The art of how to take a professional headshot isn’t as simple as it might look. You don’t just stand in front of the camera brandishing your best smile and hoping for the best.
In the following article, we’ll be discussing what goes into the perfect headshot. It’s a skill especially important to the business world. Let’s begin!
1. Choose Your Look
The first step in how to take a good headshot is to decide what you will wear and which attitude you plan to put demonstrate in the photo itself. Do not underdress, but choose a style that’s consistent with the image of your employees.
If you have employee uniforms, those can make for the perfect styles. However, there’s nothing wrong with dressing as if for a job interview either.
2. Practice Headshot Hygiene
Headshot hygiene is one of the headshot tips that may not make a lot of sense right out of the gate. After all, who’s going to smell your breath or body odor from looking at a photo?
Well, as you might imagine, it means something different in this context. Headshot hygiene is about having good posture. It’s also about adequate skincare.
The lighting options available in headshots are great, but they can also call out oily skin or highlight blemishes. Make sure you’ve washed your face shortly before the session and gotten plenty of water and sleep into your system.
3. Stay Consistent
Consistency also is important for how to take a headshot. For professional corporate pictures, as you’ll find in the corporate environment, that means using similar lighting for everyone. It also means using the same backgrounds across the board.
4. Try Mirrored Poses
Ready for your headshot portrait but convinced you only have one “good side”? Take multiple shots anyway. Consider doing at least one each from a mirrored pose to see which looks best.
Also, it helps to quell any nerves that might be associated with being in front of a camera. Learn how to deal with this type of performance anxiety as soon as you can.
5. Smile Comfortably
We can debate what to wear for business headshots all day, but the one thing that should be in every photo is a warm, comfortable smile. If you’re not comfortable showing teeth, don’t. Do what works for you, and the camera will pick up on it.
6. Avoid the Trends
Trends can be dangerous in the long run. Some seem like a great idea at the time, and then you look back thinking what was I thinking? (Glamour shots or duck faces, anyone?)
When preparing for your headshot, don’t fall into the trap of trying to “fit the times.” If you do, you may end up being the butt of jokes. That goes for clothing choice, hairstyles, and backgrounds.
Learning How to Take a Professional Headshot Will Enhance Your Business Profile
Once you have learned how to take a professional headshot, it becomes much easier to put forth your profile and branding to the masses. That’s because it gives you the confidence you need for success.
Good luck as you set out to land the perfect headshot. For more tips and tricks on how you can stand out in an increasingly competitive professional environment, check out some of our related posts.
