5 SECRETS FOR A BRILLIANT STRESS-FREEHEADSHOT

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Thank you for downloading this guide. I hope you’ll find it useful.

I’m Teresa Walton - The Headshot Specialist.

I care about making people, like you, feel comfortable in front of a camera.

Why? If you are dreading having your picture taken it is likely to show in the photos. The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to relax and feel comfortable, and the better the results will be.

CONFIDENCE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAIf you hire me as your headshot photographer, your comfort is my first priority.

Confidence in front of the camera makes the difference between an “OK” portrait that does the job, and a “brilliant” portrait that you’ll want the world to see!

You can only be confident and relaxed if you’ve prepared properly for your headshot portrait session.

The secrets I’m about to share with you will help you research, prepare for your ideal headshot and make it a calmer more enjoyable experience.

These are the secrets I have been sharing with hundreds of my clients; including Harley Street Surgeons, Presenters, Authors, Journalists, CEO’s, Executives, Entrepreneurs, and Actors.

READ ON FOR MY TOP TIPSPlease read on to discover my five secrets for a successful, stress-free headshot.

If you’d like to find out more about how I can help you, contact me today at headshots@teresawaltonphotos.com or call 07770 855807

You can also find me online and follow along for news, updates and tips:

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TwitterI look forward to inspiring you and helping you feel more confident in front of the camera.

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RESEARCHIn order to achieve the perfect headshot, the first thing I would suggest you do is to research the market.

CHOOSE AN EXPERTIdeally, choose a photographer who is an expert; someone who takes headshots all the time.

Many photographers take headshots as an add-on to their usual services to make extra money. But an experienced, professional photographer who is a headshot specialist will do a far better job for you than a photographer who specialises in something else entirely.

THINGS TO CONSIDERWhen you’ve identified a number of potential headshot photographers, consider the following things:

• Take a good look at their portfolio of headshots - not only on their website but look at their social media too. Do they appear to have an extensive portfolio for you to look through? Or is it fairly limited? An established headshot photographer will have lots of examples of their work.

• Make sure that you like their style.

• Make sure their images have consistency in terms of crop, colouring and style.

• Make sure their examples show a variety of different models.

• Could you imagine yourself with an image like theirs?

• And would an image like theirs be appropriate for your own particular use?

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• Look at their customer reviews - recommendation is one of the best ways to find the right person. Do they appear to be trustworthy and credible?

• A good headshot photographer will make you feel comfortable from the moment you first communicate with them. Do they seem good with people? And genuinely pleased to answer all your questions? Do they make you feel excited about your shoot?

• Don’t be led by price alone. The most expensive photographer won’t always be the best. But there are pitfalls to using the cheapest too.

• Make sure you know exactly what you will be getting for your money. For example, is retouching included, or not? And how many finished images will you get? How much are extra images?

• Don’t be lured by the offer of receiving many images because it is most likely you will choose your favourite few and stick with using those.

• Finally, how long do they allow for the session? Be realistic about what you want to achieve in your shoot. It is tempting to book the shortest time because it is the cheapest. But if you want to have outfit changes and different looks, they take time. Ask your photographer for advice, but as a rule I would recommend an hour minimum.

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PREPAREPreparation is key.

Your chosen headshot photographer should provide you with all the information you need, including advice on what to wear.

Typically, the advice I give to my clients to help them prepare for their photoshoot includes:

WHAT TO WEAR• Bring a change of outfit for your shoot. If you don’t feel that you have

anything in your wardrobe go out and buy something new that makes you look fabulous!

• Bring clothes that you feel great in and don’t worry about the seasonality.

• Bring more than you think you need so that you have options on the day.

• Make sure everything is clean and crease-free.

• Think carefully about the impression that you are hoping to make with your headshot photo.

• Do you need to think about brand colours?

• Do you need to think about coordinating with other team members so that your images blend together for your website?

GLASSES• If you don’t always wear your

glasses, I suggest arriving without them on to avoid red marks on your nose, you can put them on later to add variety to your shots.

• If you have more than one pair bring both pairs with you.

• Make sure that your glasses have been polished within an inch of their life - fingerprints show up in the photos!

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HAIR, MAKE-UP AND GROOMING• If you are planning a haircut, it’s a good idea to have it done in time to

‘settle down’ before your shoot.

• Practice styling it in advance so you know you can get it just right on the day. If you have long hair practice putting it up as well. I always offer my clients the option of arranging a blow-dry at a local salon.

• Ladies, keep make-up light and simple. I recommend a light foundation, under eye concealer, and cover-up on any blemishes (but not too much as it could make them even more obvious). Set with a translucent powder if you have it, but keep it to a minimum. A little blusher is great for a healthy glow. And if you like to wear eyeshadow use neutral browns, nothing too heavy. It’s always good to shade in eyebrows and wear mascara too.

• I suggest bringing your make-up with you so that you can put more on at the photography studio if you need to.

• Most headshot photographers will be able to arrange a professional makeup artist for you. Failing that a visit to your local beauty counter could be a good idea.

