Prepare for a headshot session by agreeing where the photographs will be used, checking the booked scope and bringing complete clothing options. Share references and practical needs before the appointment. The photographer directs poses during the session.
This guide is for the person being photographed. A company coordinator should use the corporate headshot day checklist for employee schedules, room access and approvals. The photographs here illustrate framing and wardrobe choices; they do not show a promised result for your session.
Step 1: Write a brief that fits the destination
List the places the image needs to work: LinkedIn, a company biography, a speaker page or a wider website placement. Bring a screenshot of the receiving layout if there is one. Specify whether the portrait needs a compact crop or room beside the subject for text.
Choose one priority use. A LinkedIn photograph and a homepage banner can need different compositions, even when the same outfit works for both. Ask which variations are practical within the proposed package instead of assuming one short appointment covers every use.
For a first professional-profile update, the LinkedIn session page explains that package line. Branding photographs with locations, activities and a larger library require a broader brief.
Step 2: Check the actual booked scope
Read the confirmation for appointment time, people, clothing changes, backgrounds and finished-image count. Note any location, selection or delivery requirements. A package allowance is a scope boundary, not a plan to fill every minute with wardrobe changes.
For example, Professional Headshot Quick is $399 and includes a thirty-minute studio session, one outfit, one background and two premium retouched headshots. Professional Headshot Standard is $549 for one hour, with up to two outfits and backgrounds and four retouched headshots. Choose the brief before choosing how many options to pack.
If the proposed scope no longer fits the images you need, raise that before the appointment. Discuss an extra look or setup before arrival.
Step 3: Test complete outfits and pack deliberately
Try each outfit with its actual base layer, jacket, glasses and accessories. Check fit while seated and standing. A neckline or collar that looks fine in a mirror can shift when you sit or turn toward the camera.
Photograph the full combinations in ordinary light and send them for guidance if requested. Pack the agreed options on hangers or in a garment bag, along with a lint roller and any small items needed to keep the outfit ready. Avoid bringing ten disconnected tops when the package covers one or two looks.
The headshot wardrobe packing checklist covers the final-fit and travel checks. Use it after agreeing your role and background.
Step 4: Keep your appearance familiar
Prepare hair and facial hair in the style people currently recognize. Do not schedule an unfamiliar haircut or a new grooming treatment solely because a portrait is booked. For makeup, the useful question is whether the appearance fits the intended use and the person’s everyday presentation.
If you wear glasses regularly, bring clean glasses and tell the photographer about them. Lighting and head angle can be adjusted during the session; removing a familiar feature should be a deliberate choice. Mention accessibility needs, fatigue, limited mobility or anything else that affects comfort before the appointment.
Step 5: Confirm arrival and reference details
Check the confirmed address, arrival instructions, appointment time and who to contact if you are delayed. Appointments need confirmation after inquiry. An on-location brief also needs confirmed access and a place to prepare clothing.
Select a small number of references that explain expression, crop or formality. Say what you like in each. The aim is useful direction, not copying another person’s face, exact pose or location. If a company already has a visual standard, bring that reference first.
| When | Check to complete |
|---|---|
| Before the appointment | Intended use, package scope and any practical needs |
| Before leaving | Complete outfits, glasses, lint check and joining or arrival details |
| At the session | Confirm the first setup and tell the photographer what feels uncomfortable |
| At selection | Compare recognition, expression and crop in the intended placement |
These are preparation checkpoints, not promised production or delivery times.
Step 6: Let direction and selection do their work
During capture, expect small adjustments to shoulders, head angle, eye line and expression. Tell the photographer when a position feels strained. You can change the feeling of a portrait without inventing a character or holding a fixed smile through the whole appointment.
When reviewing the gallery, use the original brief. Check that the image resembles you, reads clearly at the final size and has space for the intended crop. Confirm selection and retouching instructions through the agreed process. Do not assume raw files, unlimited edits or every candidate photograph are included.
For comfortable starting positions, the business headshot posing article explains options to discuss with the photographer.
Send a short pre-session note
Download the editable pre-session notes (.txt) to record the image brief, agreed clothing and arrival or joining instructions.
Use this outline when the booking contact asks for a brief:
I need photographs for [named profile or page]. My priority is [close portrait, wider frame or both]. The current layout/reference is [link]. My confirmed package allows [booked scope]. I would like to discuss [appearance preference or practical adjustment]. Please confirm arrival and selection instructions.
Complete the details rather than sending the brackets unchanged. A useful note gives the photographer a concrete destination and preserves questions that still need confirmation. For clothing transport and care items, follow the packing checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How should I prepare for a headshot session?
Define the intended use, check the booked scope, test complete outfits and confirm arrival details. Share useful references and practical needs ahead of time. Bring the agreed clothing and familiar glasses or accessories. Leave pose and lighting adjustments to live direction during the session.
Should I wear glasses in my headshot?
Bring the glasses people usually see you wearing, cleaned and ready. Discuss glare and framing with the photographer. If you want a version without glasses, agree it as part of the brief. Recognition and comfort are more useful than following a universal rule to remove them.
How do I pose for a LinkedIn headshot?
Start comfortably with relaxed shoulders and follow small adjustments to your head, posture and expression. Check the face in the intended profile crop rather than aiming for a dramatic pose. Tell the photographer when something feels unnatural so the direction can be adjusted.
