imcp headshot shoot

Please ensure you are wearing a lighter colour top (no black).

IMCP prefers that the headshots look somewhat consistent on the website, so lighter colours are preferred. You don’t have to wear white, any light neutral, or light blue, green and so on is fine. Check the IMCP website for some ideas.

try to have a good night's sleep + not drink the night before.

You will not look or feel your best if you’re hungover.

iron your clothes.

Little details like a crease in your shirt may not be noticeable in 'real-life’ but become noticeable in a photograph.

wear some makeup to bring out your features.

The camera tends to wash people out slightly. If you plan to use the images professionally (on your website for example), you could even have your hair and makeup professionally done before your session. You can check my resources page for information on makeup and hair artists that I personally recommend. Alternatively, you may already know a hair and makeup artist, or you could ask friends for recommendations.

bring a hairbrush.

I generally advise women to wear their hair down or partly down. If you wear it in a ponytail it can look like you have no hair from some angles. Also, I generally advise not to try out a completely new hairstyle before your shoot.

make sure you are looking generally 'well-groomed'.

For example, ladies; pluck your eyebrows and have your roots done, gents; make sure you are freshly shaven (unless you're going for the beardy look). If we are shooting in your home, workspace, or studio, make sure it's looking 'well-groomed' too.

make sure you’ve had enough to eat + drink before your session.

Being hangry generally doesn’t help us to get relaxed photos.

if you commonly wear both contacts + glasses, consider wearing contacts.

This will mean that we don't have to deal with glare on your glasses. If you prefer to wear glasses, we will of course work around this.

if you typically wear transition lenses, you will need to wear a different pair of glasses for the shoot.

Even indoors, transition lenses can have a colour cast that makes them difficult to photograph.

beware of false eyelashes.

If you really want to use them, get a professional to apply them and tell them to be light-handed. The DIY lashes often come off and look wonky, and they are usually “too much”, they make your eyes look dark and heavy and don’t allow light to get in, which is very important.

when choosing your outfit, think about the image you are wanting to portray.

Professional? Creative? Approachable? It can be a good idea to bring a few different tops so we have a choice. Simple clothes tend to look more timeless. Fitted clothing tends to look better as baggy or flowing clothing can make you look bigger than you are. Mid-tones tend to photograph better, and it's best to avoid all black or all white (black and white together or with other colours is generally fine though). See above for some more detailed information on what to wear.

think about whether you have a side that you prefer to be photographed.

If you're unsure, research has shown the left side of the face is generally perceived to be more attractive than the right side. People actually research this kind of thing, check it out here.

think about whether there’s a part of your face or body that you generally dislike in photographs.

I will do my best to minimise this. Please don't be embarrassed to tell me, we all have these insecurities and I hear about them from my clients every day, there’s nothing you could tell me that I haven’t heard before. For me, it's my double chin and teeth that are too big for my face. If you're interested in learning how to minimise a double chin in photographs, have a look at this video by renowned headshot photographer Peter Hurley. It changed my life.