Everyone always says to me “I hate all of the photos ever taken of me”. I pride myself in the fact that I almost always can change their impression that they “just don’t photograph well”.

A while back, I did a series of posts on how you can change that. However, let me summarize for you how you can help me get the best photos of you. These are some tips that will help you get the photo you like, especially in regards to a professional head shot.

Clothing:

Wear what you like to wear. Generally speaking, what you feel best in will cause you to look more comfortable, because you will feel more comfortable. When you are tense or feel like you are out of your element, it will definitely show in your posture, your body language and facial expressions. Making it more difficult for you to relax for a good photo.

That said, there are definitely some rules to follow:

  • Try not to wear complex or clashing patterns. That new dress or blouse/shirt with all the flowers or bold stripes may look beautiful on you, but for a head shot, it is about you. When there is too much going on in your photo, it can distract from the real subject; you.
  • If you are dark skinned, try not to wear clothing that contrasts your skin color, or your other clothing. If you are light skinned, dark colors can, indeed be ok. However, if you are darker skinned, lighter color clothing will throw off the exposure of the shots. or become the focal point. When you are properly exposed, your clothing may wash out, making the effect worse.
  • Women should always wear clothing that compliments the color of their makeup

 Skin

When it comes to skin, the thing that can ruin a photo the most is heavy glare off of a forehead or nose. Sometimes this can be fixed with software, but it is always best to start with the best possible photo first. Men have it fairly simple, but there are some tips everyone should follow:

Men:

  • Wash your face gently with warm water just prior to having a photo taken. Not too harshly or with too hot of water, you don’t want to be red. This will help remove any oils that will cause glare. At the least, use a paper towel or towel to wipe oil from your skin.

Women:

  • Do not use makeups with glitter or shine to them. Matte makeup is always preferred for a photograph.
  • Use a light dusting of your favorite face powder on your face and neck to help absorb any oils that may have accumulated throughout the day
  • Try not to use eye makeup that is too dark or too bold. This will absorb more light than your face and make your eyes look dark. If you like darker colors, use a little less today.
  • Always try to compliment your makeup color with your clothing color.

These are all, of course, just recommendations; not hard and fast rules. Rules can be broken. And, everyone is different.