Did you know that headshots today are the new first impressions!

Back in the olden days, people often thought they could tell a personality by their handshake. “I was a little wigged out by how strong this lady’s grip was. She must be a bit controlling.” Or what about, “His handshake was like a dead fish. I bet he’s a spineless jellyfish.” Harsh, right? But people absolutely think this way when they meet you. The handshake is still a great a way to determine a personality, BUT what if they are not meeting you in person? These days, with job recruiting and business dealings being online, you may not even GET a chance to shake someone’s hand. So how are you making your first impression? And how can you differentiate yourself in a sea of others in the online world?

Imagine your headshot as the “new handshake” for online.

Think of how often you use: Facebook, LinkedIn, dating sites, Google+. The social media platforms are endless, and your profile picture SAYS something about you. If your picture is either an iphone #selfie or a picture of you with someone else that you cropped them out, what do you think that communicates to future whatevers (boss, significant others, clients)? (Cough. Yen Studios can help with this dilemma. Email me to set up an appointment!! Cough.)

So now that we have established why you need a good headshot and you have already set up your appointment 🙂 , we now come to the age-old question of what do I wear and what do I bring??

First of all, we offer two kinds of headshots: the Corporate head shots, which I like to call the “One and done’s;” and then the professional headshot package (I don’t really have a cool name for that one). Think of corporate headshots as schoolday pictures for adults, and the professional headshot package as senior portraits for adults. And no, I’m not kidding you. These two types of headshots require different outfits.

Corporate headshots are offered on a white, grey, or blue background. They are very simple and to the point – great for corporations. This is most likely the kind you will want if your employer asks you to get one or if you are on the prowl for a new job.

For these headshots, I recommend business professional dress. That means a suit, guys! You don’t have to wear a tie if that’s not your thing, but you definitely need a button up with a suit jacket that fits. You can wear any color button up and jacket as long as it doesn’t detract from your face. If it’s too loud, choose something else. And it needs to be ironed or wrinkle-free. Ladies, you can also wear a button up, a blouse, or a dress with a jacket. Sweaters will suffice too. Typically for a biz professional outfit, people should not wear sleeveless shirts without a jacket, but that’s up to you. Bring a few jewelry pieces for that extra pizazz, including earrings and possibly a statement necklace. It really does make a difference. (Again, not too loud though.) Also, note that your legs will not be in the picture, so your pants do not have to match, but it may get you in the “money making/let’s get down to business” zone if you’re rocking a powersuit.

My best advice for the corporate headshots are to pretend you are going on a job interview. With that mentality, that is what this headshot can do for you – open doors for job interviews. It shows people you mean business and that you can dress up and be the star player you are. Employers will be drooling over it, too. Here’s some examples of a corporate headshot.

For the professional headshot package that we offer, you will not only get a corporate headshot, but you also get casual shots. These shots are great for a more casual feel, and it says to the viewer, “yeah, this person looks like they can be fun AND professional.” 😉 I love these sessions because you can really express yourself through the clothes you bring, the poses you do, and the locations we choose together. It adds life to your profile and differentiates you from the rest of the pack. In addition to checking out my list below, refer back to one of my earlier articles on the DO’S AND DON’TS! There are some great tips on there and minor overlap.

For these photo sessions, you will want to bring:

1. Many outfit options. It’s better to be over-prepared with great options than stuck with only one that you may not be happy with. Don’t forget to coordinate shoes. And if it’s chilly, bring a nice jacket. We MAY do some outdoor shots, and a nice jacket is definitely a breath of fresh air. (ha – get it?? Outside, fresh air…nevermind.) For outfits, here’s what I’m talking. 1 business professional outfit. 2-3 swanky outfits. (Something that you would wear to go out on a date or to a semi-nice party, aka snappy casual.)  1-2 casual outfit with jeans, but still a semi-nice shirt/blouse or polo. Like I said, bring a couple of different tops/options that you can rotate out of if something isn’t working.

2. Things that make you like YOU. If you wear glasses everyday, and people will probably not recognize you without them, then wear your glasses! We can do some without glasses, too. This goes for necklaces, certain jackets, colors, boots…cowboy boots. 😉

3. Clothes that you are comfortable in. This point is more concerning bringing clothes that are a peace of mind. If you think you have big arms, bring a jacket, or a sweater, or something with sleeves. If you don’t like your legs then wear pants, or a long skirt, or tights. You get my point. Do NOT bring things that you recognize makes you look fat. (If you have to ask, don’t wear it). I’m sorry to say this, but the camera will mercilessly add 5-10 lbs to you. Something that may make you look big, can be 1 of two things. One is something that is too tight and unforgiving on your body. Folks, just be honest with yourself here. It’s ok. No judgement from me or my team! The other is something that is too loose and flowy (things with a lot of fabric). These could look great in person, but the camera will capture those times when your flowy maxi creates a nonexistent baby bump on even the skinniest of ladies…

4. Touch up stuff. I’m talking bring the make-up bag. You will want to freshen up your lipstick. Bring a hairbrush just in case. And when/if you get all sweaty bring some powder for your nose and forehead. The shininess will show through and trust me when I say you will be glowing, not in the best way either. Also, a few hairpins are nice if you want to change your hairdo midway through.

5. Check the bra, ladies. Don’t wear a top+bra combo that won’t cooperate. What I mean is: if your bra strap pops out once, it will inevitably pop out again. And again. And again. No, I don’t want to spend hours retouching your 65 photos or however many you choose to retouch out your bra strap. You may not think of it before you come to the shoot, but it will be the first thing that you see when you get back the pictures. Wear a different bra or maybe a different top.

So, do you feel like you are all ready for your headshot? Yes? Good! Let me know if there is anything I can add to this list or more questions to answer! And remember to keep Yen Studios in mind for your first impressions!

Madison

madison@yenstudios.com