Headshot or a Branding photoshoot, which do you need?

A QUICK GUIDE

BRANDING PHOTOGRAPHY

You - Post regularly in Social Media to attract clients

You - Use Printed Material, like brochures

You - Have a website

You - Have a newsletter

You - Are being published

You - Are being interviewed for a publication

You - Want to show more of your personality to your audience

You - Want to develop the “know, like & trust factor” in your marketing

You - Have an “about me” page

HEADSHOT PHOTOGRAPHY

You - Need a photo or 2 for your profiles on Social Media

You - work for a company and they need 1 photo of you to add to their website.

You - want a photo for your email signature

You - need a photo for your badge at work

You - need a passport photo

Want more information on Branding Photography, check out my blog Why Entrepreneurs Need More Than a Headshot.

Outdoor Headshots

Do you need headshots, but don’t feel comfortable having a session inside?

The last thing you need during your photoshoot, is the added stress of being worried about Covid. We all have different levels of comfort. So what do you do if you really need professional headshots, but don’t want to do them in a studio?

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An outdoor photo that looks like a studio portrait. Karolina LaBrecque of Help to Grow Institute, in her backyard.

It all depends on what kind of photos you want for your brand. But, consider an outdoor shoot. I can create photos outdoors that look like they were taken in a studio. I will set up a backdrop and put up lights and voila - awesome headshots! However, if you have a more relaxed, natural vibe and you want to be photographed in a natural surrounding, well, that one’s a no-brainer. You have your natural surroundings as a backdrop. I may still bring in lights, because even in outdoor conditions, we can improve the quality of the light.

Karolina wanted a combination of indoor and outdoor photos - but the secret is - they were all done outside. I set up a backdrop and lights in her backyard and fired away!! Sure, the backdrop fell over once because it was a bit windy - but I just put it against a tree and we were good to go! It’s a smart thing to do, to have photos with a backdrop because those can be used anywhere. Adding additional photos with an outdoor settings can simply add to your brand.

Lisa chose to have her photos done outside and they go with the straightforward, relaxed vibe that her brand projects. Susan also wanted to project a relaxed, business vibe. Susan’s clothing is slightly more dressy, but still relaxed.

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Lisa Leslie of Magnolia Method Consulting, in downtown Dover

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Susan Gold of Gold and Parnters, outdoors in Portsmouth.

I set up Susan’s photos with lights and a reflector. Lisa did not need any lights, although I did use a reflector. It was an extremely bright day and we had to avoid the harsh sun. We went in and out of the shadows of trees and overhangs while the sun went in and out of clouds. I am always looking to get nice, even, flattering light on the face, no matter what the conditions. There is always a workaround!

There are so many ways you can set up outside photos that look awesome for business headshots and branding. Don’t wait to get good photos. We can do them outdoors and stay 6 feet apart!! And as I do for all of my customers, I will help you with your wardrobe and with styling.

A Natural Makeup Look for Headshots

PREPPING FOR A PHOTOSHOOT DURING COVID

MAKEUP:

Prior to Covid, it was easy -  go to the salon or have a makeup artist on hand. If you are comfortable with going to a salon, go for it. But what do you do if you aren’t comfortable with having someone so close to your face?

Today I will focus on a natural makeup look.

If you aren’t used to wearing makeup and like a natural look, I will give you some fairly easy makeup ideas in order to get you camera ready.

Foundation. If you have skin that is uneven in texture and color you should use a foundation. Foundation will help to conceal under eye darkness and will help to even out your skin tone. I don’t recommend concealer because it can be very easy to overuse and that can make even more uneven color variations. Use a Foundation that matches the color of your face and neck . If you will never use it again, then go with a foundation that doesn’t cost much. Revlon has some great inexpensive foundations in multiple colors that look good on camera. If you think you might want to keep using foundation, then you might want to try a product that is good for your skin. I use a local company called Aislings Organics. I like them because they are cruelty free. There are many natural and organic products on the market to choose from.

Powder. A translucent powder will reduce shine and set your makeup. Shine on your face does not look good in photos. If you have a powder brush, that would be the best way to apply it. If you are using your powder puff that comes with the compact than just lightly blot your face on your nose, your forehead and your chin. Stay away from your eyes and your cheeks.

Eyebrows. Well defined Eyebrows are probably the most important place on your face where you can help define your look. First, get rid of any hairs that are clearly not where they are supposed to be. If you are a light skinned blonde - Mac has a wonderful blonde pencil. If you are blonde you can go a little darker than your hair. If you are a brunette, you don’t want to go too dark and try to match your hair. I prefer pencil to brushes because they are crisper, more defined and last longer. There are many new eyebrow products to choose from because well-defined eyebrows are in right now. Follow the chart attached to get your eyebrow shape.

