SESSION TIPS FOR MEN

Skincare: Use the week leading up to your session as a good opportunity to really take care of yourself. Get your rest so you won’t have puffy eyes with dark circles under them. Stay hydrated so your skin will look healthy. Minimize sun exposure and prevent sunburns, especially considering the the altitude where we live and how easily that can happen. On the day of your session, applying a facial moisturizer will help conceal the appearance of dry skin. If you happen to have skin that tends to be oily, I keep a great product on hand that will help minimize the shine.

Makeup: I suggest that men not wear any makeup for headshots. Powders will look unnatural and the effect will be exaggerated under studio lighting.

Hair: Wear your hair as you normally would. If you’re going to get a haircut before the session, do so a week in advance and not just a day or two beforehand. This will give the hair time to adjust to the length and fall naturally (and avoid any last minute frustrations of a less-than-ideal cut). If you use any hair products, bring them along to your session for touch-ups between wardrobe changes.

Grooming: If you shave daily, be sure to shave just before your session (with a sharp blade to avoid skin rashes and nicks that come from using dull blades). If you have facial hair, be sure it is trimmed, shaped and the edges are clean If you’d like images with and without facial hair, trim the hair you have prior to the session, and midway through you can shave for an alternative look (please bring your shaving supplies with emphasis on a sharp, rather than dull, blade). Last but not least, take care of those stray ear and nose hairs.

Clothing: Please bring a variety of shirts, jackets and ties to choose from. If you’d like a business-look, bring two different jacket and shirt combinations with up to as many as 10 ties. Solid shirts, such as jewel tones, black or gray, are ideal. Similarly, solid ties usually photograph better than patterned ones, but bringing an assortment of ties, jackets and shirts gives us flexibility and diversity throughout the session. Be sure that all the options you bring are clothes that are comfortable and fit well. If a shirt is one that makes you feel really good about yourself, this will be apparent in the photos. If it is uncomfortable or you don’t like it, this will be apparent as well. Don’t select anything too loose, baggy or with ‘lazy collars’. When wearing a collared shirt under a jacket, the shirt’s collar should fit snuggly without baggy space between your neck and the collar. If you’re going for a more casual look with a collared shirt and no jacket, skip the t-shirt under the collared shirt. Be sure the shirts and jackets are steamed or ironed. Avoid patterns, stripes and bold colors. Neutral colors that work well with your skin tone are ideal. Do not hesitate to bring off-season clothing to your session. Your headshot will be seen year round and you can change your headshot image just as you would your wardrobe throughout the year. When in doubt as to whether or not to bring a particular item, bring it! We’ll work together to create a variety of looks that you will feel proud to share. It doesn’t matter what you wear on your lower half, because you will only be photographed from the chest up.  Most importantly, remember this:  K.I.S.S.S.-- Keep It Simple, Solid and Symmetrical.

Jewelry: Less is more. This holds true for women and even more so for men.

Glasses: Glasses can pose unique challenges during photography sessions. If you wear glasses regularly, please bring them to your session. If you have several pairs, please bring them all. Each frame will sit on your face differently and lenses will have different coatings which will affect the glare caused by the studio lights. There are things we can do to minimize reflections in eyeglasses, so please feel free to be yourself and wear your ‘second eyes’ (or third... or fourth!).