6 Tips from Dauss to look your BEST in:

  • business headshots

  • professional corporate portraits

  • staff photos

  • about me and social media profile shots

  • email signature photos

    …You get the idea!

I’m going to FAR over-deliver here, so I hope you feel the value and can proceed with confidence to your session after discussing business headshots, also often referred to as corporate headshots.

Let’s get to it!

What is a Business Headshot?

A business headshot also referred to as a corporate headshot, is a photograph that shows the face of a person. The goal of a great business headshot is to convey professionalism and trust. This is often accomplished through specific expression, posing, lighting, and attire.

I’ve been shooting professional portraits and commercial campaigns for nearly 25 years and I’ve gathered a few tips that can really help when having your photo taken. Let’s face it, if it’s not me, your photographer may not give you any advice leading up to or during your session, so I thought I’d try to help you get the most out of having your photo taken. So here it is:

1. Match Your Brand

When it comes to business headshots it’s important to match the headshot to the subject’s brand. Just like companies, we as individuals have our own “brand,” or what we are known for. For example, are you the CEO of the company and are seen as authoritative, powerful, and trustworthy? Are you HR in a company and seen as approachable and friendly? Are you a thought leader or coach and are seen as confident and knowledgeable? You want your image to match the brand of you as an individual. This is done through composition, the outfit you wear, your facial expression, etc. We will be covering all of these in the next tips.

2. What to wear

Don’t be afraid to look great! Wear an outfit that you feel AWESOME wearing. You’re taking a business portrait, dress as if you are meeting a new client, or headed into an epic day of business. This will help you stay on brand. This means keeping things simple and not wearing something that you wouldn’t normally wear. By wearing something you are familiar with, you’ll stay comfortable and more relaxed during the shoot which is always a plus.

Don’t be afraid of color. Fun, colorful outfits make your headshot pop, so have fun with your style and show the world who you are. Keep in mind though, some patterns and thin stripes don’t work well on camera and computer screens. A thing called the moire effect lurks when thin strips close together create a secondary rippling pattern. This is especially evident when an image is small on a screen. Also, patterns that look cool on your clothes may just be a busy visual noise on camera. So lean toward wearing something plain in terms of a pattern that will look good no matter what size the image is.

A lot of portraits get converted into black and white. So something else to consider is the tones that you wear. That pink tie with that light blue shirt may look great in real life, but once the image has been converted to black and white, they may be the same tone and just blend into one another. So think about contrast and tones and if in doubt take a couple of shots of yourself in the mirror on your phone and convert them to black and white and see what looks best.

3. Your hair

I’ve had so many people arrive at shoot time for their portrait session having just rushed over through the wind and their hair is a total mess. Whatever the case, I always recommend bringing a brush or comb with you to your session. You want your hair to be like a shampoo advertisement, looking all smooth, flowing, full-bodied, and neat.

Let’s talk about your hairstyle, similar to what to wear and makeup, you’ll want to keep it simple and on brand. Choose a hairstyle that you are comfortable with and is simple. Imagine you are meeting an important client, investor, partner, how would you do your hair? Go for that look. It’s important not to try out anything new, wild, or fancy, especially those that go upwards — it may be cropped in a photo or hard to capture within the frame of a headshot.

If you’re getting a cut, it’s best to allow at least a few days before the shoot and not the day before, or worse, the day of. This will give you more time to look more natural in your new haircut and it will give you time to make any adjustments in case you weren’t quite happy with it.

4. Makeup

This is a professional shot of you to attract your ideal work scenarios. Think about that when you’re applying your makeup, or make sure your artist knows your vision. A natural look always works best. Pay attention to your eyes! Your eyes will be the most important factor in your headshot, so spend extra time making them pop! Don’t go overboard, what you’d do for a big night out, probably won’t work for a business portrait. Keep it simple and make sure it feels good for you. If you normally wear strong lipstick, then that’s fine, but don’t go for a bold look if you don’t normally choose that. After all, you want the image to be a good professional representation of your fully expressed self. 

