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What to Wear for Your Headshot Photography Session

Choose the Right Outfit

Selecting the ideal outfit for a headshot session can be hard. Wrong choices can ruin the outcome. A great way to make sure you get the best result is to choose something that shows your personality and fits the photoshoot.

Here are the top tips for selecting an outfit for a headshot session:

Consider colors and patterns

When picking an outfit for your headshot photoshoot, there are certain things to consider. Opt for solid colors. Bright blues, greens, pinks or yellows should be avoided as they can make the background too busy and can clash with skin tones. Darker colors like black, navy, gray and brown are better. Textured fabrics can add depth, but don’t go overboard. Stripes or plaids should be avoided. If you have a patterned shirt, make sure it doesn’t stand out too much.

When it comes to accessories, keep it simple. Don’t let their colors overwhelm the photo.

Choose clothing that fits you well

Choose clothing that fits you properly for your headshot photography session. Too large and shape is undefined. Too tight and uncomfortable, unflattering. Good fit should enhance shape and not pinch.

Bring various clothes for different headshots. Neutrals like blue, earth tones, grey are good, but bright colours bring life. Avoid bold stripes, distracting patterns. Stick to solids and simple designs so focus is on your face.

For a more professional look, dress like an interview day. Formal wear like suits or cocktail dresses.

Clothing should be clean, crisp, pressed. Fabric freshener beforehand. Steam just before each shot to avoid wrinkles and ensure attention on your face. Fitted pieces (including jackets) stop clothing from moving around.

Avoid logos and busy patterns

When choosing clothing for a headshot photography session, make sure it is clean, neat and professional-looking. You don’t need to be in a suit or formal attire but still consider what is appropriate for the setting. Solid colors bring attention to your face better.

Take into account skin and hair tones. Certain shades may blend too much. If the photography requires a specific look, pay attention to any required accessories such as ties and jewelry. Avoid logos and busy patterns. These can be distracting in photos.

Accessorize

Headshots are not just about your clothes. Accessories matter too! They can make your look stand out. Here’s the scoop on accessorizing.

Choose the right one for your headshot photoshoot. It’s important!

Choose jewelry and accessories that complement your outfit

Jewelry and accessories are great for enhancing your look. Select pieces that suit your outfit and face shape. When creating a pro headshot, timeless style is better than trendy. To achieve an effortless, polished look, choose accessories suitable for the occasion.

With a blouse with puffed sleeves, a simple pearl necklace or small stud earrings can balance the design. The best jewelry advice for a headshot is to pick pieces that reflect your style but are still classic. Bold statement pieces are best limited to one item, eg. a drop earring or statement necklace. Avoid large dangling earrings, chokers, excessive bracelets or rings.

To ensure the focus is on you, opt for plain metals like sterling silver or 14k gold instead of costume items like cloth or plastic beads.

Consider adding a scarf or hat for a more dramatic look

A scarf or hat in your headshot session can give a dramatic look and show off your personality! Pick one of medium scale, so it doesn’t take over the photo. Look for textures and patterns, with classic fabrics and colors that match your outfit. Scarves are ideal, because they add visual interest and movement. Any size or style – neutral long-style, bright-colored shawl, or vintage necktie – will work.

Hats can add character, but be aware they can cast shadows. If you choose more than one accessory, bring extras in case they clash with tops. That way all looks are cohesive and aesthetically pleasing.

Hair and Makeup

A professional headshot is all about showing the best version of you. Hair and makeup styling is essential. Pick the right hairstyle, and the right makeup. Create a smart, stylish look that is all yours.

Here are some tips to help you nail your headshot session.

Choose a hairstyle that fits your face shape

Choose a hairstyle that fits your face shape and complements your look. Start by determining your face shape: round, oval, rectangular, or triangular?

Round Faces: Go for layers or tousled waves with movement. Avoid blunt cuts and center parts.

Oval Faces: Soft layers and volume at the crown look good.

Rectangular Faces: Choose styles with lots of volume to soften the sharpness. Waves also help add width.

Triangular Faces: Try asymmetrical styles and sweeping bangs. Blunt cuts can make faces too severe.

Texture matters too! Find styles that work best with your hair type & length. Keep it simple, professional, and approachable. Avoid wild colors/patterns.

Consider a professional makeup artist

Getting a pro makeup artist for your headshot? A great idea! They have the skill and tools to make you look your best. Plus, they can suggest the right makeup for your face shape and wardrobe colors. And, they can hide any shadows, blemishes or discolorations.

