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Hedgerow Media Group
Hedgerow Media Group
Hedgerow Media Group
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Client Guide

How to Prep for Your Headshot

A few small things make a big difference on camera. Here is what helps, and why none of it is a rule.

Your headshot should look like you on a good day. The tips below help you feel ready, and none of them are requirements. We handle the lighting, angles, and retouching. You just show up.

What to Wear

Clothing is the easiest thing to plan, so give it thought the night before.

  • Solid colors work best. They keep attention on your face. Deep blue, green, burgundy, and plain neutrals all photograph well.
  • Bring two options, one dressed up and one relaxed. That gives us range and you a choice.
  • Pick a neckline you like. A crew, collar, or simple V frames your face cleanly.
  • Add a layer. A blazer, jacket, or cardigan adds shape and looks polished.
  • Fit beats formality. Clothes that fit well always look better than pricey clothes that do not.

Avoid tight patterns and thin stripes, large logos, and anything you will keep adjusting.

Color and Patterns

Solids are the safe choice, not the only one. A bit of color or a subtle pattern can say something about you. Just keep it from competing with your face. Love a bold print? Bring it and a solid backup, and we will shoot both.

Grooming

Aim for how you look on a normal good day.

  • Hair: wear it how you usually do. Get any cut a few days ahead, not that morning.
  • Facial hair: clean it up the day before or the morning of.
  • Nails: tidy them if your hands might be in the shot.

Makeup

Natural and true to your daily look photographs best and ages well.

  • Go slightly more defined than bare skin. Lights can wash you out, so keep it you.
  • Choose a matte or natural finish over heavy shimmer.
  • Bring your everyday products for touch-ups.
  • Prefer no makeup? That works too, and it photographs well.

A makeup artist is never required, but it is a nice touch for a milestone headshot.

Glasses, Jewelry, and the Small Stuff

  • Glasses: wear them if you wear them daily. Anti-glare lenses or empty frames help, but we can light around them.
  • Jewelry: simple pieces add personality. Big statement pieces can pull focus.
  • You will get to check yourself and review shots on the spot, so nothing is a surprise.

Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

Every tip here is a starting point, not a law. The best headshots often come from someone who ignored a rule because it was not them. The red blazer. The vintage frames. The tattoo left visible on purpose. Those choices make a headshot look like a person, not a template.

Use this guide to feel ready, then trust yourself. If something here is not you, skip it. Bring what you love. When in doubt, ask. We do this every day and will help you decide on the spot.

See the Range

There is no single right headshot. Here are a few from recent sessions, from classic and corporate to relaxed and creative.

Questions Before Your Shoot?

Reach out anytime. We are happy to talk through wardrobe, timing, or anything else before the day.

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