Editorial Headshots

Editorial headshots help illuminate a story and are usually taken within the workplace although it can be done in studio as well. These headshots not just used in magazines for fashion spreads to accompany feature articles about famous people, you can design your own session and have your own editorial headshot for your website. Since you want to tell your story on your website, editorial shots are a great way to help you accomplish this. People like to have stories about businesses where they spend their money. It doesn’t matter if you are a lawyer, a realtor, a chef, a musician, or a financial adviser – people want to have a story that they can relate to when they do business. Your editorial Headshots should feel candid and alive, showcasing not only what you look like, but what you are like to work with. 

If you need more extensive options for your social media, I also offer Personal Branding session. We will work together to assess your needs and then develop a plan to create several months’ to a year's worth of images over the course of a few hours. A combination of editorial headshots, lifestyle imagery, and candid environmental images will mean you have content for a whole year social media planning. 

Chelsea is a graduate student in Theater Dept. of The University of Iowa. She wanted some pictures to use on her website but not necessarily just traditional headshot. During our consultation, we designed a session to not only show her personality but to show the work she does as a costume designer. She is designing costumes for a set in the 1950’s and turning the picture into black and white is more compatible with that period of time.

Embracing your beauty

Last week I had an honor to take professional headshot of this amazing lady with Cerebral Palsy, she had a mission and vision to show the world how fierce she is and this is what she wrote after her session:

My name is Erin and I have Cerebral Palsy and use a walker to get around and I've used it all my life. For a very long time I've had a love/ hate relationship my walker, but now after 30 years of life, I only have love to give.

I could have done the photo shoot in wheelchair, but I don’t use a wheelchair (I have in the past)I use my walker. So, I had to be true to myself. When I was growing up in the 90s I didn't have all these beautiful fierce disabled icons to look up to like @jillianmercado @itslololove I felt very alone. I don't want people with disabilities (PWDs) to ever feel alone and you dont have to. Representation is critical, we need it in film, television, literature, EVERYWHERE My walker defines me.

My disability DEFINES me. My walker doesn't disable me from living a full life, but inaccessible CAN! My walker took me around the world to Rwanda and Mexico, it's helped me live a full life. I have climbed physical mountains with this walker and I am going to keep climbing.My walker has broken many times but just like me it can be rebuilt and be strong as hell.

So listen, your disability does NOT make you unattractive.🔥

Your disability doesn't make you less professional.🔥

Your disability doesn't make you an object to be pitied.🔥

You are FIERCE 🔥

You are BEAUTIFUL🔥

You are DISABLED 🔥

I'm here shining with you🌟

Should I smile or be serious in my headshots?

When time comes to have a new professional headshot most people don’t know where to start. That’s why I have a series of blog posts on this topic from “How to find the perfect headshot photographer”, “What to wear for business headshot?”, “Should I wear my glasses for my headshots?”, “Do I need makeup for my headshot session?”

The next important question to ask before having your headshot is: “Should I smile or be serious in my headshot?”

When we look at a photograph the first thing we see is subject’s expression. Most of the people have no idea should they smile or look serious in their headshot.

Here are some of the advantage and disadvantage of smiling in your headshot:
Advantages:
1. If your smile is genuine you look friendlier and more approachable.
2. They make the viewer more comfortable with you.
3. They make you seem easy to work with.
4. They can help you look younger.
Disadvantages:
1. Your eyes can become squinty. Fix this by looking at the top part of the photographer's camera, or do a more subtle laugh/smile instead of a big one.
2. Wrinkles can show on your face, or your face can look wider.

These are some advantages and disadvantages of serious expressions:
Advantages:
1. They can help you appear older if you look young and like to look older and more experienced.
2. If you do a very subtle, closed-mouth smile, it can show confidence with approachability, which is an awesome look.
Disadvantages:
1. If you're not careful, you can look blank, or mean/angry. A simple fix to this would be to keep your lips closed and do a subtle laugh to create a tiny little approachable smile that still looks like a serious shot.
2. You can look older than you are.

Do I Need Makeup for my Headshot Session?

It makes no difference if you need acting headshots or professional headshots. Either way, you are having your headshots created to market yourself. Think of all the places you are going to use these images. Your social media, your personal or company’s website, email, print marketing and articles written about you and your business card.

If you want to look your best for your headshot, makeup can make a big difference in improving the professional look of your portrait while retaining your authenticity and personality. Makeup well applied looks natural and indiscernible.

