colors:
Wear colors you love on you. Colors that tend to read well on camera: mauve, maroon, ruby, brick, salmon, burnt orange, peach, mustard, sunflower yellow, olive, evergreen, mint, sky blue, ocean blue, eggplant, lavender, earth tones, and black and white.
DO
fabric:
Leather, silks, knitted, waffle, linen, plaid, and lace all look interesting on camera. Any fabric that has some texture to it can be visually appealing and can help stand out in a pile.
patterns:
Some patterns can be dynamic and exciting. Jackets are great to layer over a loud pattern to help break it up and not confuse the eyes. A patterned shirt with an open neckline or short sleeves can also help break up the business of the shirt.
DON'T DO
colors:
There aren’t a ton of rules these days. But we recommend staying away from neon or very vibrant colors. They can be distracting and take focus away from your face.
fabric:
Anything goes but old/pilling material will show on camera. Look for texture in the material. A plain cotton vs something a little thicker that has depth in the color tone (denim, waffle, silk, etc) will read well. Long sleeves and sweaters can work, but don’t let the fabric consume you. Casting wants to be able to see your movement and shape.
patterns:
Stay away from logos or patterns that are either very close together or very far apart and not consistent. This can confuse the eye.
textures:
Cable knit, waffle, sweaters, corduroy, suede, leather, linen, etc
MEN
styles:
Button downs, henleys, jackets, blazers, plaid, v-necks, crew necks, cowl neckline, fold over, cardigans, anything with a collar is typically a good go-to. T-shirts are great too but don't be afraid to go outside the box.
jackets:
Jean, leather, suede, tweed, wool, etc. Layers are really good and help add dimension.
WOMEN
stores:
If you’re unsure if you want to keep something, leave the tag on!
J.Crew, Zara, Top Man, Mango, Nordstrom (all department stores), Uniqlo (great basics and layers), All Saints, American Eagle
textures:
Blouses, shirts, dresses, crew neck, v-neck, turtle neck (best to be layered under a jacket, unless it’s a sleeveless turtleneck or mock-neck). Scoop neck, oversized sweaters with wide necklines, basically anything with an interesting neckline or texture is lovely.
styles:
Silk, light knit, tweed, leather, plaid, corduroy, chambray, jean, etc.
jackets:
Blazers are great for young professional and procedural roles in colors like black, blues, maroon, plaid, tweed, etc. White/cream will read as medical. Denim jackets are great texture for camera. Leather jackets are great for edgier. The more fitted and lived-in the better. A cardigan or sweater over another shirt can be preppy, mom, babysitter, college student, etc.
stores:
If you’re unsure if you want to keep something, leave the tag on!
Aritzia (color coded and easy to place into types), Anthropologie, Free People, Madewell, American Eagle, Cider
glasses
If you plan on wearing glasses to your shoot, we STRONGLY recommend bringing them to any eyeglass place and get the glass removed from the frames. It’s quick and free and will dramatically reduce the glare in your shots and your eyes will appear more clear. You can also buy inexpensive frames from Amazon or even CVS as an option. We have a bunch of glasses here at the studio you can choose from if you would prefer!
jewelry
Jewelry is much more accepted in the headshot industry nowadays, especially if it helps to show your style and personality. If you're a hoops person, bring your hoops! Keep it subtle and dainty, but if it's a statement and you love it, bring it and we'll go through it together.
ACESSORIES
do:
- If your hair is dead on the ends, it might be a good idea to get a cut 3-4 weeks before your shoot. Dry or dead ends are a hard thing to hide in retouching. A fresh and healthy cut looks great in photos.
- Wash your hair the day or night before unless you've just gotten a blowout.
- You should arrive with your hair styled the way you like it for auditions. It’s important that we have a good base to work with and then take it from there.
- Specific to men—make sure your scruff is well groomed and evenly trimmed.
