A headshot is a modern, professional portrait designed to highlight who you are. These images are often used for social media, corporate websites, marketing materials, speaking engagements, and resumes. The focus is always on you—your expression, your presence, and your personal brand.

A strong headshot captures a genuine expression, uses clean professional lighting, and is framed from the chest up. Small adjustments in posture, angles, and expression can transform a good image into a great one. The goal is to convey confidence, approachability, and authenticity.

Headshots typically include the head and shoulders on a simple, non-distracting background. Portraits, on the other hand, can be ¾ to full-body, often featuring more creative environments, sets, or poses. Portraits also use different lighting styles to create a more artistic or narrative-driven look.

What can I expect?

A welcoming environment, period. Absolutely no pressure. There is no time limit. I book a maximum of two sessions a day, so there is no rush. We have lots of time to try different outfits, backgrounds, and lighting. It’s not unusual for me to shoot 150-200 frames in a session, reviewing images as we go, to make sure we’re capturing exactly what you want. At the end of the session, we review the shots one more time and keep only the best that meets both your approval and mine, usually 120-150 frames. From there, you pick your favorites for retouching. It’s that easy.

The Basics

Get a good night’s sleep, drink plenty of water, eat healthy, breathe deep. Maybe do a few sun salutations. Arrive early with the expectation of having a good time. You will do great. We are a team and I have your back.

What to wear

It’s your story, so bring what you love. Our focus is on the shoulders and up, so bring a variety of tops. Solid bold colors with simple necklines work best. Add a mixture of professional and casual, funky and cool, layers and textures. Try to avoid loud patterns, lumpy, baggy, or loose clothing, and anything wrinkled – unless, of course, this is your vibe. If you’re going for a business look, I suggest you bring at least 2 jackets, 3-4 shirts, and a few ties (if you still wear them). Well-tailored and slim-fit jackets are ideal. Solid colors for dress shirts work best if worn with a jacket, otherwise, textures and patterns work great.

Pro tip: I can’t shoot it if you don’t bring it.

Hair/Makeup-I always recommend hiring a professional hair/makeup artist-I can make recommendations if you need help finding someone.

Makeup

It’s best to arrive with your makeup ready to go. Less is more, here. A fresh, natural look is always a great choice, as we can add more drama as the shoot progresses.
Here are some awesome tips for a great headshot:

• liquid foundation is better than powder
• keep the lip color close to your natural lip color or one shade darker and glossy
• go easy on the blush
• eyes should look defined, but natural, with soft blended eyeliner
• neutral color eyeshadow is usually best
• blend, blend, blend … then blend some more

Things to avoid!

• visible hard-edge lip liner
• hard-edge liquid eyeliner or ‘cat eyes’
• harsh lines or heavy smoked-out eyeshadow
• false eyelashes or clumpy mascara
• penciling in eyebrows with a harsh line
• too much blush or dramatic lip color
• tonality differences between areas with and without makeup

While hiring a hair and makeup artist is optional, it can significantly elevate your final images—especially if your headshots will be used for personal branding or high-visibility marketing. Many clients find that professional grooming helps them feel confident and camera-ready.

Jewelry can draw attention away from your face, which is the focal point of a great headshot. For that reason, simpler is usually better. That said, the choice is entirely yours—select pieces that feel like you and that support, rather than distract from, your overall look.

Bring a selection of outfits that reflect your role, industry, and personality. A variety of options gives us flexibility to create different looks. Feel free to include a few bold or unique choices—you’re not limited to a specific number of outfits, so bring anything that helps you feel your best.