Can I bring someone with me to my headshot/portrait session?

You are welcome to bring a friend or companion with you to your session,  please let me know in advance if you intend to.  They will need to wait in a separate seating area during the session,  my studio space is a little small and can easily get crowded.

Once we finish shooting, if you’d like your guest to see the images, I am happy to show them if there is time before my next session.

Do I need to make an appointment?

Yes.  For all headshot and portrait sessions, an appointment is required, with a deposit needed to hold your session date and time.

If at all possible, try not to wait until the last minute to book your session, dates can fill up fast.

I know that sometimes life happens and there you may need to reschedule your appointment. If that happens, and you reschedule your session within 30 days of the original session day, your deposit will apply for the new day. Otherwise it is forfeited.  A no call no show is an automatic forfeit of your deposit.

How long will my headshot session last?

It depends.

Actors should plan on 2.5 to 3 hours.  We are going to shoot multiple clothing looks, which means additional time for changing clothes and selecting outfits.   If you are having your makeup done on site, that will add about thirty minutes.

For business/professional headshots, plan on about sixty to ninety minutes, since we are normally not shooting as many different outfits.  If you are having your makeup done on site, that will add about thirty minutes.

How should I wear my hair for my headshot?

You should come to the studio with your hair styled as you would on a good hair day.  Hairstyles are extremely personal, and you will know how you like to wear it, and how to most easily replicate the look when you are going on auditions or job interviews.    If you have long hair, I do encourage you to bring a ponytail holder.  That can be a good look for your portfolio.

I don’t photograph well. / How will I know we got good shots?

A lot of folks who come in are afraid that there is no way we will ever get a great image of them. They are nervous about being in front of the camera, or anxious that they’ll discover too late they don’t like the shirt they wore or the way they combed their hair.

All of my sessions are a team effort, with the goal of making you feel completely comfortable with the camera.  This will not be the kind of session where you stand in front of the camera, give a big forced smile, and walk out  I’ll be working with you the entire session to help you be confident and approachable. This also means you have to work with me.  I can only photograph what you are willing to show. If you allow yourself to listen to my direction and trust me during our shoot,  we will get shots of you that are engaging and real.

I shoot all of my studio sessions tethered. This means my camera is connected to my computer, and the images come up on screen while we are working.  After we work through a look, we will review the images and make sure everyone is happy with the results.  This gives us a chance to see what is working and make adjustments if something isn’t.  There will be no surprises when you leave the studio and pull up your proofing gallery at home, because we will have gone through the entire shoot together and approved every shot.

I do think that I have a great eye for what looks good.  With that said, I cannot control how other will react to your session (spouses, agents, publicists, friends, etc).  During your session, if you see anything that causes you concern about the marketability of your shots, you should let me know immediately.  Any concerns should be brought to my attention during our session so we can correct course if needed and ensure your headshots meet all of your expectations.

Since my shooting process allows for instant consideration and response, there is no re-shoot policy. Should you want additional or new images taken, they will require a new session appointment and fee.

Should I shave for my headshot?

Guys, if you usually wear facial hair then don’t shave. If you are always clean-shaven, come to your session clean-shaven.

For gentlemen who play around with their facial hair, I suggest you come in with a little scruff. That way we can get some photos with the unshaven look at the beginning, and you can take a shave break, allowing us to get some clean images, too.

Use a new, sharp razor and good shaving cream/soap to avoid irritating the skin or cutting yourself.  Don’t use an electric razor, they often leave a fair amount of stubble that does show up on camera.




What about makeup for my headshots?

For men, 9.95 times out of 10, I do not want makeup in headshots. Bring some lip balm, and moisturizer if you generally wear some.

For women, I have a couple makeup artists on call who do amazing work.  They know exactly what to do to make your makeup look outstanding on camera.  At this time I do not require that you work with one of my selected makeup artists, but I do encourage it in order to achieve the best and most consistent results.  If you choose to engage one of the makeup artists, they set their own rates and you will pay them directly the day of your shoot.

If you choose to do your own makeup, keep in mind:

Plan your makeup like you are going to a job interview or an audition. We want to start off simply and add or adjust as we go.

