About two months ago I realized I needed headshots. As a content creator and someone who documents everything with photos you would think I had at least one… but no. I’ve never gotten them done. I’m now in my early 30’s and selfies or portrait-esque photos from editorial campaign shoots isn’t going to cut it as a profile picture anymore. I was getting daily requests for my headshot as I took on more collaborations, accepted interviews, appeared on podcasts, and joined business communities… So something needed to be done… quickly.
First, I considered doing a ‘Social Distancing’ shoot with a professional photographer via Zoom or Skype, but after running a poll with my readers to ascertain the type of content you wanted to see (both here on this site and on social media), one of the top three questions I repeatedly received was “How do you take your photos?” I’m not surprised I got this question so often because for the last 10 years I’ve talked about how I do 90% of my own photography and most of it is shot in my own home. Realizing that the headshot situation was a personal learning opportunity I decided to take on the task myself so I could give you some tips for taking your own.
After studying dozens of headshots from women in the business world that I admire, I discovered a few best practices for posing, lighting, backdrop, wardrobe, hair, makeup and facial expression that add up to the perfect headshot.
Here are my pro tips for posing and taking your own headshots at home
- Relax – Shoulders back. Chest up. Don’t hold your breathe. Snap the photo as you’re gently exhaling. If you’re having trouble getting into this pose, sit on a chair, then rise and stand up straight as if you were about to walk away, but before you do, turn your head to the camera and smile.
- Smile – A few weeks ago I was interviewing a firm to represent me as my publicity team and something one of the team members said on the call was interesting to me. She mentioned that she’d looked over my Instagram and liked how I was smiling and showing teeth in a lot of the photos. She said those were the photos that caught her eye and held her attention. The reason those types of photos do well as a first impression is because they convey a sincerely genuine sense of authenticity. You can’t fake a truly joyful smile. So think of something you love and the perfect smile will come.
- Act Natural – Nothing ruins someone’s air of confidence like wearing a “deer in the headlights” facial expression. If you’re having trouble settling into a natural facial expression try setting up a mirror behind the camera so you can see yourself posing. This helps you realize what your face is doing and you can adjust accordingly, then glance directly into the camera the split second before the shutter clicks. If you don’t have a space with adequate lighting to set up the camera and a mirror, try looking down and then back up at the camera right before the shutter clicks. This gives your face a natural, easy look that is the same as when you look up from something you’re doing and notice someone you are happy to see.
- Be Yourself – Do you naturally smile and show teeth? Do you have more of a smirk that tugs at the corners of your mouth? Do little laugh lines appear around your eyes when you crack a grin? Good. You’re gorgeous. Be yourself. Don’t try to fake a face that’s not yours for your headshot. It will be obvious you’re trying too hard, and ultimately, you won’t look like YOU. Nothing screams confidence like a woman who knows herself and is unapologetically true to that person.
- Light it up – A professional headshot is not the time to go dark and moody. Place your camera centered in front of a ring light, or a window during sunrise or golden hour, to get the most flattering lighting. Diffused, direct light (not light shone from above/below) will ensure you don’t encounter any harsh shadows or create non-existent double chins or eye bags (not that there’s anything wrong with these, but you want to look like you and not age yourself unnecessarily!)
- Breathe – Stretch your neck and shoulders. Throw you head back and laugh. Between each photo take a deep breathe, from the stomach, all the way in and out. This will calm you down, lower your stress levels, and give you the most serene facial expression possible.
- Take your time – Taking headshots is something that could potentially take 1-2 hours from set-up to break-down, so give yourself plenty of time, space and grace. Remember, this doesn’t have to be done in 20 minutes or be done “perfectly”. I’m not a professional photographer and don’t claim to be. That’s why I’m perfectly qualified to create this guide and give you these tips! I’ve learned from years of personal experience. Anything worthwhile takes practice, so you may need a bit of time to get comfortable in front of the camera. Remember, you really only need ONE good photo, so don’t be afraid to take dozens until you get one you like.