Let your artist come early on shoot day. They need time to get foundation, powder, eyeshadow, liner, lipstick or gloss just right. Give them enough time, and bring photos of looks you like. With a pro, you’ll always look polished, even on short notice!

Shoes

Choosing shoes for your headshot photography session can be tough. You need to pick the perfect shoes to make your photos stand out. Neutral, plain and timeless shoes usually work best.

Let’s take a look at what shoes you could wear for your session.

Choose shoes that match your outfit

When picking your shoes for your headshot session, it’s crucial to pick wisely! You want shoes that don’t just match your outfit, but also look amazing and appropriate. Here are some tips:

• Think about how they’ll look in photos. Avoid bright or neon colors, and instead opt for neutral tones like black or beige, or even metallics like silver or gold.

• Match the color of your shoes with your outfit. If you’re wearing dark colors, pick dark shoe tones; for lighter colors, choose light shoe tones.

• Comfort is key! If the shoes aren’t comfortable, there’s no point in wearing them. Opt for straps and break in any new shoes.

• Keep them professional. Avoid anything too flashy like sequined stilettos or flashy sneakers. Stick with a classic style that adds elegance without being too showy.

By following these tips, you can make sure your headshots will perfectly capture who you are and what you do!

Consider wearing heels to elongate your legs

Women may want to wear heels to give a height boost. Low profile heels are best, like a nude heel or kitten heel. Heels should be under 3 inches.

Men should opt for dress shoes or boots. Open-toed sandals are not good for business photos. Choose lighter colors like beige, brown or black for the best effect. Avoid clunky shoes.

Final Touches

Headshot photography sessions need the perfect finishing touches. Clothing is essential, from the colors to the textures. Knowing what to wear is key for a professional image that shows off your personality. So, what should you wear for your headshot photography session?

Let us explore!

Bring a few different outfits to the session

Photographers and clients understand that having a variety of wardrobe choices is key for a great headshot session. Bring two to three outfits that represent the roles you want to be considered for. For example, if you’re an actor, one should be typical of your on-stage character preferences – such as business attire or dressy evening wear. Another should be more down-to-earth, and maybe one in between.

Choose neutral colors – like black, navy blue, dark gray or brown. No logos or bold patterns. Bright colors can work, if kept to a minimum. For men, jacket and tie combos with a plain white shirt variant for each look. Avoid short sleeves. Women can opt for clothing that flatters their shape with several necklines – v-necks, boatnecks, round necks. Accessories can help bring out each look – statement jewelry pieces – but don’t overdo it! Hair and makeup should be natural looking. Use cosmetics subtly – lighten/even skin, slight touches to eyebrows/eyes/cheeks/lips. Don’t forget clean, well polished shoes! Professional headshots need thorough preparation!

Bring a few props to add more interest to your photos

For headshot photography, dress for the job you want. Choose outfits that are appropriate for your profession. Add props like books, awards, sports equipment or even a pet to personalize the session. Don’t let the props take away from you as the focus of the photo.

Men should bring items like briefcases, sunglasses or hats. Women may bring bags or jewelry. If you have questions, talk to the photographer ahead of time.

When posing, keep both hands free and visible. Listen to the photographer’s direction and poses. Place the items strategically in each shot to create great images!

Mike Haller

mikeh@hallerconcepts.com
4501 Mattis Road
St. Louis, MO 63128
Studio 314-892-1233
Cell 314-913-5626

Scouting for the best location

Why is Location Scouting Important?

Location scouting is about more than just finding the right room or park for a specific scene. Location scouting allows key members of the crew to walk through the space they want to shoot in and ensure it not only looks great but can support the needs of the shooting crew and cast.

It also is a great time to uncover any potential problems with the location, such as lack of adequate lighting or power.

While this may seem obvious, the script holds the most important information when it comes to finding the right location to shoot a certain scene. Each and every noteworthy element must be considered.

Is the shoot a period piece? Does it take place in a certain kind of park in a certain part of the world? What elements does the writer describe being included in the space the scene takes place? What time of day is it supposed to be?

Film, video and photography location scouts in St. Louis

Carefully review every part of the script so that you can go into your location scout with a solid picture of exactly what kind of location you’ll need for each scene you’re planning to shoot.

Mike Haller – Cell 314-913-5626

St Louis Location Scout | Drone Photography and Video

There are a few important things to take into consideration when on an initial location scout. The most obvious is you want your locations to match (as best they can) the brief that the director created and the mood he or she is after. Besides the overall look you need to also be thinking about the logistics of the location.