HAIR
don't do:
- Don’t get a haircut or color too close to the session! Many clients regret their cut because it’s too short or they don’t feel like themselves. We don’t reschedule for bad cuts so err on the side of caution.
- Please make sure hair is fresh and not dirty. It’s harder to revitalize hair that has been weighed down. We recommend using a clarifying shampoo if you have a lot of buildup.
SKIN
do:
- Do your normal routine! Now is not the time to experiment with retinols, face masks, or anything you don’t normally do that could leave you dry or irritated.
- Drink lots of water leading up to your session
- Moisturize your lips
don't do:
- If you have any breakouts, don’t panic. We’ve got makeup and retouching. All is well in the world.
- Stay away from face masks, hair masks, or facials leading up to your session. Trust. Stick with your normal routine.
- If you are a botox person, give yourself some time in between appointments or go lighter this time. If you are frozen, how are you going to show your lovely expression? It’s important to see a full smile and eyebrow movement
discovering your type
If you aren’t quite sure how to market yourself yet, we have some ideas that may resonate with you. Feel free to pull from here if it helps! We recommend bringing a few extra looks in case something isn’t reading quite right. We will go over all of your clothes for a mini-consultation before your session.
MARKETING LOOKS
Disney Kid
Lovable Nerd
Girl/Guy Next Door
Jock
Gamer
Young Professional
Upper East Side Kid
Receptionist/helpful employee
Intern
Student
Teens
Girl/Guy next door
Leading character with a dark past/secret
The romantic / Love interest
Fitness/Athletic
Period Look
(Think Shakespeare, Bridgerton, Gilded Age)
Funny Best Friend
Nurturing older sibling
Gamer / Hacker
Young Professional
Intern or Grad Student
CIA or FBI
Nurse
Creative Professional
(art gallery owner, etc)
Young parent
Blue / White Collar
Victim
Villain
20-30s
Love Interest
Best Friend
Parent
PTO/ Soccer mom
Period Look
Outdoorsy
Lovable Loser
Creative Professional
Therapist
Western, mid-western, 60s, etc
Blue Collar
White Collar
Anti-Hero or Hero
Military
Addict / Troubled
Medical Professional
Lawyer
Nurse
Detective
Scientist
30-40s
Grandmother, Grandfather
Blue Collar
Western
Period Look
Doctor
CEO
CIA or FBI
Professor
News Personality
Mafia Boss
Hero / Anti Hero
50s + up
PREP
WORK
week before:
- Drink water lots of water and stay hydrated (if you can).
- Ask your reps what they want to see out of your headshot. Colors? Vibes? Types?
- Make a playlist if you’re feeling creative! Or think of a genre, mood, vibe, or artist you like and we’ll whip something up!
night before:
- I’m not gonna tell you to get a bunch of sleep because that’s way easier said than done. Just do your best. We have coffee and eye whitening eye drops :)
- Don’t drink the night before or maybe even a few days before your shoot. Alcohol can be dehydrating. After your session, you will DESERVE that glass of vino.
that's ALL:
- I know there is a TON of info on here and that everyone has opinions on this or that. Just use this as a guide and do what feels right to you! From the minute you arrive to your session, we have got you and I promise it’ll be fun. Even if you show up with only a garbage bag, we will make it look good.
- I fully believe that the energy you give off is the energy you will receive.
- We can’t wait to. Meet you and create some beautiful images together
Policies
cancelling or rescheduling
- You may reschedule once at no extra cost if you provide at least 7 days’ notice. The new session must take place within 6 months of the original date. If you cancel or reschedule a second time, the original deposit will be forfeited, and a new $200 deposit will be required to rebook.
- If you request to reschedule within 7 days of your session, it will be treated as a cancellation and a new deposit will be required to book a new session.
- If you cancel within 24 hours of your session or don’t show up without notice, you will be automatically charged 50% of the value of your session.
