My first tip is to bring as many options as possible.  Seeing you in person (on the day) will give me the best idea of what you should wear. If you can, bring a suitcase full of clothes, that way we will have lots of options to work with. Make sure that you have pre-ironed any clothes that may need it, I do have an iron here at the studio but we don’t want to eat too much into your time in front of the camera. 

Clothes shouldn’t distract from your face so we need to keep it simple. Make sure there is not large text or images on your tops, you are the focus, nothing else!

Think… this is your brand photo, these will be photos you will be pushing to show yourself off and stand out from the crowd. It is definitely worth putting in the investment of some new clothing that you think best resembles you and your casting (if you don’t already own some). It can be obvious if you are wearing clothes that are very old and not in the best condition so steer away from items that don’t look presentable. This of course is just a guide, and by no means mandatory. 

Let’s talk about layers! Layers can help make you stand out on the page, and seem more three dimensional. This isn’t always the case but make sure to bring at least a couple of options to try. This can be anything like a cool leather jacket, to a long sleeve shirt over a top and anything in between.

Make sure to bring a range of colours, don’t only bring  standard black, grey and white (although they are great options). Below are a list of some colours  & styles that you may want to consider.

• Deep colours such as burnt oranges, emerald greens, mustard, blue & burgundy.
• Washed colours, such as light blue, light pink, subtle browns and olive.
• Beige is a great colour to work with, especially as a top layer with white underneath.
• To make the pictures more eye catching, try to bring something different like denim, checkered shirts, turtle necks and jackets.
• Super bright and neon colours can be distracting from your face, so try to avoid this if possible.
• If you’re here for corporate photos, make sure to bring a variety of suits, shirts and ties & pocket handkerchiefs. For women also feel free to bring a variety of blouses and work dresses or whatever professional attire you’re most comfortable in.

It is best to ensure you come with a more natural look to start, it is much easier to build upon a look as we go then to try and remove elements. If wearing foundation try to match it to your neck, in my experience avoid overdoing any highlighter as under the lights it can make you appear too shiny. We will work together throughout the session to ensure you have time to reapply make up, or add more to get a different look. 

It isn’t necessary to wear makeup, I’m sure for some (especially males) it may be a very new concept to wear makeup at all. Only wear it if you feel it is necessary or a part of your casting, maybe even just to cover up some blemishes, but remember these can easily be edited out once you have made your choices.

A makeup artist is more than welcome to come along with you to the shoot with you if you feel that it is necessary. If you do not know any makeup artists but really require one, send me an email, and I can put you in touch with a few recommendations. However I cannot guarantee that they will be available.

Hair plays a vital part on your headshots, so please come fully prepared with any products, straighteners and curlers you may need. Keep in mind we only have a set amount of time in the studio, and don’t want to spend too long on styling. If possible try to come to the studio with your hair already how you want it but be mindful of the weather and how long you have before your shoot.

If you are planning to get a hair cut & or colour, make sure you leave it a day or two before coming to the shoot, then if it doesn’t go as planned there is always time to rectify it.

If you plan on coming to the studio with a beard then be sure to keep it neat & carefully groomed, we want to be mindful of razor burns in the photo, so please use clean trimmers/razors, and treat yourself afterwards with some aftershave balm to sooth your skin.

You are also welcome to have a shave half way through the shoot if necessary, but be aware this will eat into your time at the studio.

We all love a good tan, but it is vital to think about your casting and also your general look. If you do want to use fake tan it’s advisable to get it done professionally before hand to even out the skin tones and make it a more natural look!

Have a think about your casting, it’s important that we can portray this in your photo along side of your personality. We will get a range of smiley, neutral, and moody shots with you but we want them to be as natural as possible. Easier said then done but don’t overthink it, you could always spend a little bit of time looking in the mirror to find your best smile, just don’t do this for too long, otherwise it can look artificial.

When you go through with the booking, there will be an option for you to send in an old or up to date photo of your face, (if you do not have one it will still be helpful to get a quick snap from your phone for reference). This will best help me with what backgrounds to use on the day and can give me a great idea of what lighting set ups will  be most flattering to your face.

My biggest bit of advice, is to understand that this time is all about you! So you can relax, we will have the music set to your playlists so you can feel right at home.