I do not recommend makeup or powder on men for a professional headshot. It looks unnatural and can make your skin look washed out in front of the lighting.

Please wear your hair as you normally would on any regular day. If you use product such as sprays and gels, be sure to bring those with you in case you need a touch up ahead of your session. Also, if you wear your hair long, be sure to bring hair ties.

Men’s skin care is often an overlooked factor in headshot photography. Using a good moisturizer will help your skin look great in photos. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your shoot as it helps keep your skin hydrated.

With regards to facial hair, make sure you give it a fresh trim as you’d typically wear it on a daily basis. When shaving, try and use a sharp blade as it’ll reduce the amount of skin rashes and nicks that come from using dull blades.

Also, make sure any nose and ear hairs are taken care of!

Since headshots only involve your chest on up, we only need to worry about the selection of shirts. Make sure your shirts are comfortable and don’t limit your choices to the current season in which your headshot session is taking place. Please try and stay away from really heavy patterns and logos and bring a range of colors – the subtler the better.

This link will give you some great ideas on male headshot apparel: http://bit.ly/2UrtPyq

Lastly, please make sure your shirts and jackets are steamed and ironed.

The less the better. With that said, diamond studs in your ears are fine.

» Prolonged sun exposure for 1-2 days prior to your session.
» Busy patterns, plaids or stripes.
» Loose-fitting collars, particularly those that are used with ties.
» Undershirt collars popping up under a button down shirt(sans tie). Use a V-neck instead or no undershirt for the headshot.

When applying your own makeup, begin with a clean palette – cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize your face on the day of our shoot. Please don’t overdo your foundation nor use any obvious contouring. Avoid using anything that has SPF protection in it as it’ll make you look washed out under flash photography due to reflected light. Silica based setting powders can also wreak havoc with the flashes. Your basic daily use of mascara (as long as it’s not underneath your eyes), blush and shadow should be fine (nothing wild), and stay away from smoky eyes. Make sure anything that goes on your lips isn’t shiny and reflective.

I would recommend getting a good blowout the day of the shoot. If not, you can always wear your hair as you normally would. If you use product such as sprays and gels, be sure to bring those with you just in case we need to keep unruly spots under control. If you have opted to use my makeup artist they will also give your hair some light attention during the shoot to keep it looking best.

In addition to going minimal on makeup, be sure to use a good moisturizer and drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your session. Water is incredibly key to keeping your skin looking hydrated and great on camera. Also, try and get a full night of sleep prior to your shoot (impossible, I know).

Since headshots only involve your chest on up, we only need to worry about the selection of shirts/tops. Make sure your tops are comfortable and don’t limit your choices to the current season in which your headshot session is taking place. Please try and stay away from really heavy patterns and logos and bring a range of colors. The subtler the better.

This link will give you some great ideas on female headshot apparel: http://bit.ly/2D5fdtQ

It’s been said that jewelry can date a photo quicker than a hair style, so the less jewelry the better. Diamond studs and small pearls can work as do (very) subtle necklaces. The key in all of this is making sure the focus is on your face and not jewelry that shines brightly in front of the lighting.

» Prolonged sun exposure for 1-2 days prior to your session.
» Busy patterns, plaids or stripes.
» Short-sleeved tops where sleeves are loose on your arms.
» Shiny fabrics like silk or satin.

To get a taste of what we’ll be working on in the session here are two lighthearted videos covering a few techniques I give a crash course on. These videos feature Peter Hurley whom I’ve been mentoring with since I started and lays out a few tips for captivating headshots.

You definitely don’t need to watch them in their entirety but just get a taste.

It’s All About the Jaw – http://bit.ly/2Im9dR0

It’s All About the Squinch – http://bit.ly/2U6cyG6

And last of all just come in, relax and have some fun with it. The less serious you are while taking your headshot the better it is…seriously.