• I always keep an anti-shine gel for use when needed.

• Gents think about your facial hair - do you rock the rugged look? If so, go to your shoot with regrowth. Check that your photographer is happy for you to shave half way through for some smoother smarter shots if you want them.

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JEWELLERY• I don’t recommend jewellery because it will distract from ‘you’,

but a simple pair of earrings is fine.

• If, however, an enormous string of beads is your signature look you must take them to the shoot - I would suggest some pictures with and some without them.

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO• Make sure you are feeling as good about yourself as possible - if that’s

by going to the gym, eating healthily for a week or having a facial, then do those things to give yourself the best chance of liking what you see in your gallery.

• Be realistic about yourself. Embrace the real you. You can make sure your eyebrows are groomed and there are no hairs sticking out of your nose, but you can’t change that birthmark on your cheek or your wonky nose. A good photographer will help you with these things by looking for your best angles.

• Get enough sleep for a few days before, if possible, and drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin. It’s probably best not to have a big night out the evening before either!

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ON THE DAYContinuing the point about good preparation for your headshot photo session:

• Make sure you know exactly where you are going and plan your route

• Allow time in case you experience delays - you won’t want to feel stressed and flustered on arrival

• Have to hand your photographer’s contact details so that you can call them en-route if necessary

• Keep in contact with your photographer on the day so that if you are running late for any reason, they know and are not sat waiting around for you

• Communicate your ideas to your photographer - they are not a mind-reader. It might be good to have a few examples of things you like to show them

• But also remember you are investing in them as the expert. They will have experience that you don’t have and know what will look good in front of the camera.

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LISTENA specialist headshot photographer is used to looking at other people’s faces and will be comfortable directing you in front of the camera.

I suggest that you:

• Don’t worry about your headshot - it is your photographers job to do that!

• Listen to the direction you are given and react to what your photographer is saying. Follow their instructions, even if it means you doing things you didn’t expect!

• Don’t hold back! Your photographer will take a lot of photos of you – including some silly ones, some natural ones, and some more serious ones. These are bound to include shots which you don’t like or aren’t usable for the purpose you intend, but it’s often after these shots are taken that the good ones flow and your personality will shine through in the photos

• Ask your photographer during the session if you can review your images - preferably on a computer, rather than the small screen on the back of a camera. This will help you both confirm what is working well, and give you confidence and reassurance that you will receive the headshots you were dreaming of

• The sooner you stop caring about how your shots will look the better they will be!

• It doesn’t matter how terrified you feel inside, it won’t show on your face if you relax. Stay calm and take a few deep breaths - you will be surprised at what you can do!

• If during your photoshoot there is anything that you aren’t happy with, it’s your job to tell your photographer so that they can correct it. Don’t be shy about it, because they will want you to leave totally satisfied and excited about your images. Once you have left the studio and the session is over, there is nothing they can do unless you plan to book (and pay) for a second shoot.

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AFTER THE SHOOTIdeally, you’ll have asked all of the following questions before you committed to the photographer. But if you haven’t, ensure you to do this before you leave their studio.

• Will your images be digitally retouched?

• If yes, who will be retouching your images and are they an expert? Is it the photographer themselves, or do they outsource it? Ask to see examples because you don’t want them to make you look fake. Good retouching is subtle and will get rid of any blemishes. It should leave you with a polished but true to life finish.

• What exactly is included in the price? Are there any extra costs that you need to be aware of?

• How long will you be given to choose your images? Not all photographers keep photos for more than a few months if they have not been purchased

• And once you have chosen your preferred images, how long will you have to wait until receiving the final, retouched versions ready for you to use?

• How will your images be delivered and what size will they be? Make sure your photographer knows what you will be using them for – for large format print or for online and social media, for example – so that they can deliver ‘user friendly’ images which are labelled for ease of use.

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That’s it for now…

I hope that you’re now ready to unleash your personality in front of a camera…

If you’d like any further advice or if you wish to book me as your headshot photographer please get in touch. And if you know anyone else who could benefit from this guide, please direct them here so that they can grab their very own copy.

Call me on 07770 855807

email headshots@teresawaltonphotos.com

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter

I look forward to inspiring you and helping you feel more confident in front of the camera…

Thank you :)

WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY

Prof Whiteley

Vascular Surgeon

“Wow - what a professional! In one hour Teresa talked to me, told me how she wanted to capture my personality - showed me exactly how she wanted me to pose - then made it all look so natural... Thrilled with the result and I cannot recommend Teresa highly enough.”

David

Actor

“Teresa is a great photographer and lovely person to work with. Prior to actually shooting, everything was explained to me and I was made to feel very comfortable especially as this was my first time doing a shoot of this type. Teresa sits with you and lets you take control of what pictures you are comfortable with as well as having a professional opinion.”

Hayley Loren

Engineer and YouTube Presenter

“Teresa is absolutely amazing - She made be feel so relaxed and was fantastic at giving detailed instructions to get the best photos! Her attention to detail is honestly so impressive AND we had a lot of fun too.”