- Make adjustments as you go – Take 2-3 shots, then check to see what minor adjustments you need to make with your angle, hair, smile, tilt of your shoulder, etc, until each minor adjustment adds up to THE shot. You’re effectively teaching yourself as you go.
- Be gentle with yourself – If you’ve found after an hour you dislike every photo you’ve taken, take a break, eat a snack, do some stretches, call a friend who always hypes you up, look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment, get a drink of water, stand in front of a fan to cool down, then calmly walk back in front of the camera and try again. If you still don’t see anything you like on the camera roll after an hour of taking different shots from different angles and testing various facial expressions, then come back with a fresh perspective in the morning. More often than not you need to give what you’re looking at a rest and come back with a more detached attitude. Remember, we are our own worst critic. If deep down you know one of those photos is probably good, but you just can’t make a decision, or you’re being too hard on yourself, send the photos to a trusted friend or colleague who can make a final decision for you, then, TAKE THEIR ADVICE, and move on.
These are the Three Classic Headshot Poses you will want to capture
- Straight On – The classic, traditional, (but possibly) lesser flattering pose (because the camera is taking your face, full-on and you don’t get to show your “best side” — If you feel like you have one), headshot look, and a good one to be able to master. My tips for taking a flattering head-on shot is to keep your shoulders back and chest up. Look straight at the camera with your chin angled down slightly. To pose your arms fold them over one another, palm-to-elbow, or place your hands on your thighs, elbows held slightly out from the body (this slims the upper arm and helps keep the chest up). Take one shot smiling, mouth closed, and one shot smiling with teeth, pressing your tongue gently to the roof of your mouth.
- Three Quarters – My favorite of the headshot poses, and probably the easiest to take. Angle your body at 45 degrees with one shoulder back. Tilt your chin slightly down, smile and look up at the camera. For your arm placement place your palms on your thighs, elbows out so they’re lifted just off the body. We’re not going for a tea-pot shape here, but a relaxed, natural pose that flatters the line of the body from shoulder to waist.
- Over The Shoulder – This is a classic, fashion editorial pose, possibly made mainstream by Vogue magazine’s signature cover models. It’s a mix of elegant, a tad flirtatious, and a great way to show off your hair and a more playful side of your personality. Put your back to the camera and tilt one shoulder back at a 45 degree angle. Look over your shoulder (keep your shoulders relaxed — don’t tense them up or pull them towards your ears), keep your chin tilted down (but don’t rest your chin on your shoulder) and smile.
Professional headshots that will be used as a social media profile photo or for business purposes can be styled with any outfit that fits within the business casual to classic cocktail party range. Choose a solid color combination that flatters your skin tone, features, and hair and will stand out in some contrast to your white background.
- Collared shirt in blue, or navy.
- Dress in black, blue, navy, dark green or blush.
- Other options are a crisp, white cotton tee shirt (wear a bra that matches your skin tone so it’s not visible through the tee) or modest camisole with a blazer or moto jacket.
Since I’m in the creative field I chose to wear a pair of subtle but statement making vintage Chanel earrings, and a blush pink dress that contrasts gently with my white background because I have an established personal brand identity within that color palette and style aesthetic. Make sure whatever you choose matches both your personality and your professional field. Don’t choose an outfit, hairstyle, makeup look or piece of jewelry you’ve never worn before, and don’t feel comfortable in, or wouldn’t wear if given the opportunity. You want your headshot to be an authentic representation of how you actually live your professional life. If you’re not currently able to dress at the level you want (perhaps finances is a constraint) then consider borrowing from a service like Rent the Runway. Look for a professional dress that fits your business and personality and return it when you’re done with the photo shoot. After all, your headshot is meant to be a representation of you, as your best self.
Setting Up the Shot
Place your camera in front of your light source. Either a window during a sunny day, or a ring light will give the correct kind of light to create the most professional, crisp, flattering image. If you don’t have a ring light or a window with an adequate light source you can also use umbrella or box lights if you have them. Just make sure the light source is bright, and directly behind the camera.