Lip color. Lip color can add a nice touch to your face, but is not the most important for photos. Less is more, as I can easily add more color in editing. Make sure your lips are moisturized and not chapped. If you tend to get chapped lips start moisturizing diligently up to a week before your shoot. You don’t want to have strips of skin hanging off your lips the day of your shoot..

Always remember, eating lots of fruits and veggies, and limiting coffee and alcohol several days before your shoot will help to reduce puffiness and give your skin a natural glow.

Do you hate how you look in photos?

Like many people, I often don’t like the way I look in photographs. With the advent of cellphones and too many clicks that don’t flatter, I think the tendency to hate the way we look in photos has increased. Back in the day, before the advent of point and shoot cameras, people got professional photos taken. It was a thing to get the family together, dress up and have portraits taken - by a professional. Today everyone has a camera on hand and we are getting our photos taken quite often. Mostly the photos are taken in bad light, they are not posed well and they are unflattering. So it is no surprise that many of us hate the way we look in photos.

I have decided to adopt a mindset that passes off my really horrible photos to bad lighting and posing. This takes a change of mind and it takes effort. I know I am aging, and that is something that I cannot control. I am not expecting to be wrinkle free, but I want to look attractive. I want to look like myself at my best. I don’t want to look at my image and not like the way I look.

I have been putting off doing self-portraits for a long time. It is so easy to come up with excuses. In reality, I assumed that I would hate the way I looked. So here in quarantine, because I love to do portraits, because I cannot shoot clients, I was pushed into a corner. I had to do it - no more excuses!

I bit the bullet, and took a deep breath and set up a portrait session for me. I did my own hair and makeup, put on my favorite black turtle neck and set up flattering lighting. I did my best to do poses that I know are flattering. Without having anyone to direct me (like I would direct a client), this is a bit of trial and error. So far, I think my best look is with my face straight at the camera with my chin slightly lowered. I was pleasantly surprised that I actually like my photographs. Sure there are a few that don’t look good. That is normal in any shoot. With every client I will try different angles to see which is more appealing. I analyze which angle and expression looks best on them.

You need to exist in photos for yourself and for those that you love. Not someday in the future, but now.

My love affair with tattoos

I find tattoos fascinating and love photographing people with tattoos, which is strange for someone who has no tattoos and no intention of ever having one, but I do admire them on other people. Anyway, it was great fun for me putting Brenna’s tattoos front and center on these images. Brenna was a great model and has a beautiful tranquil quality to her expression. I also love that she wears no makeup and has the best eyebrows ever!

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How to look your best in your headshots

If you have taken the time to schedule a professional headshot session, then it will be worth your while to also think about these few things that could make your photos look awesome. You may think that photoshop can cure a multitude of sins, and that may be partially true. However, there are some things that are particularly difficult to fix in photoshop - like a slight swelling in the upper lids, or a bad hair day. It is worth a little forethought and planning to get the best photos you can.

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Get a good nights sleep. Sleep really is a beauty treatment. Everything about you looks better with a good nights sleep. You will also be in a better frame of mind which will show in your photos. So get to bed early, put on your sleep sounds and your eye mask and get your 8 hours.

Nix the alcohol. Alcohol is dehydrating and will increase eye puffiness. I love my wine, but I look so much better without it. So do yourself a favor and forego the alcohol for a few days before your shoot. Replace it with lots of water and some green juice for a nice bright complexion.

Get your hair done. If you need a cut, get one. If not, get it styled. Tell your hairdresser that you are getting photos, they can help you decide the best look for your photos. Hair is probably one of the most difficult things to photoshop. So if you can’t do any of the other items from this list - splurge on a trip to the hair salon. Photographers can add eyelashes, lipstick and remove blemishes, but hair is tough to fix.

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Get your makeup done. Either get a makeup artist to apply makeup for you (many photographers will supply one) or get a makeup consultation a couple of weeks ahead of your shoot. Have someone show you how to apply makeup and practice. It is not as hard you might think. Avoid too much blush and contouring and don’t forget to keep some powder on hand during the shoot. Avoid powder base as this does not photograph well. The most important items are a good natural looking foundation, well defined eyebrows and a little definition in the eyes.

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Wear tailored clothes. You want an outfit that doesn’t hide your form. Avoid lots of fabric that adds bulk. Wear solid colors and colors that are flattering to your skin tone. They could be light or dark, but keep in mind the image you wish to project. Does what you are wearing fit in with the type of business you are in? Does it fit with your brand? Preferably wear newer clothes and remember they don’t need to be expensive.

Discuss what you want with your photographer. Probably the most important item on this list. Make sure you are clear about what you would like your photos to look like. Do you want a more businesslike image a glam image or a more relaxed and casual image? Make sure you and your photographer are in alignment.

Remember, the more invested you are in the outcome of your photos, the more likely you are to get photos you love.