5. Glasses

This isn’t a big one, but it’s worth mentioning. If you normally wear glasses and people are used to seeing you in them. Wear them. If you only wear them for computer work and don’t often wear them when meeting people, make the decision beforehand whether or not to wear them in the photo. If you aren’t going to wear them, make sure you take your glasses off way before you come to have your photo taken, so you don’t have two red or pressed marks on either side of your nose. It takes a while for them to go down. So leave plenty of time. 

If you are going to wear your glasses, there are a couple of things that are really worth doing. First of all, give them a thorough clean. It’s surprising how much dust/fingerprints/eyelash hair etc. can show up in a final image. So make sure your lenses are spotless and if your frames pick up fingerprints or grease marks give them a clean as well.

Lastly, make sure to push your glasses back as far as they will go. Often glasses slip slightly down the nose and tend to cover your eyes. In profile photos, it’s really important to see your eyes, so when your glasses are pushed back that highlights them perfectly.

5. Your best side

If there is a side or feature of your face that you love OR something that you don’t so much…let your photographer know. You don’t love the asymmetry of your face or nose? We have angles and perspectives to explore. You don’t like your teeth? We’ll have you smiling with closed lips. It’s much easier to tell your photographer these things upfront than putting up with a portrait you don’t love. Think of your photographer like a doctor, you can tell us anything without embarrassment. We’ve heard it all before, anyway! Promise! Seriously.

6. Smile

It’s easier than you may think. How do you like yourself when you’re smiling in a photo? Lips shut or lips open? If you’re not sure, ask your photographer what looks best. They can take a few tests shots and can work with you to find what suits you best. Or take a few photos of yourself and ask friends and family. Don’t worry about your smile looking authentic. Hopefully, you’ve chosen a great photographer that knows how to bring out the most authentic and best version of you.

7. Visit the mirror

I always advise a quick stop to check yourself in the mirror before it’s camera time for your headshot. Chances are your photographer has never met you before, so they don’t know what you look like or exactly how your hair should sit. Give yourself a once over to make sure you’re happy with the way you look. That your hair looks good and in place and there is no food in your teeth, etc. At times I may even hand my subject a hand mirror, just to check in to be certain.

8. Posture

Not only will good posture help the energy of your image, but it will automatically have you appear more confident and professional. Good posture exudes confidence and professionalism. Your photographer will likely direct this but it’s good to have on top of mind for you as well. Sit as if you were having an in-person interview or stand as if you’re speaking on stage.

9. Drink all the water

I’m constantly a hydration advocate and encourage everyone to stay adequately hydrated always, this is no different, a few days before and the day of, make sure it’s a priority if it isn’t always. Your eyes will thank you, your skin will thank you, and your photographer will want to thank you, even if they don’t exactly know why.

10. Avoid Salt

Similar to drinking enough water, you will want to avoid a lot of salt the day before your session. Too much salt may cause bloating or swelling in your face due to water retention.

11. Get the rest your body requires

In order to have a fresh-looking face and bright eyes that look alert and interested, it’s important to get enough rest before shoot day. Getting enough sleep will ensure there are no tired bags or dark under the eyes and your overall skin tone will look fresher and healthier.

12. Hire an experienced professional

It is important to hire a professional for your business portrait. A professional will be able to turn your vision into a reality. It’s best to invest in a professional photographer so you can have a polished professional image. There are obviously many levels of professional photographers out there, find someone who has outstanding work, experience, and most importantly someone you connect with. They are able to unlock that polished version of yourself you want the world to see, improving your overall brand image and appearance to the digital world at large.

…but wait, that was WAY more than 6 TIPS!! I hope this was helpful! I can’t imagine it not being if you read all the way down to here!

Now, let’s talk about YOUR company headshots and even more exciting, your branding photography!