Headshots in Durham Region - An Exclusive Guide

Let’s get you ready for your close-up with some tips on preparing for your headshots in Durham Region, and make sure you know what to expect! We all know first impressions matter, and these days it’s hard to stand out unless you show your face and at least a little bit of personality online. Headshots are pretty standard for most professionals and can be used on your website, social media and industry profiles, on business cards, anywhere your bio appears, and more.

Why Do Headshots Matter?

As a professional or business owner, having professional headshots of yourself and any staff members can set the tone for your brand.

Imagine you’re looking to hire a local professional and you have two options. One of them has a profile image of themselves that has clearly been cropped out of a group photo. The picture is dark, very blue, and this professional is wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Now the second option, their profile photo is properly exposed, the colours look natural, they are dressed professionally and looking directly into the camera.

Which business are you likely to have more confidence in? The one that takes themselves, and their business, seriously! That doesn’t mean your headshots can’t be fun if that is the feeling you want your brand to convey, but they should still be well-lit, in focus, and high quality.

Headshots that look professional and match your brand’s feeling and energy will inspire confidence in potential clients, and are a big part of establishing that Know, Like & Trust factor that we know is so important!

What to Expect at my Studio for Your Headshots in Durham Region

Once you reach out (usually through my contact form) I’ll email you some info about my qualifications and how I can help you, along with pricing, and my current availability. When you are ready to schedule your headshot session with me, I’ll email you a Booking Proposal that includes the following:

our agreement
your initial invoice
a brief questionnaire

The questionnaire allows me to learn more about your headshot needs. We may also have a phone call before or after the booking proposal is complete, if anything requires further discussion or brainstorming, but don’t worry, you’ll also receive a planning guide once these three things are complete.

On the day of your session, you’ll arrive at my home studio and I will greet you at the door (just don’t be too early or you might catch me in my bathrobe chugging a coffee!) My studio is located in our bright and cozy basement.

First we’ll take a look at your wardrobe pieces and go over the plan, and then we’ll start taking photos! I’ll guide you through poses, adjusting lighting and angles as needed.

We’ll photograph you from both sides for a couple of reasons:

You may want images where you’re facing different directions for different uses.
Some people have a favourite side of their face – or if they don’t have one already, they might after seeing their proof images!
Having more options means you can always come back and order more images in a month or two, rather than booking a whole new photo session!

How To Prepare for Your Headshot Session

You can make the most of your session by taking care of a few things in advance:

If you’re not a regular water drinker, you may want to increase your intake in the weeks leading up to your session. This will help reduce puffiness, flush toxins from your skin, and give you a healthy glow. It also provides the best canvas for makeup.
Get a haircut a week or two before your session, longer if you’re going for something new. Leaving this until the day of (or before) your session could be problematic if you don’t like your cut, or haven’t figured out how you want to style it yet.
Hire a hair and makeup artist! Leave it to the pros – they know what looks best in photos, plus you get to pamper yourself while ensuring you’re camera-ready. Karen at Love You Be You Beauty is one of our top recommendations.
Ensure your nails are neat – clean and trimmed with no chipped or grown-out nail polish.
Select your wardrobe pieces. Depending on your job title or position, I generally recommend at least one full business look, and one business casual. Beyond that, if you’d like to bring a favourite outfit, or something fun like a glamorous dress, or your favourite team’s jersey, these can be great photos to show your personality and interests. Often these end up displayed in your home, and I have some fabulous options for framing. More on wardrobe HERE (coming soon).
Decide if you want to bring anyone with you! You’ll already be looking fabulous, so why not invite your significant other or another family member to join you for some photos? No extra session fee, you only pay for any additional images you decide to order after seeing your proofs.

What Happens After the Session?

If we have time, we can review the images directly after your session. Otherwise, I will go through them and take out the test shots, eyes closed, etc. and create an online proof gallery for you, usually within 48 hours. Once you’ve selected your favourites I’ll get to work on retouching them for you. You’re welcome to give input on the level of retouching you prefer. Then your final images will be placed in an online gallery where you can view and download them. This usually happens within 48 hours of me receiving your selections.

HEADSHOT FAQS

I’m super busy and only have a few minutes to spare, how long will this take?

Your session can be customized to your needs. A regular headshot session is usually between 20-60 minutes depending on the number of outfits you bring, but I have been known to have people in and out of my studio in under 10 minutes when needed!

I’m not photogenic and never like photos of myself, but I need a headshot. Can you help?

Absolutely! I hear this quite often, and you are all way too hard on yourselves! That said, I still fee awkward in front of the camera myself, so I can relate! Rest assured though, I trained with a Master portrait photographer early in my career, and learned a lot about posing and using light to shape and highlight your best features. I’ll show you images on my camera as we go along so we can nail down exactly what you like and don’t like, so we end up with images you don’t hate (or dare I say… love)!

My company is saying they need my headshot yesterday, is that possible?

While I haven’t figured out time travel yet, I can usually accommodate last-minute headshot bookings and speed up my already quick turnaround time. This may not be possible in busier months (Oct, Nov) but it doesn’t hurt to ask!

How do I book a session?

Start by reaching out through my contact page and telling me about what you’re looking for! I’ll send you back some info and date options, and we’ll go from there.

Haven’t seen my headshot gallery yet? Find it HERE.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to preparing for your headshot session in Durham Region, and I look forward to working with you!