Obtain a white, cotton blackout curtain (I used THIS one from Target) or photography backdrop (I also have THIS one from Amazon) and make sure it’s free of wrinkles (iron or steam it). You can get a backdrop frame to hang it on like the one I used HERE, or wrap it around a door held in place with clips. Just remember it needs to be perfectly flat and free of wrinkles, smudges or tears. Place the backdrop behind your head, and make sure it extends at least 1-2 feet around you in every direction so you have adequate white space for your background.
Let’s talk technical! Here’s the equipment I used to take my headshots at home.
- Ring light with a diffuser or open window during daylight hours
- Tripod
- iPhone tripod attachment (if you’re using your phone to take your photos)
- Camera (A fantastic investment is THIS one) or an iPhone/Android
- Bluetooth remote or camera app (some apps connect via WiFi with your camera, others will use Bluetooth technology)
- Solid white cloth backdrop
- Backdrop frame (or flat wall in front of your light source)
Taking Your Shot
There are a couple of ways to take your shot:
- Use your smart phone on selfie-mode to take the photo. The benefits of this method are that you can see yourself and easily adjust your pose to capture the perfect shot with a small bluetooth remote. The downside is that the photo quality might not be as good as the front-facing camera on your phone and probably also not as good as a DSLR camera shot. However, as long as your lense is clean you can usually get a passibly good quality shot with today’s camera-phone capabilities.
- Use a Digital DSLR camera with a corresponding app on your smartphone that allows you to take the image remotely.
I chose to use my Fujifilm digital camera (best $500 investment I ever made) for my headshots and connected it to the Fujifilm Camera app for iPhone. It allowed me to see from my smartphone where I was in the frame, check my pose and facial expression, then I held my phone in my hand (down, out of the frame) and clicked the “take photo” button when I was ready.
Regardless of choosing to take your headshots with a smartphone or a camera you’re going to want to utilize a bluetooth remote whether it’s via an app on your phone that communicates with your camera, or a physical button remote that communicates with your phone. The reason I suggest a bluetooth remote over a self-timer is because it’s a lot less stressful and time-consuming to use a Bluetooth remote over running back and forth between the camera the reset the timer. It’s also difficult to get the camera to take a clear shot if you’re constantly moving in front of it. Moving back and forth throws off the lighting, the camera’s ability to re-focus and your concentration, as well as using up your patience. Maintaining control over you energy output during this process is paramount. You want to reserve all your energy for posing and smiling naturally.
Once you have a few shots you’re happy with it’s time to edit them.
The Adobe Lightroom App for iPhone is an easy and FREE way to edit your photos.
Since we’ve set ourselves up for success to get a clear, crisp, brightly lit photo, your editing will most likely be minimal.
Upload the photos you like best into the Lightroom app and crop them to a square that cuts out unnecessary background. You chin should be the center of the photo. You may want to adjust a few minor things like brightness, contrast, saturation and tone (most likely the red and orange tones are the only ones you’ll need to focus on). Move those sliders back and forth by 1-2 degrees at a time until your headshot matches the lighting and clarity you’re looking for. Find a few headshots online of colleagues that you admire and use those as a barometer for editing. Remember, less is always more when it comes to obtaining a professional look. Refrain from adding any edits, special effects or filters that distract from the image or make it look cheap and unprofessional. And as tempting as it may be DO NOT use a body altering app like FaceTune to change your bone structure or “shave off a few pounds.” It’s always painfully obvious when someone has used on of these apps and arguably outright dishonest to use them on a professional headshot.
If you’re having difficulties getting your photo edited exactly how you want it to look, message me in the comments and I’ll be happy to personally walk you through the process!
Once you’ve edited your photos it’s time to enjoy them! Choose your favorite and upload it to your social media profiles and resume and watch the ❤️’s roll in!
Want more professional DIY tutorials like this one? Sign up for the Business Babe Newsletter for boss-specific tips, tricks and guides!
👇🏼 👇🏽 👇🏾
