the shoot, so it’s a good idea to get your hair done beforehand. The location of your shoot is a crucial part of telling your story in your photos. Chat to your photographer about suitable backdrops that will help you get the look you want. Your photographer can do a recce if necessary. Plan your travel and parking in advance, as arriving late and flustered for your headshot shoot is understandably not a recipe for relaxed photos! 

3. Work on your mindset

I’ve saved the best for last, as the most important part of getting a great set of headshots is coming to your shoot in a confident mindset. Your headshot photo shoot is not the time to be timid - you’ll get great photos if you’re prepared to let go of your inhibitions, relax and enjoy yourself! Why not create a playlist of songs that always make you feel happy and confident to listen to on the day of your shoot? Another great tip is to think about your favourite client and what you loved about working with them. This will help to get your face relaxed and your eyes smiling. The best photos happen when there’s a genuine connection between you and your photographer. A good headshot photographer will be an expert at building rapport during your shoot, so it should be a relaxed and fun experience. You can be curious as well and ask them questions to find some common ground. This way you’ll have fun, enjoy each other’s company and create photo magic! 

Ready to rock your headshot photo shoot? Drop me a line now.