If you’ve ever considered taking a more professional approach to photography, perhaps you’ve heard of taking headshots. And even if you don’t want to be a professional photographer, knowing how to take headshots can at least help you take better photos of your friends. Not only that, but the following tips can also help you have a much better approach towards making yourself look better when photographers take pictures of you. So what are fundamental aspects of taking amazing headshots?
Headshot Photographer Lesson: Taking Amazing Headshots
Getting headshots taken is no easy feat. It’s important to remember that headshots aren’t just there to show the faces of others. This means headshot style and quality really do matter in conveying who you are and how exactly you conduct your business. The same applies in daily life — a headshot determines the way people see you as a person initially, and this has a lot to do with how they make their first impressions.
If you want to level up your photography skills, one of the most important aspects of the role you may want to consider is the fact that you need to be able to explore multiple photography fields. Being a headshot photographer requires a lot more than just “taking pictures of upper bodies.” Here are other considerations you need to know in order to nail those perfect photographs for your clients:
- Determine the point of the headshot first: One of the most important ways to excel in getting headshots is to always be on top of your game in determining its “point” or purpose. Is this a personal headshot? Are you taking this for a company? What emotion do they want to convey? Are there certain things they can’t compromise, such as a costume or an accessory? Determine the factors you’re playing with first, so you know the full extent of how you can manipulate the shoot to your success.
- Personality counts over the glamour: It’s also important to remember that the point of a headshot isn’t to establish that a person is the prettiest or the best-looking in the bunch. Rather, it’s to make sure people can get a good impression of who that person is and what they’re capable of. Make sure the headshot shows the personality of your client. Your client can’t look 10 years older or suddenly 10 years younger. It’s about personality and showing who they are. This means you’ve got to take note of things to emphasize in their face, their body, and especially their eyes.
- Eyes bring the person’s soul into the picture: In speaking of emphasis, the eyes matter the most in any headshot. They show the person’s full personality, as though you’re looking into their soul. This is the same with on-camera acting. You’re giving them their moment as soon as you do that close up with them. You have to help them ease their way into making sure their eyes should be energized, alive, and perfectly in focus. They should be bright, as glazed over and “dead-looking” eyes won’t convey their desired personality. Tell them to think of a good memory, or a happy thought. This helps both the eyes and the smile.
- Check how you want to plan the background, lighting, and framing: Good headshots are generally your camera showing the chest upward. There shouldn’t be any strong and dramatic shadows, and the face should have decent lighting. This depends on your theme. Your clients should look into your camera and there shouldn’t be any hands on their face, or weird facial hair. The background should be blurred so the person stands out. This means getting a camera that’s capable of achieving high-depth of field.
- See how you do with studio lighting and natural lighting: Another important aspect of headshot photography you should consider would be choosing between studio and natural lighting. Studio lighting often gets to be more polished, and it tends to be more neutral. Meanwhile, outdoor lighting gives you a more “natural” vibe. Both work, depending on how you want to emphasize your client. If you want full emphasis on the face, studio lighting gives a lot of control. If you want to play around a bit with your environment, then natural lighting would do.
- Do not go overboard with clothing, props, and makeup: While clothes, props, and makeup do help emphasize certain parts, don’t go overboard with what clients are going to bring or want to wear. Try to keep headshots classy and simple. Professionalism gets most clients’ attention, unless they really want a more “creative” look. Opt for shirts with solid colors and few textures without props for the more professional look.
Increase Your Headshot Photography Potential
Getting a headshot may seem overwhelming, but it’s actually very possible given enough time, practice, and training. It also helps that there are tips like the above that you could follow when it comes to making sure your subjects are emphasized in their respective photographs.
If you’re looking to hone your skills further, there are plenty of resources available, including photography courses for kids, which can provide a fun and foundational understanding of photography basics.
Remember, sometimes things like lighting and the background have a great deal of influence when it comes to making your headshots work for you. As such, you’ve got to consider all your elements before crafting your perfect headshot.