The production will do their best to make company moves easy, parking easy, and take care of all the other things but a DP has to be on the look out for things like 2nd story locations, tight access for rigging and cardinal orientation of a set. The earlier you spot a problem the more likely you will be able to fix it before the shoot.

We are also well versed in flying drones and can help scout your location and provide drone aerial images and video.

Mike Haller
314-892-1233
stlouislocations@gmail.com
9910 Claywood Court
St. Louis, MO 63126

Location scouting in St. Louis to find the best location for your video or photography shoot is imperative!

Selecting the right location for a successful shoot.

Scouting locations is a vital pre-production step that will help you meet almost any challenge when you shoot video or photography in the field. Here are several tips that will help you as you scope out potential video shooting locations.

1. Know your script. Choose a site that matches the setting of your story. This is the first rule of location scouting. As you set out to evaluate locations, you’ll likely face countless possibilities: natural areas, historic sites, distinctive buildings, urban landscapes and waterfront settings, to name a few. Remember, above all, that you have a story to tell. Choose a location that lends itself to the story you want to produce. You should never be bound by your locations. Locations are simply raw materials. You need to know what the script demands before you can select a suitable location.

2. Scout at the right time. Be aware that locations can change. It’s wise to check your spot on the day of the week and the time of day that you’ll be taping: these factors can produce surprisingly large changes on the suitability of a location.

Automobile traffic and noise, visitors to recreation and entertainment spots, and tourists at scenic or historic areas (to name just a few examples) all come in waves that vary dramatically based on the time of day, the day of the week and the season.

3. Look at light. Churches, ballrooms, restaurants, auditoriums and homes generally feature low amounts of available lighting. Check light levels by shooting a few seconds of test footage with your camcorder.

Solutions for poor lighting might be as simple as scouting out window blinds and curtains that can be opened to add daylight. In some cases you may wish to bring in lights or ask permission to replace the bulbs in accessible light fixtures with brighter-burning units.

4. Follow the sun. Outdoor lighting conditions can be as challenging as those indoors; exterior illumination changes all day long. As you’re scouting locations, pay attention to whether a given spot is in full sun, partial sun or full shade. Bright sun can be harsh on people’s faces, and light-colored surfaces can blow out in full sunlight, causing automatic camcorder lenses to underexpose shots. Partial sun can be tricky, as well; today’s camcorders, though sophisticated, can have trouble handling the high contrast in this situation. Ultimately, you may find that fully shaded locations or overcast days produce the most consistent results.

5. Check for power supplies. Many outdoor locations are far from power sources and even some indoor locations can pose AC challenges, so multiple camera batteries are always a good idea. But you’ll still need to evaluate your power options at any location.

How will you power your lights? What if you do end up draining all your batteries? Is there anywhere to plug in the charger? Is the spot remote enough to make a car-lighter AC adapter a good idea? In a location that does have power, you may be able to plug in, but you’ll still need to think about the system’s pre-existing load and whether or not you can get to the fuse (breaker) box in case something blows.

6. Listen. Clean, high-quality sound is critical in making a video that rises above the ordinary, and its silence that ensures you get the location sound that you came for.

The whooshing of traffic, the white noise of moving water, and the echoes of voices and movements can all get in the way of high-quality audio. As you scout a location, check for any of these conditions by listening to your camcorder’s microphone pickup through headphones. Test your wireless mike at the site as well, listening closely for any type of interference.

7. Examine the elements. Sun, rain, wind, snow, heat, and cold — all of nature’s elements can help or hurt, depending on what you’re hoping to capture on film. So, it’s critical to check the forecast as you’re scouting.

Video cameras don’t like rain, salty beach air or moisture from waterfalls. Smeared lenses and water or salt inside the card reader can spell disaster. Bright, hot locations with lots of sunlight can also be a problem: black and gray camcorder bodies absorb the sun’s rays and can cause overheating when left exposed. A beach or patio umbrella can help protect your gear from the elements in both sun and rain.

Cold temperatures can drain batteries and make you and your helpers uncomfortable very quickly. Plan to keep equipment warm by storing it inside a coat or car until you’re ready to shoot, and by wrapping it in a spare scarf or jacket while taping. And watch out when bringing cameras back into warm interiors from the frigid outdoors: this can cause significant amounts of moisture to condense inside both optics and electronics.

8. Decide where to set up. Make sure that there’s adequate space for you to set up all of your gear, so that you’re able to get the shots you have in mind. A small shed may seem like the perfect location for a shoot, until you realize that there isn’t enough room to position your gear. You may have plenty of room in a large space like a church or an auditorium, but you may not be able to roam freely. As you scout your locations, verify that you can physically get to the spots you intend to shoot from.

