Need Professional business headshots? Here’s how to feel comfortable for your photoshoot

One reason so many people shy away from having professional portraits made is that they feel awkward in front of the camera. Yet the most important thing a photographer can do to get great professional business headshots is to put their clients at ease. Only then will they get a brilliant portrait which shows their client at their very best.

But there is much that can be done to alleviate discomfort before the photographer even gets to work. The first thing I would recommend to help you feel at ease for your professional business headshots is to be prepared. It sounds boring but it’s absolutely true. The more you have thought things through and prepared yourself, the less anxiety you will have about the unknown. So plan that outfit, get your hair styled, and be ready to go in advance.

Next, adjust your mindset. This an be easier said than done but it’s amazing how much we can change a negative into a positive by just reframing it. Meditation can really help with your mindset and I highly recommend it. If you think of the shoot as something that could be fun and at worst will leave you with some flattering photos, then it’s less intimidating. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?!

ON the day of the photoshoot…

When it comes to the day of the photoshoot, it’s best to do something which makes you feel good such as a special breakfast treat, go for a run or workout or even just listen to your favourite song en route. And when you arrive at the studio you can always ask your photographer if he/she minds if you burn a particular candle or play your Spotify playlist. All professional photographers want their clients to feel at ease and will normally accommodate requests like this. If nothing else, it’s in their best interest!

And then once the photoshoot starts, it’s all about the posing. Actually, most people have no idea how to pose for the camera. Posing can be taught or learned through experience, but most of us had not had training. So it’s really the onus of the photographer to help their clients look natural and pose in a flattering way. One trick that photographers use is movement. People are more relaxed when they move around than when they stand still. Professional models know this and change position constantly when working. They don’t just stand stock still staring ahead and neither should you. I sometimes get my subjects to jump up and down and shake themselves out to relax before I start shooting. And you can really tell when the subject is relaxed in front of the camera. It just shines through in the portrait.

Read my blog for more on why it’s worth the investment to have professional business headshots.

Require a great headshot or personal brand portraits? Then contact me on info@serenabolton.com or 07958511 819.

“Photography through the lens of a storyteller”

LONDON HEADSHOT AND PERSONAL BRANDING PHOTOGRAPHER