One of the most-asked questions I get from clients is what they should wear to their headshot or personal branding session. Firstly: Wear what you love. If you don’t like it, it will show and you won’t feel comfortable. The camera will pick up on that discomfort.
It should fit well, it should be nicely pressed and free of wrinkles or lint.
Ideally, you’ll want to wear something that doesn’t have a busy pattern to it.
For guys, there are easy ways to provide alternative looks with just one outfit. We can capture you just wearing an open collared shirt, then add in a tie, and lastly put on the jacket. That’s three looks right there. Take off the tie and keep on the jacket, and there’s your fourth look! I recommend not wearing a white T-shirt underneath because the eye is instantly drawn to the brightest part of a photograph, and that could end up being your T-shirt. You want the focus to be on your face. 🙂
For the ladies, bring different dresses in a variety of colors. Or wear your favorite Oxford shirt or simple top. I’m a huge fan of capturing women wearing white against one of my white seamless backdrops as it really makes an image pop!
There’s one significant reason I suggest people not wear clothing with busy patterns, plaids or flowers, for example: It distracts from the person. This is one of those instances where you need to grab someone’s attention for YOU, not your clothing.
Lastly, some recommendations for jewelry: Unless it’s critically important to you brand, I recommend not wearing a large necklace or lots of bling. Simple studs or pearl earrings are fine. A small gold chain or string of pearls can work. But for the most part, you want to avoid anything that again takes attention away from you.
Let’s work together and I can show you how to maximize your headshot or personal branding photo session at my Boise studio to help you elevate your social media presence, whether it’s LinkedIn or your company website.
