Headshots are personal and they should reflect your brand or how you would like to be perceived. How you dress is a big part of that. The best thing anyone can do to prepare for their session is to bring options. I don’t have rules for what to wear. We all know what colors we look best in. I would start there. Then I would eliminate anything that is shiny or has a strong/bold print. Simple is better. Focus on what fits the best and when in doubt a few of my favorites include denim (shirts or jackets), black turtlenecks, and a well fitting and pressed plain dress shirt. If you’re going to wear a tie the most important thing is that it is tied well. The studio is equipped with both a steamer and a dressing room. Please don’t hesitate to snap some shots of what you’re thinking of bringing with your phone and text them to me for feedback.

I’m picky about makeup and it’s been my experience that most makeup artists create more problems than they solve. I think most people are best served doing their own makeup. That means no false eyelashes, bold lip colors, or excessive contouring. Bring your makeup with you and you can touch it up as we go and see how it looks on the computer screen. Photoshop is a much better solution for people looking for that flawless skin effect.

Outdoor headshots are generally just a bad idea. Most outdoor headshots suffer from bad lighting, disheveled hair, and distracting background elements. Weather permitting, I don’t mind stepping outside for a few minutes and grabbing some shots, but the lions share of what we create will be done in studio. Sessions will not be rescheduled for reasons relating to weather.

I love getting out of the studio and photographing people in their homes or offices, but there’s quite a bit more involved. If you’d like to be photographed outside of the studio, there’s a $500 additional fee. Shoot me a text or an email immediately after you schedule your session and we’ll work out the details. 

Most of my clients want pictures of themselves that make them look a little younger, a little thinner, and a little more attractive. Who wouldn’t right? At the end of the session, we’re going to go through your images, and you’re going to select your favorites. You have the opportunity to purchase those images for $200 each, and those shots will be retouched and returned to you a week later. When I retouch images, the position I’m coming from is that I want it to look like you on your best day. Generally, that means that I’m going to tame those fly-away hairs, lighten up those wrinkles under your eyes ( or wherever they happen to be) and even out your skin. The last step is tightening up any bumps or gaps in the clothing. When requested, I will take all of that one step further at no additional charge.

Whether your company has a style guide that needs to be followed, or you saw something in a magazine or online that you really liked, chances are that I’ll be able to recreate it. Some of my favorite shoots of all time started with a Pinterest board full of ideas. Feel free to shoot me a text or send me an email with any ideas you might want use as inpsiration.

So when this question comes up, I generally suggest some kind of alternative solution. People generally understand the “green screen” concept just enough to be dangerous. This type of background replacement rarely looks convincing in a finished product for a variety of reasons that I’m not going to bore you with. If this is something that you really need, let’s chat about it (before you book me). If this is something you think you might might want… let’s work together to find a better solution to the problem.

Life happens, things come up, and updating your headshot isn’t usually a life or death situation. I would rather reschedule your session than have you come in preoccupied or in a rush to leave. I have a 72 hour rescheduling policy which means as long as you reschedule your session with three days notice, there is no penalty or cost to you. If you need to reschedule at the lass minute (less than 72 hours notice) there’s a $100 rescheduling fee.

Some people prefer to get input from others before making their image selections. I get it. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but I get it. This is the photographic equivalent of too many cooks in the kitchen and I’m here to help you narrow down your options. If you insist on getting outside help you’re welcome to do the image buyout and decide later.

It’s my job to make you look awesome and more often than not we end up getting a lot of variety. It’s not uncommon for people to want all of the images and at $200/each, that gets expensive quickly. If you’re one of those people that wants to have all of the images, I have an image buyout option for a flat fee of $1000.