- Colors: Stay away from bright or neon or very vibrant type colors - they are distracting and take away from your face.
- Fabric: Cotton tank tops are fine, but don’t let this be the only thing you bring - they are sometimes overdone/boring. Those $5 tanks from h&m are lackluster… but If the tank has a cool fabric or texture, it’s already more exciting. Long sleeves and sweaters can work, but don’t let the fabric consume you. We want to see your skin, bones, movement, and body shape.
- Patterns: Stay away from logos or patterns that are really close together like checkered shirts that confuse the eye.
DON'T!
- Colors: 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.
- 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: Solids are always safe but 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.
DO!
Colors, Textures, Necklines
Wardrobe
Jean, leather, suede, tweed, wool, etc. Layers are really good and help add dimension.
Jackets:
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.
Styles:
Cable knit, waffle, sweaters, corduroy, suede, leather, linen, etc
Textures:
Men
Keep in mind that everything above is a suggestion, so if you love it, bring it! Wear things you LIKE and make you feel comfortable! Ultimately, if you don't like it, it will translate into the image. This is a headshot, so be most attentive to how the shirt fits from your head to your chest and maybe a little below. We can always cheat and clip things to frame your body well!
Bottom Line
Women
Styles:
Blazers are great for young professional and procedural roles in colors like black, all blues, maroon, plaid, tweed, etc. White will read as medical. Jean jackets are great texture for camera, leather jackets are great for edgier and the more fitted and lived-in, the better. Basically any jacket or layer is going to add depth. Plaid shirt , sweater vest, or hoodie can be layered over a top too!
Jackets:
Blouses, shirts, dresses , crew neck, v-neck, turtle neck (Best to be layered under a jacket, unless it’s a sleeveless turtleneck). Scoop neck, oversized sweaters with wide necklines, basically anything with an interesting neckline or texture is lovely.
Textures:
Silk, light knit, tweed, leather, plaid, corduroy, chambray, jean, lace, etc
Aritzia (girls, this is my favorite place to recommend because they have great things for every type of role and the quality actually picks up on camera), J.Crew, Zara, Top Man, Anthropologie, Free People, American Eagle, Madewell.
Recommended places to shop for clothes:
OK, I think that covers it! If you’re totally overwhelmed right now, feel free to check my website or other headshot photographer websites for clothing ideas and inspiration! Then go shopping and leave those tags on!
Note
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.
Jewelry
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 clear and in focus. You can also buy cheap plastic frames from Amazon or even CVS as an option. Pop those lenses out!!!!
Glasses
Accessories
If there are any particular images that speak to you in my portfolio, show them to me at the shoot! It could be the mood, vibe, colors, expression, etc.
If your agent or manager would like to see anything specific that would help them, please let me know.
5.) What is your age range for castings?
4.) Think of a few roles on the stage or in film/tv that you could play right now. What are they wearing on camera? Whatever ensemble they are wearing on film can be a good reference point for you to emulate.
3.) Whose career do you admire in the industry? These individuals could resemble your personality and/or share a similar appearance.
2.) What roles are you getting called in for?
1.) What roles or types do you like playing?
We’ll go over some of this at the start of the session. The answers to these questions should help inform the clothing choices you bring and get you thinking about your goals so you can best communicate them at your session.
Homework
-If you have any breakouts on the day of your session DON’T FREAK. We gotchu.
-Stay away from the face or hair masks or facials. You don’t know how your skin or hair is going to react. Stick with your normal routine.
DON'T!
-Cleanse morning and evening. Tone. Use moisturizer. Moisturize and exfoliate your lips. Don’t go crazy and experiment with new products that might leave you dry or irritated.
DO!
Skin
- Don't get a haircut or color too close to the session! I can’t tell you how many people don’t feel like themselves after a bad cut or are upset that their bangs are too short. But if they’re too long… we won’t see your pretty face. So make sure you time this well!
- Please don't roll up with greasy hair. It's harder to revitalize hair that has been weighed down. We recommend using a clarifying shampoo if you've got a lot of build up.
- Specific to Men: Don't shave your beard too close to the session if you plan on shooting with and without scruff.
DON'T!
-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 so that it's fresh and we have a good place to build.
-You should arrive with your hair styled the way you like it for auditions. It’s important that we have a base to work with and then take it from there. If you think a blowout is a good base, then head over to a dry bar or let us know if you need recommendations.
- Specific to men—make sure your scruff is well groomed and evenly trimmed.
DO!
Hair
We can't wait to meet you and create some beautiful images together.
Short and sweet!
Just kidding, I know that was a bit of an info-OVERLOAD and might seem intimidating, but I promise this isn't gonna be scary. Take a deep breath, relax, and know that WE'VE GOT YOU and this is going to be fun.
I fully believe that the energy you give off is the energy you receive.
That's all
I'm not gonna tell you to get a bunch of sleep because that's way easier said than done. Just do your best.
Don’t drink the night before or even a few days before, if possible. Alcohol can dehydrate you and make you look tired.
Night before
Drink water! Water helps with skin, breakouts, bloating, your general well-being.
If applicable, ask your agent or manager what they want to see out of your headshot. Colors? Vibes? Hopefully, they’re trusting of you and the process and won’t have too many particulars. We got this!
Make a playlist that makes you happy and excited and wants to dance. Anything from Bruno Mars to Frank Sinatra to Fleetwood Mac works—the sky is the limit. This is optional of course.
Week before
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
Reshoot Policy
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.
