How to Dress for Headshots

Headshots are an important part of building your professional image. They can be used on your website, social media, business cards, and more. When it comes to dressing for headshots, there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure you look your best. 


 1. Keep it simple. When choosing an outfit for your headshot, it’s important to keep it simple. Avoid busy patterns, bold colors, and large logos or graphics. These can be distracting and take away from the focus of the photo, which should be you. 

 2. Stick to neutral colors such as black, white, gray, and navy blue are a safe bet when it comes to dressing for headshots. These colors are timeless and will never go out of style. They also provide a clean and professional look. Other colors that would work well are maroon, tan, muted greens, and muted pinks.

 3. Dress appropriately for your industry. While neutral colors are always a safe choice, it’s important to also consider your industry when choosing an outfit. For example, if you work in a creative field, you may want to add a pop of color or a unique accessory to show off your personality. This is where more noticeable jewelry is also acceptable. However, if you work in a more conservative industry, such as law or finance, it’s best to stick to a more traditional outfit with much more muted colors.

 4. Pay attention to fit. The fit of your clothing is just as important as the style. Make sure your clothing fits well and is not too tight or too loose. Clothing that is too tight can be uncomfortable and make you look unprofessional, while clothing that is too loose can make you appear disheveled. Make sure you can wear something that makes you feel confident as well.

 5. Don’t forget about grooming
In addition to your clothing. Make sure your hair is neat and styled, your makeup is natural-looking, and your nails are clean and trimmed. Grooming can make a big difference in how you look and feel in your headshots. 


At the end of the day, choose what will make you feel most comfortable and what you feel is most appropriate. Remember that these pictures will likely be used for a multitude of reasons, so versatility is key. If your photographer allows you to bring more than one outfit, take advantage of that! That way you can have both a professional headshot and a more casual headshot.

In conclusion, dressing for headshots is all about keeping it simple, sticking to neutral colors, dressing appropriately for your industry, paying attention to fit, and grooming. By following these tips, you can ensure you look your best in your headshots and make a great impression.


Prop Ideas for Pictures

Some of the best props for pictures! 


#1 Scarves

Scarves and jackets are a great way to give your arms something to do during photos! This is especially a great option for those that are insecure about the upper half of their body. Anything to allow models to be more comfortable!

Additionally, they can be used as beautiful accessories that’ll make an image pop. Make sure to coordinate the colors with your outfit and the environment around you. 


#2 Flowers

Flowers are a great way to give a pop of color to a photo. Use them in a bouquet, spread out around your subject, put them in hair, or overall just get creative! 


#3 Glasses

This once again is a great way to give your hands something to do in pictures. It can give your outfit a great accessory and by shielding your eyes, it can work to make a person look more mysterious. 


#4 Bags

If you need a pop of color, an extra bit of texture, or just something to carry your things, add a bag! 


#5 Mirrors

This is a great way to easily take a self-portrait of yourself, additionally, you can use the reflections in a creative way, such as to show a reflection of the sky while the mirror is on the ground. 


#6 Pets!

There is no easier way to add joy and happiness to a picture than inviting your favorite furry friend to join you in pictures.


#7 Smoke machine/smoke bombs

If you want to create a mysterious or hazy look to your photos, make sure to grab a smoke machine! Most of them you will need to plug in so make sure you have access to an outlet while you’re shooting!

Smoke bombs are typically colored and can be purchased at any local firework store. These are good to use if you’re doing a mythical/fairytale photoshoot!




Tips for Taking Pictures with Your Phone!

How to Take Pictures with Your Phone


Ever wondered how to take good pictures on your phone? 

Not to fear, here is a comprehensive guide to taking pictures without a professional camera!


You may be wondering, “But Zoey, aren’t you a photographer? Don’t you want people to pay you to take pictures of them?”. While yes, that would be nice, it’s important to remember that I myself am a broke college student trying to make my way without a stable income just like everyone else! Being able to hire a photographer is a luxury that I more than know is not feasible for all. Especially with how high-quality phone cameras are nowadays, there is a plethora of high-quality media you can create with just your phone!

Alright, time for the tips!


Angle

An important aspect of creating a good photo is how you angle the phone itself. A mistake that many rookie photo-takers can make is leaning the phone forward while they are taking the picture. This skews the perspective and often makes the subject look like they have a much larger head/top half on their body than they actually do.

By keeping the phone vertical to the ground, you can maintain a picture that keeps a perspective most similar to how you would see them in real life.

**Note, if you want to get the look of extremely long legs, have your photographer kneel on the ground and tilt your phone back


Height

Another mistake I see! If you are taking pictures of someone who is shorter than you, bring the phone down to their eye level. This works in conjunction with angles, but the best perspective of people is when the camera matches them at THEIR eye level, not yours. Be aware of your size compared to them. This goes vice versa, if you are shorter than them, make sure to find something to stand on to get to their level! This will typically create the most flattering image of them.


Zoom

For most pictures, it’s best to not zoom in because you can always crop images after the fact! This will allow each image to maintain the highest quality. Nowadays, zoom is used to get that candid and very aesthetic look, so while I would say be aware that it does reduce image quality, use zoom how you like! However, if you are taking a more “formal” picture (say, a picture with your family after a performance or event), and ESPECIALLY if you are using portrait mode, there is no reason why zoom would ever be needed.


Lighting 

ADJUST EXPOSURE IN THE MOMENT! Remember to always tap your screen where the subject is and use the little sundial on the side to adjust exposure. This will make for less editing later.

The easiest way to get consistent good pictures is to find a place where your entire body with be in the shade. That way, you will have consistent lighting all over the picture and it will make adjusting the lighting and editing much easier. Phone cameras do pretty well when subjects are in direct sunlight, but make sure to use the live exposure slider to make sure the picture isn’t over-exposed.


Have fun taking pictures on your phone!




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