What to Expect at Your Headshot Session
A relaxed, professionally directed session — arrive ready, leave with photos that work as hard as you do.
Before Your Session
What to wear
Clothing choices make a bigger difference than most people expect. Here’s what works — and what to avoid.
- Solid colours work best. Navy, grey, white, black, burgundy — all clean on camera. Avoid busy patterns and narrow stripes (they create a moiré shimmer).
- Bring 2–3 outfit options. A smart-casual option and a more formal one gives you flexibility. We can swap in under a minute.
- Avoid large logos. Unless deliberately on-brand, logos distract from your face — which is the point of the image.
- Necklines matter. V-necks and open collars photograph well. High, tight necklines can look stiff. Crew necks work fine.
- Wear what you'd wear to a client meeting. That's the right benchmark — professional but you.
- Grooming tip: Hair and makeup as you'd present for an important meeting. Avoid anything dramatically different from your normal look — it needs to be recognisably you.
Watch: What to wear for headshots — a short guide covering colour, fit, and outfit options for your session.
On the Day
What actually happens
Most people arrive nervous and leave surprised at how quickly they relaxed. Here’s the full flow so there are no surprises.
- 01Arrive and settle in
5 minutes to settle, check your outfit, and get comfortable with the space before we start.
- 03First shots — we ease in
The first few frames are warm-up shots. Nobody looks perfect immediately — I use this time to direct you, not to judge.
- 05Outfit change if applicable
Individual sessions usually leave time for one outfit change — swapping a jacket, or a different top. For group sessions, it's only practical if it's built into the brief.
- 02Quick brief
I'll explain what we're doing, show you the background, and walk you through the basics of posing before we take a single shot.
- 04Posing and direction throughout
I direct continuously — chin angle, shoulder position, expression. You don't need to know how to pose. That's my job.
- 06Quick review
At the end I'll show you a selection on camera so you leave knowing we got what we needed.
Posing essentials — what I'll guide you through
You don't need to practise posing before your session. But knowing these basics helps you understand what I'm directing and why.
- Chin forward and slightly down — reduces shadows under the chin and elongates the neck. This feels unnatural but looks great on camera.
- Shoulders angled, not square — turning slightly creates shape. Full-frontal shoulders look broader and stiffer than you'd want.
- Eyes: find a natural blink rhythm — forced wide eyes look tense. I'll talk you through getting a relaxed, open eye.
- Expression between shots, not during — your best expressions happen as you're transitioning. I shoot throughout, not just when you're holding a smile.
After Your Session
What you receive
- —Selection of your best images
- —Full professional retouch
Colour corrected, skin smoothed naturally, and background cleaned where needed. Nothing that makes you look like a different person.
- —High-res + web-sized JPGs
Print-ready and LinkedIn/website-ready sizes in the same delivery.
- —Delivered via Smash (similar to WeTransfer)
Download link sent to your email — no app, no account required.
- —7 working-day turnaround
7 working days from when you make your selection — the sooner you choose your finals, the sooner you receive them.
You're in good hands
Know what to expect now?
The whole process is designed to be easy — from your first message to your final images in your inbox. Let's get started.