  • If you wear foundation make sure it matches your skin tone and that you blend the lines well.
  • Avoid heavy powder or things that will keep your skin from having a natural glow – it’s better to use blotting paper throughout the session to control shine.
  • Stay away from really bold colors.  We may add a touch more to the eyes and lips as we work through the session, but we don’t want to start with glamour makeup.
  • No makeup with glitter in it
  • No smokey or dramatically lined eyes
  • Be sure to use moisturizer
  • Drink lots of water leading up to your session.  Well hydrated skin looks great on camera, and if often helps with dark circles under the eyes.
What should I wear for my headshots?

For you acting headshot session, I want you to bring  7 to 10 outfit choices with you.  Most likely, we will shoot 2 to 4 of them, but it’s good to have options here.  Make sure you love the clothes you bring.  If you don’t love it, or are not comfortable in it, don’t bring it.  That also does not mean bring 7 of the same styled shirt in different colors.  Think about range in your outfits and how you carry yourself in different clothing.  For example, I know I feel very different when I wear jeans and a t-shirt and when I wear a suit.  Both looks are very much me, but they have a different effect on my “vibe”.  I crop in very close to head and shoulders, so you don’t really need to worry about lower body changes, unless it effects your attitude (sometimes a great pair of shoes changes everything).

For corporate headshot sessions, I want you to bring  4 to 7 outfit choices with you.  Most likely, we will shoot 2 to 3 of them, but it’s good to have options here.  Make sure you love the clothes you bring.  If you don’t love it, or are not comfortable in it, don’t bring it.  That also does not mean bring 7 of the same styled shirt in different colors.  Think about range in your outfits and how you carry yourself in different clothing.  For example, I know I feel very different when I wear jeans and a t-shirt and when I wear a suit.  Both looks are very much me, but they have a different effect on my “vibe”.  I crop in very close to head and shoulders, so you don’t really need to worry about lower body changes, unless it effects your attitude (sometimes a great pair of shoes changes everything).

You will want to avoid busy patterns and logos, or any thing that has a poofy front or sleeves.  These things can be distracting in a headshot.  Don’t worry about being seasonal. T-shirts, and tank tops can be great.  I do love layers and textures, so light jackets and sweaters can be great.  While we don’t need to be in costume, do think about the rolls that you may want.  We probably want to get girl/guy next door, something you might wear to a job interview, and something with attitude.

There is not really a good or bad color.  If you love it, bring it.  I would rather us have too many options here and not need them, than not have enough, or have you go “Oh man, I wish I brought that one jacket.”

If you are worried that your wardrobe is a little lacking for your headshots, have some fun, go shopping.  If you don’t think you want to keep the pieces after the session, we don’t have to take the tags off so you can return them (of the store allows it.  Always check the return policy first).

We will not want any jewelry in your headshots.   Things like earrings and necklaces tend to pull the eye away from your face which is the last thing we want.

Why do you shoot your headshots horizontally?

There are a couple reasons I shoot my headshots horizontally, instead of vertically.

  • I want you headshot to be about your head and face.  Going in a horizontal orientation allows me to get in close without making you look crowded in the frame.
  • More and more, we are getting accustomed to seeing thing in a wide format.  Check out your TV or computer screen.  Next time you re watching a movie, pay attention to how they frame the closeups
  • They are easy to crop for social media profile pictures

If you need a couple vertical shots as well just let me know.  Just be sure to bring clothing that will work having more of your body in the shot.

Why do you shoot your headshots on a solid background

There are a couple reasons that I shoot a majority of my headshots on a  solid background.

  1. It looks clean.  I want your headshot, the tool you will be using to help market you and your brand, to be about you.
  2. It allows me to shoot headshots year round.  Here in Louisville, we can get some extreme weather. If it is 90 degrees outside with 85% humidity, or 5 degrees with wind, neither of our minds are going to be on getting the best shots of you.
  3. It looks great in print, websites, and social media.
  4. I’ve looked at and studied a the work of Richard Avedon and Peter Hurley and am drawn to the minimalist look.  It allows me to focus on the person in the image to form a connection.
You are a Peter Hurley/ Headshot Crew Associate photographer. What does that mean?

Headshot Crew AssociatePeter Hurley is one of the top headshot photographers in the world.  Being an associate photographer of his Headshot Crew means that I have gone through training with him to help take my headshots to the next level.  He has personally reviewed my work and has determined it is of high enough quality that he will to be able to recommend clients to me at the regional level.  This does not mean that I work for Peter or try to recreate his photography.  While I shoot in a similar fashion to him, my shots and my techniques are very much my own.  It is a huge honor to be associate level with the Headshot Crew, a network of top notch headshot photographers, and is something I am proud of and take very seriously.