Tips on Looking Natural for Headshots & Photoshoots

Looking relaxed in photos comes naturally to some, the rest of us have to make an extra effort to look and feel good. Feeling nervous, anxious and stressed are emotions that many people feel from the pressure of having photos taken, myself included. For some these feelings can even hinder their day, which is something we want to try and avoid completely. Here are some of the best tips around to put you at ease about having your picture taken and help you regain your confidence. We hope you get a few handy pointers for your headshot or photoshoot!

 

1. Study your photos

This is a great tip which gets you to identify what works for you and what doesn’t. Take a look through photos of yourself and look for things such as any poses you’re good or bad at. Are there any specific angles that really highlight your features in a good way? What smile suits you best? You can try smiling in hundreds of different ways to see what works for you. Many people prefer to smile with their lips closed as they are self-conscious about their teeth, but I find with my own personal photos that this looks forced and unnatural. I prefer to relax my lips a bit to show a bit of teeth but not too much.

 

2. Practice

Once you have identified what you like and don’t like, you can start to master your own signature pose. Have a practice and see what poses and expressions compliment your look. You can try using a mirror or your phone’s camera which you can set to time-lapse mode to give you the effect of having your photo taken by someone else. As the saying goes ‘practice makes perfect’.

 

3. Wear flattering clothing

The outfit you choose can add many benefits to your photoshoot, like making you feel more confident, making you look slimmer or more muscular and it can compliment your skin tone so be mindful when choosing a colour that it matches your complexion. It is known that tailored pieces tend to make a well-defined and fitted shape. White, grey, navy or black suit the majority of skin tones too. The most important factor is to wear something you feel confident in, you want to look smart on your professional headshot.