Your Guide to Looking Confident, Professional, and Camera-Ready

Preparing for a professional headshot photography session doesn't have to be stressful. The right preparation can make a big difference in how comfortable you feel in front of the camera and how professional your final images look.

Whether you need corporate headshots, business headshots, LinkedIn headshots, executive portraits, personal branding photography, or a professional photo for your company website, taking a little time to prepare will help you look and feel your best.

At BDK Photography, professional photographer Brian Kolin works with business owners, executives, professionals, entrepreneurs, medical professionals, real estate agents, and companies throughout Mentor, Cleveland, and Northeast Ohio to create professional headshots that are polished, natural, and authentic.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for your professional headshot session.

1. Get a Good Night's Sleep

One of the easiest ways to look your best for your professional headshot photography session is also one of the most overlooked: get enough sleep.

Try to get approximately 7–9 hours of sleep the night before your appointment. Being well-rested can help you look more refreshed and make it easier to relax in front of the camera.

Avoid staying up late the night before if possible. You don't want to arrive tired, stressed, or rushing into your business headshot session.

On the day of your session:

• Give yourself plenty of time to get ready.
• Eat something before your appointment.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid arriving rushed or stressed.
• Give yourself a few extra minutes to get to the studio.

The goal is simple: arrive fresh, relaxed, and ready for your professional photo session.

2. What Should You Wear for a Professional Headshot?

When choosing what to wear for your professional headshot, think professional, comfortable, and timeless.

Your clothing should complement you rather than become the main focus of the photograph.

Solid Colors Are Your Friend

For most corporate headshots and professional business portraits, I recommend solid colors or subtle textures.

Good choices include:

• Navy
• Black
• Gray
• Cream
• Burgundy
• Dark green
• Blue
• Other muted or professional colors

Solid colors tend to photograph well and keep attention on your face.

What Should You Avoid?

Try to stay away from:

• Large patterns
• Busy stripes
• Distracting prints
• Large logos
• Words or slogans
• Neon or extremely bright colors
• Very small repetitive patterns

Busy patterns can become distracting in a close-up portrait and may take attention away from your face.

Simple doesn't mean boring. A clean, well-fitted shirt, blouse, jacket, dress, or suit can create a polished professional headshot.

3. Bring More Than One Outfit

If you're unsure what to wear, bring options.

For your headshot photography session, consider bringing two or three different tops, jackets, or outfits.

For example:

Option 1: Traditional professional look
Option 2: Business casual
Option 3: Something that represents your personal style or brand

Having options allows us to determine what works best once you're in the studio.

If you're getting corporate headshots for your company, you may also want to coordinate your clothing with your company's branding.

4. Make Sure Your Clothing Fits Properly

A professional headshot is typically photographed from the chest or shoulders up, so the fit around your shoulders, neckline, and collar is especially important.

Make sure your clothing is:

• Clean
• Wrinkle-free
• Properly fitted
• Free of lint and pet hair
• Appropriate for your profession

Iron or steam your clothing before arriving. Wrinkles can become especially noticeable in professional portraits.

If you're wearing a dress shirt, bring it on a hanger if possible rather than folded inside a bag.

5. Should You Wear Earrings or Jewelry?

Absolutely—you can wear jewelry.

For a professional business headshot, however, less is often more.

Small or simple earrings, necklaces, watches, or other accessories can work very well.

Try to avoid extremely large or distracting jewelry unless it is an important part of your personal style or profession.

If you're unsure, bring your jewelry with you and we can decide what works best during your headshot session.

6. What About Glasses?

If you normally wear glasses, wear them.

Your professional headshot should look like you.

If you wear glasses every day, taking your photograph without them may not accurately represent you to clients, coworkers, or customers.

If you have multiple pairs, feel free to bring them.

Professional studio lighting can be positioned to help minimize unwanted reflections.

7. Hair and Grooming

Your professional headshot should represent how you normally look professionally.

If you get your hair cut, styled, or colored regularly, try to schedule it several days before your headshot photography session rather than immediately beforehand.

This gives your hair time to settle into its normal appearance.

For everyone:

• Make sure your hair is clean and styled.
• Bring a brush or comb if needed.
• Bring any products you normally use.
• Check for stray hairs before your session.
• If you have facial hair, make sure it is groomed the way you want it photographed.

If you normally wear a beard, don't completely change your look just for your business headshot unless that's what you want.

