Preparing for Your Team Headshots

A Note on Retouching

Your final images will be lightly retouched to highlight your natural features while keeping everything clean, refined, and true to life. Included in light retouching:

Removal of skin blemishes
Removing flyaway hair and frizz
Lightening under-eye circles
Evening skin tone
Reducing redness in your skin
Whitening teeth if visible
Enhancements to brightness, color, and contrast of the image(s) (if necessary)

We are aiming for a natural, polished look, not a heavily edited one.

Before the Shoot

Haircuts & Grooming

Short hair - if you would like a haircut, please get it 3–7 days before the shoot. This allows time for it to slightly grow in for a more natural look, and to avoid any hair emergencies if you don't like how your cut turned out.
Medium/long hair: Consider a trim 3–14 days in advance if you have split ends or want to refresh your style.

The Night Before

Get a full night of sleep to look rested.
Hydrate well starting 1 week before the photoshoot to help your skin look fresh and avoid chapped lips. Trust me on this one.
Avoid alcohol within 24 hours of the photoshoot. It will dehydrate you, and you want to come in feeling your best.

Day-of Reminders

Arrive early to your office if you are traveling in just for headshots. Please arrive early enough to change if necessary, or arrive dressed in the outfit you will wear in your photos.
If you are bringing a couple of options for your colleagues to weigh in on, please bring them in neatly folded, on hangers, or (best) in a garment bag to avoid wrinkles. No crumpled items in a bag, please!
Come with clean hair and light to medium makeup (if applicable). You’re welcome to bring styling products or touch-up supplies to use before it's your turn to be photographed.
Drive in or Uber. You don't want to arrive sweaty or with your hair frizzy from humidity, depending on the time of year.

tl;dr: Rest up, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, and bring neatly prepared clothes if you need to change. Show up ready to go with hair styled and light makeup if you will wear any.

Clothing Guidelines

Clothes should fit well, not too baggy or too tight. Modern/slim cuts are fine if that is your style.
Stick with solid colors in earth tones, pastels, or jewel tones. These photograph best and flatter most skin tones.
Patterns on ties are fine!
Avoid bright reds, all-black outfits (i.e. a black shirt under a black jacket) if you can, fine patterns, logos, and anything sheer or transparent.
White button-downs, neutral blouses, fitted tops, and simple layers (like cardigans or blazers) work great.
Leather or denim jackets can add style if your company's attire for photos is business casual and this is approved by your company. Avoid puffy or bulky outerwear.
Cold-shoulder tops, off-shoulder styles, and tank tops don’t photograph well for business headshots unless worn with a layer over top, such as a jacket or blazer. Without that added piece, they read as too casual and don't align with a professional image. I recommend at least a t-shirt under that layer for business casual attire. Follow your company's guidelines on this.
If we are photographing 3/4 and/or full body shots, please make sure to bring pants and shoes that you are confident in. They will show up in the photos.

tl;dr: Stick to solids. Neutrals, pastels, and earth tones are great colors for headshots. Avoid fine patterns, logos, and baggy or overly-tight fits. Bring extra tops. Layers like jackets and blazers work well if appropriate to your brand. Keep everything clean and wrinkle-free. Clothing should fit well and should not be overly tight or baggy.

Accessories

Keep it simple. Stud earrings and small hoops are fine. Large hoops are great if you typically have more personality in your everyday work attire. Pearls also look great.
A subtle necklace is optional but not needed. Avoid anything flashy or large.
Hats rarely work. If you bring one, we’ll evaluate at the photoshoot. Plan on styling your hair fully even if you bring a hat. No baseball caps, beanies, etc. please.

Hair & Makeup

Bring your own hair and makeup products for touch-ups if you would like.
Keep makeup light to medium and natural-looking. You do not want to over-do it—I can't remove makeup in Photoshop!
Avoid: heavy eyeliner, super dark brows, contouring, shimmer, and products with titanium dioxide or other reflective ingredients.
Make sure your makeup matches your skin tone and is well-blended at the jawline and neck.
Guys: matte powder is optional for shine. Don’t worry about concealer or foundation. I’ll remove blemishes and lighten under-eye bags in retouching.
Hair should be clean and styled in a similar style you would wear to work or a nice date. You don't need to over-style your hair (i.e. wedding hair), but do come with it styled.
I will remove frizz on the outside of your head in Photoshop, so don't worry if there is some when you are photographed! That said, do what you can to keep frizz to a minimum and preserve your hairstyle during travel and throughout the day. Avoid the heat and humidity during the warmer months. Bring hot tools and/or anti-frizz spray if your hair tends to frizz up throughout the day.

tl;dr: Bring hair/makeup products to touch up if necessary. Go for light to medium makeup, avoid shimmer, contour, and all products with titanium dioxide (it reflects under flash lighting). Match your skin tone well and blend your makeup on your jawline and neck. Hair should be styled as you would wear it to work or a night date, but doesn't need to be overly formal. Men don’t need makeup, but matte powder is fine.

Special Notes for Business Teams

Coordinate with your team! Consistency in tone and style across everyone’s outfit makes a huge difference in a polished group image.
Take cues from your company’s website or brand guidelines. Matching formality (e.g. blazers vs. polos) helps your team look cohesive and avoids emergency situations where you need to source a jacket, etc. from someone at your company.
Options with and without jackets or ties are great for variety.

The goal is to look authentic, approachable, and aligned with your professional identity.
A little prep goes a long way.
I’ll take care of the rest!

Still have questions? Please reach out at mike@mikestyerphotography.com or text us at (267) 888-4693. Please don't reach out to a contact at your company - we are here to handle all customer support for your photoshoot and make things as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Philadelphia Headshot, Branding, and Event Photographer
Headshot Booths - Event Headshots - Conferences - Corporate Meetings and Events - Actors - ERAS - Entrepreneurs - Personal Brands - Small Businesses - Corporations - Creatives - Professionals - Authors - Lawyers - Medical Professionals - Dancers - Singers

Studio in Rittenhouse, Philadelphia
(By Appointment Only)

110 S 20th St, Suite 300, Philadelphia, PA 19103

(267) 888-4693 (call or text) | mike@mikestyerphotography.com