Headshot FAQs
Where does my headshot session take place?
Many of our sessions take place at our studio in Dyer, IN located in the Chicagoland area. However, we travel to many locations to do your entire staff or locations of your choice if you're looking to promote your brand. In some cases, we can also add backgrounds digitally, giving you plenty of options.
What do I Wear?
You should bring plenty of options to the shoot, we will go over it before hand but here are some pointers for you:
Always bring clothes that match your style and personality.
Avoid bringing only black clothes or only white clothes (yes it happens), not only can they lose detail in photos, but it can limit the variety of images in your portfolio. Concentrate on bringing solid colors that complement your natural color so that your face, not your shirt, will stand out in the images.
Stay away from clothes with busy patterns. Solid colors are best.
Make sure any clothes that you bring are clean and neatly pressed. This goes double for collared shirts and suits. The camera picks up a lot more detail than you think. Standard retouching does not include fixing the wrinkles in your clothes.
Blue Jeans always look great on camera, unless they are dingy and torn. For headshots your lower half won’t make it in to most of the pictures, but don’t neglect to pick out some good pants for the shoot. Keep in mind what look you are going for and bring clean, simple, and timeless choices.
Make sure to dress comfortable but classy, v-neck and u-neck sweaters and shirts are great. For women tank-tops are always good, stay away from clothes that are too tight or uncomfortable.
Collared button down shirts are great, a solid color for the men and a stylish solid color for women. All shirts need to be clean and pressed. You can always add a quick extra look to your shoot by bringing a couple of jackets or a tie
Be rested and drink plenty of water the day before your shoot, it is amazing for your skin.
Don’t concentrate on jewelry or accessories too much. Keep your choices to classic pieces so that match a variety of outfits. For commercial acting headshots, jewelry isn’t necessary.
Do I need Professional Hair & Makeup
Hair and makeup is not included in the session fee. Most of the time men can get by without using professional hair and makeup, but we recommend a powder or foundation to help even out skin tones and to keep the face from looking shiny. You can pick up a powder in your color at any department store, we recommend a beauty supply store where you can get professional help picking the right color.
For women we always recommend professional makeup. A professional makeup artist is trained for camera ready makeup which is a bit different than what you would apply on a daily basis. A makeup artist knows how to make you look your best for the camera.
You can bring your own makeup artist to the shoot, or we can provide you with a list of local HMUA’s that we work with all the time and love!
My studio is open for you to have your hair and makeup done before your session, just make sure to let us know when you schedule your appointment.
How long does it take to get my images?
For most headshot sessions our turnaround time is three business days to get your gallery of images. Once you make your retouching selections it is typically another two to three business days before your final, edited images are delivered to you. If you have a deadline and need something even faster, be sure to let us know when you book.