What to Wear for Your Headshot Photos
Professional headshots are one of the essential marketing tools in your brand identity toolkit. As business owners, we usually get so excited when we have our shiny new logo or website, but we cringe at the thought of having photos taken.
Even if you’re not quite ready for a full personal branding photoshoot, I always recommend starting out with one or two professional headshots.
So, What’s the Difference Between a Headshot and Branding Photos, I Hear You Ask?
In my work, headshots are the simple ‘looking at the camera’ photos that everyone loves to see so they can make a human connection with you. I usually keep my headshot work clean and minimal on a white background so they’re more versatile to use in a wide array of applications.
Brand photos, however, tell more of the story of you and your business. This is the type of content where we show even more of your personality, what you do and how you do it. We have more time to include various outfits and props, we use different backgrounds and ‘scenes’ and we strategise beforehand the purpose of the photos and how they’ll be used to elevate your business. A bigger personal branding photoshoot is perfect for businesses who need a lot of custom content for social media or a full website build-out.
As a personal branding photographer, the most common questions I get asked are based around what outfits would look best for business photos.
So to help you prepare for your next photoshoot, here are my top tips on what to wear for your headshot photos….
Wear Clothes Appropriate for Your Business
The whole point of having professional business photos taken is to show your potential clients who you are and make an authentic connection with them. So it’s best to be authentic and wear outfits that you feel comfortable in, and that are appropriate for your business.
If you work in a corporate office with top level executives, then it would be appropriate for you to wear a tailored skirt and blazer. If however you’re a creative entrepreneur and usually work with your clients in a relaxed environment, then a great pair of jeans and t-shirt would be a better outfit choice for your headshots.
Choosing an outfit for your headshot photos that makes sense for you and your business, is a great way to introduce yourself to potential clients and what they might expect when working with you.
Layering
If you’re just needing one or two updated headshots, we don’t have the time for multiple outfit changes, but layering your outfit with a jacket is great for giving you some variety in your photos in a short amount of time. Wear a plain top or dress underneath, and with a quick throwing-on of a jacket, you have a new look!
All About Colours
Just like choosing outfits styles that are appropriate to your business when deciding what to wear for your headshot photos, also choose colours that are appropriate to your brand. If your brand is fun, bright and bold, then your headshot should most definitely show that. If, however, your brand is minimal and neutral, then choose outfits that are minimal and neutral in colour and tone as well. As I mentioned earlier, a larger personal branding photoshoot will allow more time for a variety of outifts and colour choices, but for one or two basic headshots, choose the colours that best suit your brand.
Accessorise
Jewellery, and accessories like scarves, are a great way to add interest and personality to your business portraits, and also bring in your brand colours.
Hair and Makeup
As a brand photographer, I always recommend having your hair and makeup done for any type of headshots or branding photos. Even if you’re like me and you don’t normally wear makeup in your working day, having a natural makeup look applied before your photoshoot will not only help you feel amazing, but the finished photos will look all that more professional.
You can choose to have your hair and makeup done by a professional stylist before your photoshoot, or you can do it yourself. I always recommend applying makeup a little heavier than you normally would day-to-day, so that it shows up on camera.