8. Keep Makeup Natural and Professional

For professional headshot photography, makeup should generally look like you on your best day rather than dramatically different.

If you normally wear makeup, apply it as you typically would while giving extra attention to an even skin tone and shine.

If you don't normally wear makeup, don't feel like you need to completely change your appearance for your professional portrait.

The goal is to create a polished image while still looking like yourself.

9. Take Care of Your Skin

You don't need to do anything extreme before your professional photography session.

In fact, don't experiment with new skincare products right before your appointment.

Stick with your normal routine.

The day before and morning of your session:

• Stay hydrated.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Avoid trying new facial products.
• Moisturize as you normally would.
• Avoid anything that could cause unnecessary irritation.

Professional headshot retouching can take care of minor temporary imperfections, but the best starting point is healthy, well-rested skin.

10. Don't Get a Last-Minute Haircut or Major Makeover

One of the biggest mistakes people make before a professional headshot session is changing their appearance immediately beforehand.

If you're considering a new haircut, major color change, eyebrow treatment, or other significant change, give yourself some time before the session to make sure you're comfortable with the result.

Your headshot should look like you—not someone you're trying to become.

11. You Don't Need to Know How to Pose

You don't have to know how to pose for your professional headshots.

That's my job.

Many people tell me before their session:

"I hate having my picture taken."

That's completely normal.

During your headshot photography session, I'll guide you through different poses, expressions, angles, and positions to find what looks natural and professional.

You don't need to memorize poses or practice in front of the mirror.

Just come prepared to relax and follow direction.

12. Think About the Image You Want to Project

Before your professional photography session, think about how you want people to see you.

Do you want your headshot to feel:

• Professional?
• Friendly?
• Approachable?
• Confident?
• Creative?
• Serious?
• Energetic?
• Executive?
• Relaxed?

Think about where your professional headshot will be used.

A LinkedIn profile photo may have a different feel than a corporate website, real estate profile, medical practice website, company marketing materials, or personal branding campaign.

If you have examples of professional headshots or a particular style you like, feel free to share them before your session.

13. Avoid Arriving Rushed

This is one of my biggest recommendations.

Give yourself enough time.

Running into your headshot photography session five minutes late, stressed out and trying to fix your hair in the parking lot, isn't the best way to start a photo session.

Plan to arrive a few minutes early so you have time to get settled.

Take a breath.

Relax.

We'll take it from there.

14. Don't Worry About Small Imperfections

Everyone has them.

A blemish, stray hair, small wrinkle, or other temporary imperfection doesn't mean you need to cancel your professional headshot session.

Professional photography includes lighting, posing, expression, and appropriate retouching.

My goal is not to make you look like a completely different person. It's to create a polished professional portrait while keeping you looking like yourself.

Professional Headshot Preparation Checklist

The Night Before

☐ Get 7–9 hours of sleep
☐ Choose your outfits
☐ Iron or steam your clothing
☐ Gather jewelry and accessories
☐ Charge your phone
☐ Check your appointment time and location

The Day of Your Session

☐ Eat a good meal
☐ Drink plenty of water
☐ Style your hair
☐ Groom facial hair
☐ Apply makeup as you normally would
☐ Bring a comb/brush and makeup for quick touch-ups
☐ Bring additional outfit options
☐ Bring your glasses if you normally wear them
☐ Arrive a few minutes early
☐ Relax and have fun

The Most Important Tip: Be Yourself

The best professional headshots don't just look good—they look like you.

Your headshot is often the first impression a potential client, employer, customer, or business partner has of you. It should communicate professionalism and confidence while still showing your personality.

You don't need to be a professional model.

You don't need to know how to pose.

And you don't need to worry about whether you're "photogenic."

That's what professional photography is for.

At BDK Photography, I'll guide you through the entire process, from posing and lighting to expressions and final image selection, so you can walk away with a professional headshot you're proud to use.

Whether you're updating your LinkedIn profile, company website, business cards, social media, marketing materials, corporate profile, or professional bio, a great headshot can help you put your best face forward.

Professional Headshot Photography in Mentor, Cleveland & Northeast Ohio

BDK Photography provides professional headshot photography, corporate headshots, business headshots, executive portraits, LinkedIn headshots, and personal branding photography for individuals and businesses throughout Mentor, Cleveland, Lake County, Geauga County, and Northeast Ohio.

Ready for a new professional headshot? Contact BDK Photography to schedule your professional headshot session.