How to prepare for headshots
Headshot preparation is about looking like a polished, recognizable version of yourself. Start 7 to 10 days before the session if you need a haircut or color appointment. Sleep well, keep your hair and makeup familiar, choose clothes that fit your role, and bring at least two outfit options. Avoid last-minute changes, distracting patterns and anything that pulls attention from your face.
Headshot Preparation at a Glance
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 7 to 10 days before | Schedule a haircut or color appointment if needed |
| 2 to 3 days before | Choose and prepare two or three outfits |
| The day before | Iron or steam your clothes, pack essentials and protect your sleep |
| On the day | Wear familiar hair and makeup, arrive with a clean face and bring backup options |
| During the session | Tell the photographer where you will use the images and follow their posing direction |
What Should You Do Before a Headshot Session?
Decide what the headshots need to communicate, then tell your photographer where you plan to use them. A LinkedIn headshot, actor headshot, dating profile portrait and company website photo may call for different clothing, expressions and backgrounds.
Your headshots might be for:
- LinkedIn or another professional profile
- A company website or staff page
- An acting or modeling portfolio
- A personal brand website
- Public speaking, press or marketing materials
- Job applications or professional directories
Your headshot should match how you look now, including your usual hairstyle, glasses, facial hair and makeup. LinkedIn recommends using a current image that helps people recognize you in person.
How Far in Advance Should You Get a Haircut?
Schedule a haircut or beard trim about one week before the session, rather than the day before. This gives the cut time to settle and look more natural.
Avoid major changes immediately before your headshots. Do not try a new haircut, hair color, facial hair style, facial treatment or skincare product shortly before the shoot. A familiar look is safer because the finished image should resemble the person who will use it.
If you wear facial hair, decide in advance whether you want to appear clean-shaven, with stubble or with a beard. Trim it to the length you intend to keep.
What Should You Wear for Professional Headshots?
Wear clothing that suits your industry and reflects what you normally wear at work. Choose pieces that frame your face without competing with it.
Good options include:
- Solid or subtly textured shirts, blouses, sweaters and jackets
- Navy, charcoal, gray, deep green, burgundy, muted blue or other mid-tone colors
- A structured layer such as a blazer, jacket or cardigan
- Clean, simple necklines
- Clothes that fit comfortably without bunching or pulling
For many corporate headshots, a jacket over a simple shirt or blouse is a flexible choice. A full suit makes sense when it matches your workplace or professional role, but it is not required for everyone. Entrepreneurs, creatives and students should dress at the level their audience expects rather than wearing something that feels like a costume.
What Should You Avoid Wearing?
Avoid clothing that pulls attention away from your face, including:
- Large logos, slogans or visible text
- Neon colors or extremely bright shades
- Very tight stripes, fine checks and busy patterns
- Reflective or oversized jewelry
- Wrinkled, sagging or poorly fitting clothing
- Extremely bright white or pure black when they closely match the background
Fine stripes and small geometric patterns can create visual interference when a photograph is captured, compressed or viewed at a small size.
Bring at least two complete outfit options if you are unsure. For actor headshots, bring several tops for each intended look so the photographer has more flexibility, especially when you are targeting different casting types.
Should You Wear Makeup for Headshots?
Wear the amount of makeup that feels natural for your usual professional appearance. You do not need to start wearing makeup if you never wear it.
If you do wear makeup:
- Keep the finish natural and relatively matte
- Reduce shine on the forehead, nose and chin
- Avoid trying a new foundation or dramatic style
- Bring your usual products for small touch-ups
- Use makeup to even your complexion rather than disguise your features
Studio lighting can make shine and uneven skin tone more visible, so modest shine control can help. Professional hair and makeup are optional for most corporate headshots. They can be useful when you need several looks or want help maintaining your appearance during a longer session.
How Should You Prepare Your Hair and Skin?
Keep your routine simple and familiar.
Before the session:
- Wash your face as you normally would.
- Moisturize at your usual time, but avoid applying a heavy, shiny product immediately before the shoot.
- Style your hair as you normally wear it for work or auditions.
- Groom facial hair, eyebrows and any visible stray hairs.
- Avoid new facials, peels, tanning sessions or skincare products close to the shoot.
A temporary blemish or small area of redness does not automatically require rescheduling. Professional retouching can often address temporary skin issues, minor stray hairs and small clothing distractions. Retouching should clean up the image while preserving your recognizable appearance.
What Should You Do the Night Before Headshots?
Prepare anything that could create stress on the day of the session.
- Sleep as well as possible.
- Drink water normally throughout the day.
- Iron or steam every outfit.
- Check clothing for lint, pet hair and loose threads.
- Clean your glasses.
- Pack a backup shirt or top.
- Avoid new skincare, hair products or grooming treatments.
- Put your clothing on hangers instead of folding it into a bag.
Rest can affect the area around your eyes and your expression. Handling these details ahead of time leaves the photographer free to focus on your expression, lighting and composition.
What Should You Bring to a Headshot Session?
Pack:
- Two or three clothing options
- A lint roller
- A small mirror
- A hairbrush or comb
- Makeup or grooming products for touch-ups
- A backup shirt or blouse
- Your normal glasses, if you wear them
- Any required company clothing, such as a branded polo
- Reference images showing the style or mood you want
If you are an actor, bring a clear idea of the roles or casting types you want to communicate. "Approachable" or "serious" gives the photographer less direction than a description such as "young attorney," "warm teacher" or "ambitious startup founder." Specific direction can shape the expressions, styling and lighting.
Should You Wear Glasses in a Headshot?
Yes. Wear your glasses if they are part of your normal appearance. The image should help people recognize you.
Clean the lenses before the session and tell the photographer if glare is a concern. Do not remove your glasses simply because you think they look less professional. A headshot that does not match your everyday appearance can create confusion when people meet you.
How Should You Act During the Session?
You do not need to know how to pose before you arrive. A professional headshot photographer should guide your posture, angle and expression.
For a more natural result:
- Relax your shoulders.
- Keep your breathing steady.
- Listen to the photographer's direction.
- Try different levels of smiling instead of forcing one expression.
- Think about the audience you want to connect with.
- Review a few images if the photographer offers previews.
Feeling awkward during the first few minutes is normal. Most people become more comfortable once they see how the lighting and camera angle are working.
Role-Specific Clothing Recommendations
| Headshot type | Suitable starting point |
|---|---|
| Corporate or executive | Structured jacket, suit or polished blouse in a classic color |
| Clothing similar to what you wear in your normal professional setting | |
| Attorney or finance professional | Simple dark or medium-toned jacket with restrained accessories |
| Healthcare professional | Clean, calm and approachable styling |
| Creative professional | Simple base outfit with one personal color, texture or accessory |
| Student or job seeker | Clean, well-fitting top; a jacket is useful but not required |
| Actor | Several simple tops that support specific roles without looking like costumes |
Final Headshot Checklist
Before leaving for your appointment, confirm that:
- Your hair looks familiar and intentional.
- Your facial hair is at the length you want.
- Your clothes are clean, pressed and lint-free.
- You have at least two outfit options.
- Your glasses and accessories are clean.
- You have not introduced a new skincare or grooming product.
- You know where the photographs will be used.
- You have packed touch-up items and a backup top.
- You are rested enough to give natural expressions.