If you answer yes to any of these statements below you need to have your hair and makeup professionally done before your headshot session.

• I’m really not comfortable wearing makeup, but I want to look my best.

• I usually do wear makeup, but I don’t think I apply it correctly.

• I don’t necessarily want to look younger, but I definitely don’t want to look older.

• I have some blemishes/imperfections that I’d like to minimize.

• I have a specific look I want to portray in my headshot.

Professional hair and makeup can really ramp up your look and ensure you get the best possible professional portrait for LinkedIn profile picture.

As part of my studio service, hair and makeup are available on your request.

Should I wear my glasses for my headshot?

Wearing glasses is not unusual for your business or corporate headshots but eyeglasses can sometimes be a challenge with photography. There are, however, some things you can do before your headshot to make sure your final portrait is the absolute best. If you normally wear eyeglasses, you’ll want to wear them for your portrait. Below are some things you can do to have the best headshot session with eyeglasses.

1. Buy glasses with an anti-reflective (AR) coating, which means almost no light reflects off of the lens surface and the lens becomes nearly invisible.

2. Contact your optometrist before your photoshoot and ask to borrow a pair of your frames for the day

3. Ask your optometrist pop out the lenses for the day.

These are few great ways to get your authentic look without worrying about the glare of the lens.

What to wear for business headshot: Part Two-men’s attire?

Traditional Business Headshot

For the Traditional Corporate Headshot pick your favorite suit that fits you well. Pick a dark color like a navy blue, charcoal gray or black. These colors are classic and will help lead the viewer eyes up to your face. If you are wearing tie, keep in mind that tie should compliment the suit in your portrait and not stand out on it’s own and be distraction.

If you are choosing not to wear a necktie you can still look very executive without a tie.

Business Casual Headshots

If you aren’t wearing a jacket, wear a collared, button-up shirt. It draws less attention to the neck and helps frame your face.

Think about background color. If you are shooting on white, a darker shirt is better. If you are shooting on black or a very dark background opt for something lighter, but not necessarily white.

Stripes or patterns are not the best choice when you aren’t wearing a jacket. They tend to be distracting and work better under a jacket.

Some more helpful tips:

1. Do not wear a white t-shirt under an open-collared shirt. This results in a very distracting white triangle that draws the eye first when the viewer looks at your photo.

2. In wider portraits, match the pants to the jacket, or wear a suit. Have a nice belt.

3. If you need a haircut, visit the stylist at least three or four days before your headshot so your hair has a chance to settle in and look natural.

4. Make sure if you have a late afternoon photo session that you shave. Particularly if you have dark whiskers.

Now that you know what to bring for your professional headshot session, go ahead and book your session and update that headshot.

What to wear for business headshot? Part one-women’s attire

A good business headshot helps you communicate in a nanosecond who you are and what you do. Your headshot is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your authentic brand, so make the most of it. Remember the focus for the business or professional headshot is your face. Everything including the background, lighting and clothing should be kept simple to frame your  face.

1.  Color

Plain colors are your best choice.  Patterns or prints distract and date your photo.  Choose mid- tone colors in blue, green, wine and purple because they are universally flattering.  Color and patterns
It’s tempting to stick with black and white, but don’t do it. If you know your colors, bring items from that palette, or try hues that bring out your eye color and enhance your skin tone. Rich colors and jewel tones (emerald or sapphire blue, Purple, green and red) are great choices for almost all women.

2. Style
What not to wear:

• short sleeves or sleeveless styles

• busy patterns or plaids

• turtlenecks and shiny fabrics

• and seasonal styles and fabrics.

3.  Neckline
A modest v-neck is universally flattering because it lengthens the neck. If you choose to wear a jacket, pair it with a collarless top.  This is modern and keeps the neckline simple and sleek. Crisply ironed shirts by themselves frame the face really well.

4.  Jewelry
Keep it really simple, choose simple earrings and necklaces.  They keep the focus on the face. Big statement jewelry will date your photos.

5. Coordinate to the background

Most common background for headshots are white and dark gray. I personally like white background because it look very sleek and modern. Consider medium to dark colors and tones for more contrast on white background. If the background is very dark, you can wear light or vivid colors. I really like red on a black background.

Some final tips:

• Don’t wear your portrait wardrobe in the car; seat belts = wrinkles. Instead, bring your clean, neatly pressed pieces to the session on hangers.