- All cancellation and rescheduling requests must be submitted in writing via email.
reshooting
want more details?
frequently asked questions
Fill out our contact form! Once we find a day that works for you, your deposit of $200 will lock in the time and date that we have chosen based on availability. Time slots cannot be reserved before receiving the deposit and they are first come first serve.
Depending on the season, we may be booking weeks to months out. Sometimes we have last-minute openings, so don’t forget to join our mailing list!
Once you book a session, we will send you a document with detailed clothing suggestions, a few “homework” questions that will help get you thinking about what to bring, and suggestions on how to prepare for the weeks leading up to your session.
HW questions should get you thinking about what you're looking for out of your headshot session before our shoot day. They will help inform the outfits you bring, narrow down the looks or vibes you want to achieve, and will help you better understand how to communicate your needs to both Jess and the makeup artist.
A look means changing your shirt, the background/atmosphere, and potentially tweaking your hair and makeup. Each look will showcase different types of roles you're capable of so casting can get a sense of your artistic range. Adding and/or removing an outer clothing layer like a blazer or jacket is not considered an additional look.
The short answer is no. After 15 years in the business, we believe having a talented MUA at your shoot is necessary for achieving the best possible results. Our makeup team is well versed on our lighting and style, so they understand which products and techniques are best suited for these conditions. Our artists are wonderful collaborators and will listen to your needs and make any necessary tweaks and changes throughout the entire shoot. They are comfortable with all hair and skin types. Hair/makeup is required for all clients.
Unlike other photographers, we release all the best, un-retouched, and downloadable images as jpegs without a watermark. Your images will be color-corrected but not retouched. We offer complimentary retouches in some of our packages and you are welcome to purchase additional retouches as you need them.
Depending on your package, you will get anywhere from 80 - 300+ selects from the shoot. For our express corporate shoot, you will receive 25-50 selects.
Yes! When you arrive, our team will help you unpack your wardrobe and you will discuss your goals with Jess. You will have the opportunity to communicate the kinds of roles you are targeting and how we can best accomplish your needs. You may also share a selfie of how you normally present yourself on an audition day. This way, the MUA has an understanding of your vibe so you look and feel like yourself on camera.
Our standard delivery is 2 weeks. There are options for 3 Business Day and 24hr rushes for an additional fee. Retouching takes an additional 2-3 weeks as we have many orders and only a small team. All final edits go through Jess before they are sent to our clients. There are rush options for retouching as well.
Because a quality headshot can change the course of your career. You want to be working with a photographer who knows the industry and will provide coaching techniques that result in versatile, professional, and eye-catching headshots. Jess believes no two artists are alike, and customizes her sessions to match the energy and depth of each individual client.
We lead our sessions with open dialogue and collaboration. We encourage you to speak up during the session if you would like to make any changes. Periodically, we will show you how the images are reading on the monitor so you have multiple opportunities to tweak hair/makeup and make sure we're on track with your goals. Because of this, we do not offer reshoots. If you change your look and want to shoot a shorter session, our returning clients always receive 20% off any package
A deposit of $200.00 is required to book a session and is non-refundable. If for some reason you need to change your scheduled time or date, you may do so within 7 days prior to your shoot day, and your deposit will be transferred. You may only transfer the deposit once. Cancellations made after the allotted time will require a new deposit in order to book. We recommend you book out the entire day to eliminate any stressors. Please make sure you alert your agency or job prior to booking your appointment to avoid any hassle later.
For headshots, shooting outdoors is ONLY available for the Ultimate Session and is available April - October, weather permitting. We sometimes mix natural light and studio light in our sessions.
We kindly ask that you respect our wishes to keep every session closed to guests. It's important that you don't feel influenced or distracted by a guest, so we ask that you arrive alone. If your guest would like a private and comfortable place to sit, we would be happy to reserve a conference room for them. There are lots of coffee shops and restaurants nearby and can gladly provide you with a list of recommendations prior to your shoot. ** For kids and teens 15 and under, it is ok if a family member accompanies you.
