SKINCARE
Drink lots of water and avoid frying yourself in the sun’s rays before your sitting.
If you need a wax job, get it done at least 3 days prior to your sitting.
If you’re rockin’ any kind of facial hair, tame it! Or treat yourself to a hot towel and trim at your local barber. Food bits and dandruff flakes in your Grizzly Adams is not beneficial to your headshot. Bring your shaving gear if you’re not sure.
WARNING! Shaving off any facial hair you’ve been toatin’ around for a while can and probably will irritate your skin making it difficult to retouch. So just make the big decision at least 3 days prior to your sitting and stop crying. It’ll grow back.
CLOTHING
Just follow the “love it, or leave it” principle and you’ll do just fine.
Still not convinced you’ll be okay? Okay, here’s the long version:
Above all else, keep it simple and make sure you feel good in what you’re wearing.
Avoid patterns, stripes, prints, and busy necklines.
Ladies, studio lights will typically shine through thin/sheer fabrics, so try on your tops with the bra you plan on wearing. Stand in front of a bright light and a mirror if you can to double check for translucency. I’m sure your girls are nice, this just isn’t that kind of shoot. It’s all about your face for the love of Pete!
If you have dark hair, wear tops that are lighter shades than your hair. If you love your arms, go sleeveless in Seattle! Always go long sleeve over short. Got wrinkles? Go with a lighter-colored top.
CLOTHING DOS:
Clean and press your shirts the day before, if needed.
Bring a variety. Better to have too much than not enough.
Dress the part. If you’re going for a “professional” look, dress professional.
Play with textures and layering.
Go shopping if you need to. Just keep all the receipts and tags.
CLOTHING DONT’S:
Jewelry. It’s about your face, not that blang blang! Small studs can work though.
Being seasonal with your outfits. Bring it all!
High collared tops. They make your neck look short.
Baggy or loose tops. They add weight that isn’t there.
Pastels with fair skin. Just don’t.
HAIR
Come to your session with your hair ready to shoot. Wear it how you’d normally wear it. Don’t go doing something all new and crazy just for your headshot.
Bring your brush or a comb just in case.
Avoid overuse of hair products and getting your hair cut the day before your session. If you need a trim, schedule it about a week in advance. This gives the follicles time to relax and grow in to look more natural.
PRO TIP: Depending on your hair type, not washing your hair for a couple of days will allow the natural greases to build up and hold products better allowing you to use less. Don’t try this if your hair is naturally greasy and thin.
For women, sometimes adding wave or curl to your hair can look great in headshots. You just want to make sure that it’s done in a manner that looks most like you. Don’t try to do something with your hair that you normally wouldn’t do. I recommend playing around before hand to test it out.