How to Shoot Professional Headshots and Portraits

All the best photographers, makeup artists & stylists, all under one roof, who help you look your best. Check out your photos on the spot—we’ll take as many as you’d like until you’re happy with your photos. We’ll help you select your favorite photos, which will be delivered just hours later. The location can be a studio or any place with appropriate lighting, so the background isn’t always just a black or white wall. Now this is up for debate but in my opinion there is a distinction to be made, albeit slight. Here’s my rundown of the key characteristics of the two to help ensure that you’re on the same wavelength as your photographer.

Various other professions rely on headshots as an active marketing tool. These include an attorney, doctor, real estate agent, and so on. For one, when your subject can see a couple of shots on the screen, they’ll quickly get an idea of what needs to be changed. Coaching from a professional headshot photographer ensures a good first impression. Looking mean, scared, or eager in a photo creates the wrong first-impression.

If you are looking for the quick answer as to what is the difference between a headshot and a portrait, here it is. White backdrop (which shows off-white to very light gray in photographs) combined with a simple lighting technique is increasingly common in startups and other corporate headshots. The final difference between headshots and portraits is the flexibility to be creative. Portraits give the photographer more opportunity for creativity and artistic expression. A portrait photographer may experiment with lighting, posing, color, props, clothing, angles, backgrounds, and subjects. When looking at headshot photography tips, lighting is right up there.

You have to get the aperture and focal length right to ensure that you are focused on your client. In most cases, you will want all of their face and shoulders in focus. This is not Headshots and Portraits the type of photo where you would simply focus on their eyes or one single feature. What happens if you only take 10 photos, and they are all out of focus or poorly composed?

Talking to clients gives us the opportunity to get to know them on a genuine level. The process is definitely a collaborative one, so that everyone feels they have a say in their shoot. My entire process, from beginning to end, is client-centered. From the moment you walk into my studio, I make sure you are comfortable and feel welcomed. I realize that many people are nervous to get their headshot taken, so I've developed a proven system to make sure you look great and feel great.

Your eye will be drawn to bright areas or distracting objects in the frame. If the background is essential to the feel or mood of the shot, this is great and marks a thoughtfully composed photo. The trees or light poles emerging from heads in the photos have the opposite effect. In today’s socially connected world, a modern headshot comes in handy for anyone looking to market themselves professionally (or personally — don’t forget about online dating profiles).

Corporate headshots are used in various digital outlets such as company websites, social media, and promotional material. This type of shot is used to give a face to a corporation – to make them appear more human and approachable. If you are going to use the photograph professionally, a headshot is most likely your best bet.