• For business headshots, bring at least two to three outfits; for talent headshots or for a full portfolio shoot, six to eight outfits is probably more reasonable.

Why professional headshots are important for models?

Are you a model who is trying to break into the modeling industry and looking for a photography in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area? Having the right set of skills, along with a great appearance will help you gain a competitive edge against other models trying to break into the industry.

One of the easiest things you can do to get an edge over other aspiring models is to get a great-looking set of professional headshots that highlight your features and make you stand out from the crowd.

A great headshot can not only get you called in for an audition, but it can also get you booked directly for a job. Many models are booked directly from their photos in their portfolio without having to attend a models audition.

This is why the photos in your Modeling Portfolio are so important.

The quality of the photos you choose to put in your Portfolio is important. These photos need to impress agencies and clients and make you stand out from the rest.

It’s better to have fewer photos that are great than having more that are of poor quality.

How to find the perfect headshot photographer

When actors are looking to hire a headshot photographer in Iowa City Area they will usually ask around other people, word-of-mouth is still very valuable in this industry and people will usually be happy to refer you to their favorite photographer or studio.

Another way to look for photography studio in Iowa City Area is to search online. Make sure to search by specialty because not all photographers are trained to take professional headshots and making sure you get the right photographer will be hugely important so you won’t be disappointed with your pictures. Price usually plays an important role in choosing a photographer but it is more important to look through the photographer’s portfolio to get a basic idea of what the photographer can do; a portfolio will give you a good insight into the style of the photographer as well as her techniques and composition effects. 

Once you have located the correct photographer for your acting headshot, make appointment to visit her and discuss what you want to get out of the pictures, make sure you feel comfortable around her.

Getting your headshots taken is one of the best decisions you can take as an actor. A good set of headshots will help you portray the image you’re trying to get across and land you more auditions.

Business Headshot or Personal Branding?

When a client contact me regarding a business headshot I feel I would like to educate them a little more about different options they have. We definitely can go beyond the traditional headshot and have a more modern approach, something  I call “Personal Branding”.

Most small business owners represent their own brand so we want this image be professional and at the same time represent our brand as clear as possible. Being professional does not mean being stiff or executive-style studio shot it means pictures that capture your essence so people feel like they are meeting the person they expected.

Also, in the online world, we often don’t have a chance to meet everyone in person, so the image we hold in our head is whatever that person is willing to provide. And too often what is provided is not flattering.

Tim came to my photography studio and had a clear idea of how he wants to be photographed. He wanted some formal shot as well as some casual pictures to show different sides of his personality. He wanted to convey being professional but approachable and friendly.

The importance of Having Professional Headshot

1.     Representing your business

You as the business owner are the face of your business. That’s why having a professional headshot is so essential. if you were searching for a new supplier and found that a certain company was a very viable supplier, but the CEO had an unprofessional head shot in casual clothes – would you be willing to deal with this company?

2.     Gives Your Business a Personal Touch

By having a headshot for your business, you can give your business a personal touch. Most people want to see a photo of the person with whom they’re doing business. 

3.     Makes Your Website Look More Professional

4.     Professional headshot is useful for marketing and branding.

 Branding is much more than just a catchy logo or tagline. It’s also an emotional tie that you make with your customers because your face is your company brand.

5.     Making Your Headshots The Best Possible
If it’s time to update your headshots, consider these steps:
Hire a professional photographer and makeup artist. A photo from your iPhone will not do.

If you need to tweak your style, hire a professional stylist to go shopping with you to pick out a few outfits that would be flattering in a headshot.

Select at least two looks to be photographed, (pick a colorful jacket or tie not just black or white).

6. Utilizing Platforms Such as LinkedIn
LinkedIn has grown in popularity ever since its inception, it has become one of the biggest platforms for businesses and professional individuals. By having a profile on LinkedIn you will be able to connect with businesses and professional individuals alike, but you need to look the part if you want to get the most out of this platform. A professional corporate head shot will allow you to portray your business the way it should be portrayed.

Mother's Day

Why we women avoid having our pictures taken?

After my first child was born I was waiting to shed the extra weight that I gained during pregnancy. I was hoping to get my muscle tone back and fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes for two years. And then I got pregnant with my second one. He is now eleven and I still don’t ware same size clothes as before having kids.  I did not exist in many photos in first couple years of their lives and I thought: kids are much cuter anyway, better to just take their pictures.

