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Even finding the right photographer to meet your needs and budget can be a struggle. With your setup down-pat, go ahead and take lots of photos to ensure you’ve got a few good shots in the bunch. Experiment with different outfits, accessories, poses, expressions, and angles. If you’d like to remove acne and stray hairs, whiten teeth, and generally improve the quality of your photo, email us at -inc.com, and we’ll happily edit your photo for a $99 fee.
You should find a simple location with great natural lighting. Using a tripod–especially if you are solo–is a key technique to shooting a studio-grade headshot at home. You want to avoid approaching this like a selfie; you need to create some distance between yourself and the camera. In order to provide you with a variety of choices, you can move the tripod in order to capture images of yourself at a different angle.
Learn To Use The Filters on Your Camera
You don’t need to act like a supermodel, but you do need to present yourself in the best light possible. But remember that your headshot has no value if the rest of your profile is incomplete. Depending on the platform, this might include your location, languages, biography, experience, interest areas, strengths, and testimonials. Remotes — which can be used for both smartphones and cameras — help eliminate the need for timers. This is a plus if you don’t want to feel rushed to get into position after hitting the shutter button.
The ladder you choose doesn’t have to be over the top – chances are, a stepladder will provide all the height you need to garner the full potential of your group. Choose something you wouldn’t mind carrying around between sets. Once you’ve tried it out, you won’t ever want to take on a group portrait without one in hand. As strange as it may sound, a ladder turns out to be a crucial tool for portrait photographers for a number of different reasons. During preparation, it can assist in elevating lights beyond comfortable reach. In a pinch, it can even serve as a makeshift light stand or reflector holder.
HOW TO TAKE HEADSHOTS AT HOME
Never forget that the subject will feed off of the photographer. Remember, natural smiles appear when a person is laughing, so it’s ok to use a little humor. In fact, it’s a good idea if you don’t adjust any of it during the shoot so you can maintain the consistency of your photos. Shooting from slightly above is fine, but if the person you are photographing is quite a bit taller than you, you’ll want to have a step stool ready. You want to be shooting from close to the same height as the people you are photographing.
Business portrait photography can be intimidating for those trying it out for the first time. They often lack the casualness of event photography and bring with them a sense of urgency to present a polished, professional final product. As mentioned above, the best part of getting a headshot done at home is that you’re in charge! You’ll rarely nail it on the first try, so don’t be shy about taking a BUNCH of photos. Notice how close to a window I positioned myself and the camera.
Pose & Shoot
Jaymes Dempsey is a professional macro and nature photographer from Ann Arbor, Michigan; his work is published across the web, from Digital Photography School to PetaPixel. You can connect with Jaymes on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You should wear non-distracting clothing, ideally with neutral colors. Follow my process carefully, and I guarantee that you’ll capture a refined photo you can use for years to come.
Affordable ring lights can be found online, like this one here. You’re going to want to mark your position so you can stand in the exact same spot for each photo – and you’re going to want to look professional. If you’re comfortable smiling, then go ahead and smile, but it’s also acceptable to look serious (as if you’re doing business!). Once you have a nice composition, you’ll want to consider your exposure settings. Nailing the exposure is a key part of creating a professional-quality headshot, so it’s important you get it right. The first step in any editing workflow is to ensure that the image is aligned properly.
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So is a professional photographer really the best option for your headshots? Well, a professional photographer brings a lot to the table. To help you take professional headshots at home, we asked photography enthusiasts and other leaders this question for their best advice. From applying solid colors to smiling and positioning your head right, there are several tips that may help you learn new ways to take headshots that look professional. Remember that while glasses are necessary for many, using them as an accessory in your headshots can create tricky glares and reflections.
We ideally want to use as much of those pixels as possible so people can see who you are. If you can, scout out your surroundings to get an idea of how to go about lighting and set up. In location-specific and “candid” shots, it’s especially important to bring along a proper portrait lens capable of producing rich bokeh. The ability to obstruct disruptive background elements is essential. Stay away from asking a subject to hold a pose – oftentimes, this can result in stiff, awkward portraits. Instead, give the people you’re working with something to do.
It’s also very important to take your photo using the forward-facing camera on your phone. The “selfie” camera on the screen-side is a significantly worse lens that will distort your at-home headshot. You may be uncomfortable in front of the camera, but avoid the temptation to take one photo and then quit.
No matter what poses you experiment with, make sure your camera is at eye level. This angle will give your headshots a classical portrait look. If you shoot from very high or very low angles, you might end up looking unflattering. If you want to take pictures indoors, make sure the room has lots of space and light.
Stand at an angle for some, and get a square-on shot for others. The more you experiment, the better your chances of getting a professional-looking headshot you’re really happy with. This could be a solid-colored wall in your home or office. I chose a gray office paint for this particular reason – the photographer in me always wanted a neutral gray wall in the house to take photos, and it has definitely come in handy. If taking the photo indoors, set yourself up next to a window and turn off any lights in the room. Pick a time of day where non-directional light pours into the room (or use a north- or south-facing room).
If you wear your glasses all the time, they’re a part of your appearance and therefore should be kept in the photos. Just be mindful of any light or windows that could obstruct the view of your eyes. Your professional headshot is the image you use to portray yourself to the world, so make sure it’s true to you and represents you well.
In addition, shooting down on a person tends to create a more flattering final result . If you have a lighting stand, you can easily attach an octobox to diffuse the bright flash and quickly create a larger light source. This series of photos was taken indoors but with the lights off. The photos were snapped very close to a large window to take advantage of flattering natural light. You may want to bring some sample images with you, showing them what different backgrounds look like with corporate headshots.
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