6 Things You Should Never Do Before Your Photoshoot

For professionals in every stage of their career, headshots are completely necessary to market yourself in a way that people will remember. As long as you get them right, they can help to enhance your brand and your career in the long-run. 

But, if you’re not careful professional photos can bring out the worst in you. Take that literally: the camera will accentuate flaws you didn’t even think possible. While this is obviously stress-inducing, there’s no cause for panic just yet. Instead, we recommend you try to avoid the following six things. They are, quite distinctly, some pretty risky things that you should never do before your photoshoot.

1) Try out a new hairstyle

You’ve always wanted to try a new hair color. So why not finally take that step before you get your headshots taken? 

Do. Not. Do. It. 

The answer is almost too obvious. What if you don’t like it? Suddenly, those new pink highlights stick with you everywhere you try to present yourself. And by the way, the same is true for a new hairstyle. When it comes to your photoshoot, stick with a color and style that you know works well for you.

2) Experiment with new skin products

You want to look your best, so you try out new skin care products to make your face glow even more than it already does. Or perhaps you’ve heard about this new makeup brand for a while, and consider your photo shoot the perfect opportunity to try it.

Resist the temptation. If you try out any type of new skin product, you have no idea how your skin will react. What if it breaks out and you come to your appointment with a rash? Even redness can be difficult to deal with for professional photographers.

3) Spend too much time in the sun

Tanning is great, whether you have a chance to do it naturally or in a tanning studio. For professional photos, though, it might not look as good as you envision. Headshots tend to accentuate and emphasize tans, making them look more unnatural than they do in person.

Unless your tan is part of your year-round look, try to stay away from it for your photoshoot. Instead, go with your natural skin color to make sure that your headshots don’t just look good, but also authentic to how you want to present yourself.

4) Eat food or a meal that’s sure to make a mess

It almost seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: stay away from eating anything messy before your photoshoot. A seemingly simple and tasty pasta will leave an oil stain on your collar or shirt and is definitely not something you want to be associated with your professional image for the foreseeable future.

Everyone has to eat. But what you can do is control exactly what you eat to stay away from the potential of stains. That means avoiding sauces and oily foods in particular.

5) Stay up all night

You don’t hear enough about just how important beauty rest is before your photoshoot or professional headshot session. Without it, you don’t just get those rings under your eyes, but your entire skin also looks less healthy. It’s a surefire way to make your photos look less flawless than you would like them to be.

Fortunately, there’s an easy remedy: make sure you get your rest. Postpone that crucial project or night out with your friends until the next evening. The more well-rested you are, the better your photos will look.

6) Get worked up about your photoshoot

Finally, try to avoid stress if at all possible. You might not know it, but stress can actually dry out your skin, and enhance even small wrinkles on your face. In other words, it can be the largest contributor to a photoshoot gone wrong because you’ll carry the stress on you when your photo is being taken. The best thing to do is avoid stress or getting worked up before your photoshoot. 

Of course, even mentioning all of the above possibilities may have given your blood pressure a little rise. But here’s the good news: all of the above are bad, but none are fatal mistakes. Our photographers can still work with you to make your headshots look professional, beautiful, and flawless – no matter what new tricks you try to master right before your photoshoot!

All you need to do, then, is find that magical photographer. So what if we told you it could be us? We’d love to work with you on making sure that by the time the camera clicks, you’re prepared and ready to take the best possible photos! Contact us at Korey Howell Photography to schedule your appointment today!