How to Prepare for Your Headshot Session

‍A complete guide for anyone with an upcoming session, and for the HR and office managers coordinating one for a whole team.‍ ‍

If you have a session on the calendar, this guide will walk you through everything worth knowing beforehand: what to wear, how to prepare, and what to expect on the day. If you are still researching options, it will give you a clear picture of what good preparation looks like and why it matters more than most people assume.

Headshots carry more weight than a single photo should. LinkedIn's own published data shows that profiles with a photo receive up to 21 times more views and 9 times more connection requests than profiles without one. On a company website, a strong headshot does the same job at scale: it tells a client or candidate that the person, and the organization behind them, is credible and put together before a single word is exchanged.

A little preparation is what separates a headshot that gets used everywhere for the next two years from one that ends up back in a folder marked "redo."

What Your Headshots Need to Accomplish

Before you think about wardrobe or timing, it helps to know where the photos are actually going. That shapes almost every other decision.

Company team pages: these need a consistent look across everyone, same background, same crop, same lighting, so the team page reads as one organization rather than a collage of unrelated photos.
LinkedIn and professional profiles: a bit more personality is acceptable here, but the same standards of quality and clarity apply.
Marketing materials and press: these usually need to match brand guidelines, so check with your marketing team before your session if you're unsure.
Directories, bios, and speaking materials: these establish authority, so a more polished, formal treatment tends to work best.

An attorney's headshot for a law firm site and a creative director's headshot for a design agency call for different levels of formality. If you're not sure which direction is right for your role or industry, mention it during booking and we'll plan for it. This applies whether you're booking executive headshots individually or as part of a corporate team session.

Timing Your Session

‍ Book two to three weeks out. This gives you time to prepare without the pressure of a same-week deadline.
Avoid your busiest work week. Fatigue shows up on camera before it shows up anywhere else.
Morning sessions tend to work best. Most people photograph better when their energy is highest and before the day has worn on them.
Get haircuts one to two weeks ahead, not the day before. A fresh cut needs a few days to settle.
Build in a buffer if your skin is prone to breakouts. Give yourself a few days of normal routine before the shoot rather than trying something new right beforehand.

If something comes up the morning of your session, tell us.

Rescheduling is a normal part of this process, and it's a better outcome than photos you won't want to use for the next two years.

Wardrobe

General guidance

‍Solid colors photograph best. They keep attention on your face instead of a pattern.
Structure adds polish. Blazers, jackets, and other tailored pieces add professional dimension, especially in three-quarter or wider crops.
Bring options. Three to four tops or outfits gives you room to adjust once you see how something reads on camera.
Fit matters more than the brand. Everything should be clean, pressed, and properly fitted. Too tight or too loose reads clearly in photos.
Match your industry. More conservative fields call for more traditional business attire; creative fields have more room.

Color

Navy, medium to dark gray, and burgundy photograph exceptionally well and read as professional across almost every industry.
Muted tones are more flattering on camera than bright, saturated colors.
Pure white and pure black can both create exposure problems, so it's best to avoid them if you have other options.
If you know your studio or location background in advance, choose something that contrasts with it rather than blends in.

What to leave at home

Sleeveless tops, unless layered under a jacket
Anything with a visible logo or brand name
Ultra-trendy pieces that will date the photo quickly
Clothing that closely matches your skin tone
Heavy stripes or busy patterns

For HR and Office Managers Coordinating a Team Session

If you're planning headshots for your whole team, wardrobe consistency is what makes the final set look cohesive rather than like ten unrelated photos stitched together.

The simplest approach: send this guide to your team ahead of time, then add one line specific to your organization, for example asking everyone to stick to solid navy, gray, or your brand color, and to skip logos from other companies or personal brands.

A short reminder two to three days before the shoot, not two weeks before, tends to get the best compliance since it's fresh in people's minds.

We can also share sample images from past corporate sessions so your team has a visual reference, not just written guidelines.

Just ask when you book your session.

Grooming and Appearance

‍For everyone

Stay hydrated in the days leading up to your session
Get a full night's sleep beforehand
Bring oil-blotting papers to manage shine between shots
Lip balm helps if your lips tend to chap
A small touch-up kit is worth keeping in your bag for the day

If you wear makeup

Your normal routine, slightly polished, is usually the right call
Heavy foundation and dramatic eye makeup rarely photograph as intended unless that's already your everyday look
Translucent powder helps control shine under studio lighting
Neutral lip colors tend to photograph better than very bold or dark shades
Waterproof mascara is worth using if your eyes tend to water

If you have facial hair

Get it trimmed and shaped precisely, ideally by a professional, one to two days before your session
Camera detail picks up unevenness that's easy to miss in a bathroom mirror

Day of Your Session

Here's what to expect once you arrive, along with a few things worth bringing.

What to bring

Your outfit options, pressed and ready
Any hair or makeup products you'll want for touch-ups
A lint roller
Oil-blotting papers
Water
Reference photos, if you have a look in mind (optional)
Any specific requirements from your company or marketing team, written down so nothing gets missed

Posing

You'll be guided through this during the session, so you don't need to arrive with a routine memorized. A few things that help in the moment:

A slight chin tilt down and forward defines the jawline better than facing the camera head-on
A small angle to your body, rather than squaring off directly to the lens, tends to look more natural
Relaxed shoulders read as confidence; raised or tense shoulders read as the opposite
We'll capture both a warmer, approachable expression and a more serious one, so you have options

Working together

Share what the photos are for and any concerns you have before we start. Ask questions if a pose feels unnatural. If seeing an image mid-session helps you adjust, just ask and we'll show you. Most people feel a little self-conscious in front of a camera, including people who do this for a living on the other side of it. That's normal, and it fades quickly once the session gets moving.

After Your Session

Turnaround is under three business days for a standard session. If you need images sooner, same-day delivery is available with 24 hours' notice, just let us know when you book.
Review your images with their end use in mind. The photo that works best for LinkedIn isn't always the one that works best for a formal team page.
Update everywhere at once. Swapping your photo on your website but not LinkedIn (or the reverse) creates an inconsistency that's more noticeable than people expect.
Plan to refresh every two years. That's the standard cycle for most of our corporate and executive clients, with shorter sessions in between for new hires.

Ready to book, or already have a date on the calendar?

If you're planning ahead, we'll find a time that works and talk through what your team or organization needs.

If you're already booked, this guide has what you need to walk in ready.

Schedule a Discovery Call‍ ‍

Planning headshots for more than a few people?

Mention your team size when you reach out and we'll put together a session structure that fits your schedule.