But we really need to make an effort to get in the picture. As Allison Tate says: our sons need to see how young and beautiful their mamas were and our daughters need to see us vulnerable and open just being ourselves. Too much of a woman life goes undocumented and unseen. We are everywhere in our kids young lives, and yet there are very few pictures of us with them. Someday you won’t be there and no one knows that someday may be tomorrow or forty years from now but you want them to have pictures of you.

We have all the excuses in the world for not being in the pictures with our kids. Being 20 lbs heavier or lighter doesn’t make a difference in who we are as a human being. What I realized as a photographer, I hid from camera since my kids were born. We gain weight and all of a sudden we don’t exist in the photos anymore. It doesn’t matter what weight we are, we can lose maximum 2lbs/week so we are 2 lbs better than the last week, what is that? Nobody may even notice it anyway. The fastest way to lose weight is to fall in love with yourself now and then it doesn’t matter if you lose it or not. Every single day you will get to wake up and say: I like the woman that I am today and this is the most powerful thing you can do for yourself and family. You are perfect now, your kids love you who you are now. They never look at your pictures and say I love my mom but I wish she was 20lbs lighter.

I want to challenge you this Mother’s day, get out of behind the camera and get in the pictures. If you like to schedule a professional photo session contact me, I will be honored to take your family pictures.

FLATTERING FIGURES WITH WARDROBE FOR BOUDOIR AND BEAUTY PHOTOSHOOT

I believe that all bodies are beautiful, so this is by no means a figure-fix list, but rather a list of few key items and tips that enhance the beauty of each individual. Across all shapes and sizes, the most enhancing component of wardrobe is that it is cut well and fits well.

• Curvy bodies
  Corsets work wonders to play up a woman’s curves and hourglass shape. Robes are also great for women who may want more or less of their curves exposed, because they can control how much is seen or not seen. The one thing to avoid is loose-fitting clothing, which makes women appear larger without enhancing the beauty of proportionate curves. The trick is to wear fitted clothing that does not drown curves in excessive fabric. Snug but not tight-clothing hug the body, not squeezing it to death.
  

• Small chest
  A woman with a smaller chest should focus on the elegance of her torso and the beauty of petite breasts. These ladies can take advantage of all the high-fashion tops without wearing a bra. Going braless is an extremely sexy look, but if cleavage is what you want, going with the best push-up padded bra and V-neck collars is your best bet.
  

• Thin, no curves
  Once again, a corset comes in handy. A well seamed corset works like magic to create the illusion of an hourglass shape. If she doesn’t have a natural waist, she can provide the appearance of one. When wearing a dress, a waist belt at her natural waistline gives her more of a curvy look.
  

• Shorter legs
  Obviously, high heels make a shorter woman appear taller (and slimmer, if that’s the goal). Nude shoes that match the skin tone are a fantastic choice to make the legs look even longer. Avoid shoes with ankle straps, a square toe, and chunky shoes, all of which make legs look wider. For clothing, high-waisted skinny jeans are an excellent choice. The higher waistline makes legs appear longer.
  

• Flat bum
  Frilly panties create the illusion of a bit more pow in the bottom. Regardless of the style of undies, giving a little tug to make a wedgie, create a juicy, curvy bottom.

Boudoir shoot wardrobe

WARDROBE MUST HAVE FOR BOUDOIR SHOOT

1. Men’s shirt
   Every girl looks good in a man’s white button-down. There are so many ways it can be styled, with a bra or without, leave the shirt unbuttoned with the sleeves casually rolled up and the collar left a little loose and unkempt.
   

2. Sheer teddy
   The sheer teddy is a beautifully feminine lingerie option that most women feel comfortable in.
   

3. Printed scarf or shawl
   A printed scarf that has a nice drape or a shawl with fringe both offer many options for beautiful shots and lots of fun.
   

4. Hot heels
   You do not want to have a boudoir shoot without some sexy high-heeled shoes. Sometimes a hot pair of heels is all the wardrobe you need.
   

5. Jewelry statement pieces
   A piece of jewelry that makes a statement is a great accessory to play with when shooting boudoir.
   

6. Black lace panties
   Always bring black lace undies, every girl should own that in her wardrobe and it is the easiest to style around and a universally flattering undergarment.

1. White tank top or t-shirt A simple white cotton tank top or t-shirt is another universally flattering, classic, and sexy wardrobe to bring. Tanks with thin straps, a V-neck, or lace trim are more feminine. It can be easily sexed up by wearing it braless.