Since these questions come up constantly, my favorite makeup artist Mary Erickson put together this handy list of considerations when preparing for your professional headshots.
- Bring shirts with a collar as well as different necklines.
- Bring at least 6 different tops to choose from.
- No sleeveless shirts for headshots, they can make the arms look big and skin below the face takes the attention away from the face.
- No solid white.
- Solids usually work best, stay away from patterns and busy prints.
- Bring a lint brush or lint roller, fuzz will show on dark colors.
- Make sure your clothes are pressed and clean – very few photographers have irons or extra time. Photo retouching on soiled clothes will usually cost extra.
- Stay away from clothes with big buttons or ornaments that shine and compete for attention.
- If you wear earrings they should be small studs. Keep jewelry at a minimum, because anything flashy will distract from you.
Mary’s website is full of useful information, especially for the aspiring or “up & coming” makeup artists – check out her Q&A page! And if you want to gauge whether or not she knows what she’s talking about, check out her resumé!
