What is the first thing your new employer or client will see? That’s right, YOU and your business. My headshot sessions are all about you and how you would like the world to see you, on a professional or casual level. I have put together some useful ideas and tips to help you prepare for your amazing headshot photography session. I will provide you with the best experience and stylish photographs to show off. The step-by-step process! -1- Budget First of all let’s talk about your budget and goals. You will need to work out how much you want to spend and allocate yourself a budget. What do you need? Do you need a Lifestyle photoshoot with a number of different shots and photos of your employees? Do you need images for a working model portfolio, your own website or Linked-in. For all of these you will definitely need high resolution and professional images. There are many different price packages to look at, this will be discussed beforehand. -2- Photoshoot Schedule It’s always better to plan your session 1-2 weeks in advance to get the best results. Each session usually takes an hour, so leave time before and after to get yourself ready. A make-up artist is not included in the price but can be arranged to join us for extra cost (to pay his/her fees). Use the days leading up to your session to research looks and styles you would like to use, take a look on my website or Pinterest (they have some fabulous ideas). -3- Studio vs Location Always better to plan ahead to give you enough time and your team members a chance to prepare themselves. You will need to decide on what background you would like to use - now this all depends on how you want your company or yourself portrayed (professional, causal and relaxed/friendly). Make sure you communicate this to your photographer. A grey background would suit a styled website or business profile. An outdoor shot would compliment an artist or design company. A plain white background will make you stand out and make you the point of focus. Then to decided on full-body, up to the waist or just shoulders and face. If you aren’t sure, will can use different approaches and try a number of looks for you. We’ll take lots of images, so you have a range to choose from. -4- The Outfit Depending on the style of your company or personal preference, you can go for a conservative corporate look (Jacket/tie/shirt/skirt/dress) or you can go with a more modern fresh look (black jeans, fitted shirt/comfy jacket/floral dress). There are many ‘do’ and ‘don’t’ when you google the internet on what to wear, but this is your choice. Whatever you feel comfortable will show better in the images captured. The only thing I would suggest you avoid are busy patterns, narrow stripes or slogans. Heres some things to think about: Do you have a corporate colour or design? Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed. Try any new clothes beforehand. Do not wear baggy, ill-fitting clothes. Any jewellery or watches would look good. Do you need a fresh haircut? 5- How to feel relaxed and comfortable?
I do understand that the photoshoot can be stressful experience for those who aren’t used to the camera and posing. We aren’t all models with knowledge on how to pose and smile. I have heard a number of people tell me they weren’t happy with themselves regarding certain angles and sides, often saying they are terrible on camera - but this isn’t true. There is nothing to worry about. I am here to make you look great, give you a relaxed and fun experience. I will give you posing ideas and make you feel at ease. I will help you with poses, angles to suit you, help positioning your hands and bring a natural smile to your face. If you are still nervous, have a good nights sleep, give yourself time to prepare and have a cuppa. Think positively and the rest will follow - you will do an amazingly. And there you go my tips and tricks to help you prepare for your session. If you have any other questions I am always here to answer them. I recommend plan, research your market (like any business) and relax. I can’t wait to capture your images to make you feel great and help you stand out. Take care, Emily xxx Many lovely families will be facing the sad truth that they will not be able to capture their little baby’s newborn photographs by a professional photographer during the Coronavirus outbreak. However I am here to help! I have put together a little guide for those who wish to take some amazing baby photographs at home. These can be taken on your iPhone, so don’t worry if you don’t have the latest camera technology! Number one rule: Always use the light, you may not have a lighting kit hidden away in the garage but you have the Sun, the best source if continuous light! Natural photography is timeless and dreamy, you can create some fantastic soft images. Tips for lighting:
Now that you have worked out your natural lighting, lets get baby ready for the shots! Your baby will love cosy and warm spaces, so make sure to put up the temperature before you undress and settle the baby into any position. The room should be 25-28 degrees, don’t forget that mummy’s tummy is at least 35 degrees, so any less than 25 will be too cold! If you use a heater, never direct the heat towards your baby! It should be place at at lest 1 meter away and the stream of heat at an angle away from your little one. Keep an eye on baby’s colour, we don’t want a hot flush! Tips for posing You’ll want to capture your baby’s rolls and details (hands, feet and ears) make sure you get these shots first as the little one is settling into a dreamy sleep. You’ll want to remember these sweet details. We’ll keep the poses easy and minimal! Without training most of the poses you see on Pinterest or on a professional photographer’s website are unsafe without the right knowledge and training. Please don’t place your babies into any buckets and boxes etc. Again, a professional photographer is trained for these specialised shots - do not try these! If you really want something like that, book a 6 month old sitter session or first birthday cake smash with your photographer later on.
Family tips It's hard to get this right, without a third person - but you can take turns holding baby, cuddling or baby cheeck to cheek. You could also try setting a timer and quickly cosy together on the sofa or bed. If it isn't possible to take a photograph, try making a video - set up you iPhone have it resting on something stable and press play - get a lovely video of you all as a family cuddling and playing. You can lay baby down then you and your partner come over top and both look down at baby, smiling or making noises (it won't look silly). Editing Programs If you are using a phone you have an endless choice of apps. Snapseed, Instasize, Picsart are all great - you can crop, alter contrast, brightness and colour tones. If you are using a compact camera, upload your images and make sure they are formatted as Jpeg or Jpg. Download Affinty Photo or use any photo editing program already on your computer. There are a lot of tutorials out there! I hope you found this helpful, if you have any questions ask me! I would also love to see some of your images! Take care and stay safe xxx |
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