What Is a Headshot? 

A headshot is a professional photograph that is closely cropped and can be used for a variety of business and creative promotional materials, such as websites. Hiring a professional photographer for your headshot is important because they have the necessary equipment and expertise to produce high-quality images. Here are some reasons why you should choose a professional photographer for your headshot:

- A professional camera that minimizes lens distortions and maximizes resolution, making the headshot usable on various screen sizes and marketing materials.
- Sufficient lighting to clearly emphasize the subject of the photo as the primary focus.
- Specific posing meant to convey professionalism and charisma.
- Appropriate clothing for the subject’s industry and use case.
- A pose and expression that conveys charisma and professionalism to the outside world.
- Retouching or “airbrushing” to remove distracting imperfections like acne, yellow teeth, stray hairs, and under-eye bags.

A good headshot should have all six of these elements. The only things that distinguish a “professional” headshot from other types are that the term “professional” usually refers to a business or corporate headshot, and the person using the term emphasizes the importance of quality.

What you should wear for your professional headshot depends on your personality, industry, and where the photos will be placed. For more conservative situations like law or academics, it’s recommended to wear a standard suit-and-tie or the female equivalent. Otherwise, look around LinkedIn to see how peers in your industry are dressed. Remember to dress for the job you want, not the job you have. If you’re still not sure, ask your photographer for guidance.

When it comes to posing for your headshot, it’s best to keep it simple. At the beginning of your session, warm up with simple poses. Later, you can work on some arms-crossed headshots and perhaps a couple of candids. Remember, we are showcasing your professionalism, not our photography.

To prepare for your headshot session, get some sleep, exercise, and sunshine in the weeks leading up to it. Try on your desired clothing a couple of days before your session to make sure it still fits well and doesn't need dry cleaning. Look at some prior photos of yourself to see if there are any that you particularly like. Showing these photos to your photographer when you arrive at the studio will help find an angle that you find flattering.

If you're interested in individual headshot sessions, we offer a package that includes a pre-shoot consultation, up to a 30-minute session, one outfit combination, an outside studio, custom editing/retouching for selected images, and three high-resolution photos of your choice. The package costs $245, and additional people are $200 each. We also offer corporate headshot sessions for $40 per person, with a minimum of 20 employees required to qualify for this package. The session includes a 10-minute photography session with one clothing option, and three images of your choice, which include editing, retouching, and formatting.