{"id":3445,"date":"2016-05-20T16:24:08","date_gmt":"2016-05-20T23:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debbielundphoto.com\/blog\/?p=3445"},"modified":"2023-12-30T11:47:57","modified_gmt":"2023-12-30T19:47:57","slug":"shooting-pro-headshots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/debbielundphoto.com\/blog\/shooting-pro-headshots\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Easy Steps to Create Amazing Headshots"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Headshots – The Challenge<\/h2>\n

Headshots ~ If you’re like me, the thought of finding a photographer and having headshots photographed is a challenge.  Will it be expensive?  Will you actually LIKE how you look?  And will you get all the files you need with the permission to us them as you choose?   If you’ve got a DLSR camera and a nice lens or two, or a friend with the gear, wouldn’t it be great to be able to tackle this yourself?  <\/p>\n

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The Good News:<\/h3>\n

I’ve narrowed down what I believe are 10 easy steps to shooting pro-looking headshots, even if you’re not a pro.  If you have a basic understanding of how your camera works, you should be able to take some amazing headshots.  You’ll be able to take as many photographs as you’d like, you won’t end up paying for something you don’t like, and you’ll own the full copyright so you’ll be able to use the headshots however you choose! <\/p>\n

Follow along for successful headshots~<\/h3>\n

We’re going to assume that “Mary” wants headshots.  Here’s how to tackle it.<\/p>\n

First – What you’ll need:<\/h3>\n

Two people.<\/strong>  One to take the headshots.  One to be in the pictures.  (Yes, you could set up a tripod and do this all by yourself, but it adds some new challenges I won’t be covering here)<\/p>\n

A Camera.<\/strong>  And a little bit of understanding on how to change settings on it.  Have the camera instruction book handy if you’re not very familiar with how to adjust the settings.
\n\"Gift<\/a><\/p>\n

A good lens.<\/strong>  Yes, This is pretty vague.  So I’ll narrow it down.  You’ll need either a zoom lens that roughly covers the 70-200 mm<\/a> range or a fixed lens<\/a> that you can open up your aperture wide.<\/p>\n

A good location:<\/strong> Look for surfaces that will bounce light around, and open shade<\/a>.  You don’t have to find the perfect, picturesque location, because our goal in this exercise is to drop out the focus on the background. <\/p>\n

1. Know your goal<\/h3>\n

Ask Mary to scour Pinterest and create a board of sample headshots that she loves and represent the style she want.  Is she looking for something casual?  Formal?  You’ve got to know this before you begin. You can only hit the target when you know what it is.  Click here to see a sample board<\/a>.  <\/p>\n

2. Consider Clothing<\/h3>\n

Outfits should match the message you want to convey – and should work with your background.  Are you looking for casual or corporate style headshot?  A business suit on a beach would be wrong.  A sundress in a formal office setting would be odd.  Also, consider the body composition of Mary and advise her to dress accordingly.  If she wants to look slimmer, make sure she has long sleeves, solid color, preferably darker colors.  Watch necklines that are too stiff around the neck.  I personally prefer a lower neckline (but not too low).  Keep it classy.<\/p>\n

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