Yes and no. How to pose for a headshot is a headshot photography related phrase often searched on google. And the answer is really not all that complicated. Simply because most of what you’ll be required to do, other than stand or sit naturally, is up to me to walk you through. And even then not all that much needs to be done. A few tweaks here and there to your natural posture is often all it takes. A good photographer is in part almost always thinking in terms of composition. It’s up to the photographer to establish the group of angles necessary to serve the end goal. So yes you have to do a little bit of what one may call posing, but no you don’t have to figure any of it out yourself. If you’re more interested in this I have a whole article about it in my blog.

Headshot vs portrait, what’s the difference? Sometimes not much to be honest. In fact I often find myself letting the one bleed into the other. However the term headshot usually suggests a certain utilitarian kind of end use. Along with this comes a certain standard or set of criteria that needs to be met to fit within a particular business or industry mold. Fort example an industry standard actors headshot needs to meet the expectations of a casting director, agent or other professional in the entertainment industry. This typically means mostly head and very little body, a gaze right into the camera, no hands on the face or excess when it comes to wardrobe and styling. Business headshots often require specifications that match existing content or other headshots. A portrait on the other hand, at least to me, suggest capturing an essence. Aristotle said “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance”. I think that quote succinctly sums up what a good portrait is all about.

The easy short answer to this is a good photographer makes a good headshot or portrait. That might sound a little flippant but the point is true — you pay me to make a photo, all you really need to do is cooperate with what it takes to achieve that end goal. And honestly, it doesn’t take all that much on your part. There are a few things you can do leading up to the session that can help, e.g., try and get good sleep, etc., but I wouldn’t stress about these things too much. There’s very little that can’t be coached or corrected. You can view my tips on how to prepare to learn more about this. Outside of the collaborative process between photographer and client there are certainly a few aesthetic qualities that make a headshot or portrait most effective. Although there are differences between headshots and portraits the following applies to both. A good headshot or portrait is dynamic. Just like any other art form, a powerful photograph almost always has a dynamic quality. In headshot terms that might mean the head turned subtly one way while the shoulders are angled another. It might mean creating negative space between an arm and the body or something as simple as shifting the head one way and the eyes another. Lighting can also provide a dynamic quality. Sometimes I’ll shoot subjects straight on, almost perfectly symmetrical and let the lighting and design add in the dynamics. A good headshot or portrait is honest. There’s something I call the honest gaze. This is a feeling of genuineness portrayed by the look or gaze of the subject being photographed. This does not mean intense, or confident or anything else. It means genuine. If your look is genuine, it’s going to by nature also be confident and powerful. A genuine or honest look is usually simply you un impeded by the present circumstances of being in front of a camera. Does that mean you can’t be nervous, well no. It means you need a good photographer to read between the lines, determine your baseline and do what’s necessary to capture it.

The first and most important thing is to remember that I’m here to guide you through the whole process. Most people tell me they don’t like having their photos taken. Including myself! I expect that, and do everything I can to make it an easy, fully guided process. Second: Communication is key. Let me know what it is you’re trying to achieve. If you see photos on-line that inspire you, send them over. If there’s a particular mood you’re going for, let me know. If you’re undecided about wardrobe, etc., run it by me. Third, try to be at your best. That may mean a good nights sleep, or the right kind of meal, or particular kind of inspiration. But don’t over do it. Worrying about being prepared is often the worst thing you can do to prepare. With exception to extreme cases, you don’t need to cancel if you don’t achieve these things—most of the signs of a poor nights sleep can be edited out, fly away hair can be fixed. There are techniques we can use to help you engage. With respect to hair and make-up: some clients like to have their hair styled before the shoot. If this makes you feel more confident, I’d say do it. However most tend to take care of this themselves. The same is true for make-up. The vast majority of my clients choose to do their own. If you’d like to have an artist do it for you on site, you can arrange it yourself or, we can help you arrange it at an additional fee. If you’re looking for some make-up basics, check out this article.