The Breakdown On Professional Portraits

So you need headshots (I like to call them professional portraits)! This can be a bit confusing for some of my clients as they have never needed them before. I am going to break down my process for you so you can get a better understanding of how the whole process works, what you’ll need to bring for your session, and what to expect afterwards. 🙂

HOW MANY DO I NEED?

Long gone are the days when you just had one headshot for your business cards. Many small business owners, network marketing professionals, bartenders, real estate agents, actors, etc. have the need for multiple images.

• Business Card
• Email Signature
• Facebook Business Page Profile Image
• About Me page for your website
• Content images for your website
• LinkedIn Profile Image
• ZED card
• Online Portfolio

This is quite easy to accomplish in the same session if you bring multiple changes of clothing. We can do some of the headshots outdoors and some indoors so that you get different lighting and we will be shooting at different lengths for different purposes. Some of my clients also want to do some “lifestyle” type images with them working at their desk or in their element. This is very helpful for content creation if you are writing a blog, posting to social media, or are building a website around your services. It is always good to see images of professionals on the job so your client feels more in tune with you and what you are offering them. This is a screenshot from my client Deanne’s website with one of the lifestyle images we did for her!

E-volve marketing and design

HAIR AND MAKEUP

Yes, this applies to both men and women. We all know that men and women both have their hair and makeup done before they go on television, right? It works wonders for in front of my camera as well. From blemishes to dark circles under the eyes we all look and feel more confident with a professional makeup artist taking care of us. For getting different looks in the same shoot they make everything so much easier. That way we can change up looks between outfits seamlessly and you’ll get some amazingly varied images to use to attract our ideal client! Mindy needed images for her acting portfolio and ZED card. With a change of clothing, hair and makeup, and lighting these two images from the same session have completely different looks.

Las Vegas Acting Portfolio Headshot CaseyJadePhoto

THE PROCESS

After we chat about what you’ll be using the images for and how many looks you will want to do, I will send over the contract and invoice for the retainer. The retainer is 25% of the total cost and locks down your scheduled date and time. That fee counts towards your shoot, so on or before the day of the shoot, you just pay the other 75%. Now it’s time to prepare for the day of the shoot! When deciding on what outfits you’ll be wearing, keep in mind that solid colors represent best on the camera. If you have any brand colors that you want to incorporate, that will help tie in your brand. Deanne from the previous example brought tops, sweaters, and accessories that were peach, teal, and purple so her images would look perfect on her website. Make sure to bring clothes that make you look and feel confident. No misfitting, wrinkled, or faded clothing. Here is a list of things to bring with you for the best session.

Hair and makeup (if doing your own look)

• Hair Dryer, Straightener, or Curler
• Hair Brush
• Dry Shampoo, Hair Spray, Frizz Control Oil, other Hair Products
• Hair Ties, Bobby Pins, a Teasing Comb
• Makeup Remover Wipes/Lotion
• Foundation, Different Shades of Eye Shadow, Eye Liner, Blush, Mascara, Lipstick, Contouring Palette, Eye Brow Pencil, etc. What we usually do is build from a natural look to the most dramatic look.
• False Eyelashes
• Oil Blotting Sheets if you have naturally oily skin so it doesn’t create glare under the lights
• A mirror to utilize for changes if we are on location
• Body Lotion

Clothing and Accessories

• Jewelry for each look
• Accessories such as scarves, sunglasses, etc
• Nude bra/undies for any light or not-so-opaque clothing
• Shoes for each look
• Lint Roller for any animal hair/debris
• Spray bottle for any wrinkles
• Walking Shoes (If you only bring heels and we are on location, we may have to walk to get the best shot!)

Miscellaneous

• Water Bottle for outdoor shoots. We live in Vegas, stay hydrated!!!
• Props for fun or to make a statement
• Umbrella (It rains randomly so it’s nice to have just in case!)
• Aspirin
• Scissors (In case of any price tags, strings, etc)
• First Aid Kit (I’m clumsy, I don’t know about you!)
• Insect Repellant
• Make sure your nails are clean or freshly done. (Chipped nail polish is a pain to fix in post-production 🙂 )
• Safety Pins

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER?

After our shoot, I will get all of the images culled (take out any blurred, blinking, or candid images where the most attractive expression was not captured) and send you an online gallery of the proofs. You will be able to see your images in black and white as well as color and be able to pick which images you would like for your final edits. I will be able to see your choices on my end, so when you have finished choosing (sometimes it is hard because we had so much fun and got so many good shots) let me know and I will do a portrait edit on them. You can add on more images for an additional editing fee if you like. My portrait edit includes color correction, skin smoothing, blemish removal, teeth whitening, stray hair removal, eye redness removal, etc. I love letting your natural beauty shine through so don’t worry about looking like a mannequin. 🙂 Here are a couple before and afters from the headshots I did for Anthem Periodontics.

No matter what you need a professional portrait for, I can work with you to make it happen. Contact me for booking information and rates! I hope this was informative for you and answered some questions. Please call, text, or email me for more information or if you have any questions. You can also leave me a comment below and I’ll get right back to you!