9. Get permission. Be aware that you’ll need to secure permits and other legal permissions to shoot at certain locations. As you’re looking at a location, do a legal reality check.

Have you chosen a street or sidewalk location that will impede traffic? Do you plan to shoot on someone else’s property? Cemeteries, malls, grocery stores, corporations and businesses are all private property. Many owners will be happy to accommodate you if you ask, but if not, you’ll need to choose another location. It’s better to get permission in advance than to have a shoot interrupted by the authorities.

10. Evaluate the area. Check on communications: Is there cell phone reception in the area you’ve chosen to shoot? How about a nearby pay phone? If you’re driving a long way, have you planned for a breakdown?

Search the area for quick food stops to satisfy you and your crew in the midst of a busy schedule and double-check the address of a local electronics store, just in case you need to replace a cable or adapter.

One day, something will go wrong; it’s inevitable. But when you’ve scouted out the backup possibilities at a location, you can take most obstacles in stride.

11. And finally, take notes! When you sit down to evaluate a location after a day of exploring, you’ll be glad you have scouting reports to refer to. In your scouting expeditions for a shoot, in your daily travels, on your family vacations, and in your mind’s eye, you’ll come across countless locations and changing conditions, each of which will be unique and potentially important to you.

Write them down, take still photos or shoot a little video with a running audio commentary. Note the time of day, the quality of the light, the sounds in the air, and the things you felt. One day you might return.

314-892-1233

Mike Haller

St Louis Location Scout

mikeh@hallerconcepts.com

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA | Midwest Location Scouting

We can help you scout and produce your next film, video or photography session in Saint Louis, Missouri.

We can scout, create, produce and place your content all over, no matter what size screen your viewer is using.

Getting your production to all types and sizes of viewing screens, whether it’s a theater, television, smartphone, tablet or desktop, we have produced a message for the media.

Today users have come to expect quick uninterrupted streaming and more polished, professional video productions. Not necessarily Hollywood style of budgets, but adequate enough to convey the message in an understandable audience respectful manner.

Our goal is to evaluate your communication goals, create and produce your message and just as important, delivering that message to the right audience.

314-892-1233

Mike Haller

4501 Mattis Road 63128

St Louis Location Scout

St Louis, Missouri, USA | Film, Video and Photography services

mikeh@hallerconcepts.com

st louis video location scout | Missouri photography location scout

We’ll help find that right location and make you the star. We’ve been shooting and helping shooters since 1982. We know how to scout and work on getting you the best location for the price. Call us about your project parameters and we’ll guide you to the best course for your production whether its video, film or photography.

314-892-1233

Mike Haller

St Louis Location Scout

mikeh@hallerconcepts.com

St Louis, Missouri, USA | Video Production

st louis location scout for video, film and photography

st louis video | location scouts | video production

st louis video, film and photography locations, some are great, some are not. When you need great shots call on the experts, our team has been shooting in st louis since 1982. We know all the great locations. Plus we have a directory of wonderful house locations and are always updating our database for new and interesting locales. From the very modern and hip to the old timeless classics, the look and feel of your shoot will depend a great deal upon the location. Give it your first priority!

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St Louis Film Production

If you are planning on shooting in St Louis you really should call us first. We can help you with all pre production scouting and logistics as well as production and post production. If you’ve been around the Midwest as long as we have Scouting & Managing Locations is a natural in our business. We just might know what you are looking for. You just have to know where to go, who to talk to and when to get the right image! We do St. Louis and Midwest location scouting for Film, Video, Photography and the Web.

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Mike Haller

314-892-1233

St Louis Location Scout

Member – Location Managers Guild of America (LMGA)

Our corporation has been in business since 1982, we are deeply experienced in film, video production, photography and print.

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We’ve been scouting in Missouri and Illinois for a number of years and are quite familiar with the Midwest region. Kansas City, Springfield, St Louis, Joplin, Cape Girardeau, we know the areas and we can help your production. Good quality location scouting can make your production better and less expensive.

Missouri film and video location scout for American Idol Winner Phillip Phillips

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Film and video scouting in Missouri.

American Idol Winner Phillip Phillips in Springfield, Missouri and surrounding Missouri county areas this recent January 2013 music video and film shoot . Great person, wonderful film and video crew production. Thanks everyone!

Missouri Film Scout Mike Haller for American Idol Winner Phillip Phillips.