We’ve seen the research, many people know The Value of a Good Headshot. But which type of headshot is right for you?

One of the most memorable moments of my life was flying on a private jet to Ft. Lewis for an event with a bunch of talented entrepreneurs… one being New York Times best selling author Ramit Sethi. I remember when Ramit sat down with one of the most well known commercial photographers, Chase Jarvis, on an episode of Chase Jarvis LIVE. He said something along the lines of, “One of the biggest mistake photographers make is showing a client their portfolio, sitting back and expecting them to understand your brilliance.” I took that to heart and that’s why I’ll breakdown the process of a few of my headshots. We’ll focus on “headshots”, where the term can be rather subjective. There’s many different types of headshots, and what will work for one person, won’t necessarily work for you. Regardless, the Headshot Tips I covered last week will help you prepare for your next shoot.

Let’s breakdown a few…

#1 – The Actor’s Headshot

Let’s start with the classic headshot, a requirement for any serious actor, performer, model, etc. I’ve covered this in-depth in A Brief History of Headshot Photography, headshots are traditionally shot with head and shoulders and printed on an 8×10… though a lot of it has moved to digital in the form of a smartphone. Usually shot in a vertical orientation, this takes advantage of the real estate on an 8×10, or smartphone. Let’s take a look at examples from a few of my actor’s…

#2 – The Beauty/Modeling/Makeup Headshot

A Beauty Headshot can be used for a variety of things, from fashion to beauty, modeling, makeup artists and much more. Below is a before/after shot after my makeup artist went to work, though there is a change in lighting, there is ZERO PHOTOSHOP.

Many people think, “You can just fix that in Photoshop, right?” And yes, while a lot can be done in Photoshop, it’s pails in comparison to what a professional makeup artist can do. There’s a reason why they’re a must have on commercial shoots and on TV and movie sets worldwide. Some of the photographers I learned from don’t work without a makeup artist. Let’s not understate the important of getting it right in-camera. But a makeup artist can bring so much to a shoot, in this particular example she did a fantastic job balancing skin tones and hiding skin blemishes. Thus making the retouchers job a lot easier, leading to a final product that is a lot more real. With Photoshop’s healing brush, it takes a sample of the nearby area and makes an educated guess on what the new area should look like. It’s just a guess. An approximation. When the makeup is on point and you get it right in-camera, the pixels are as close to perfect as possible.

And here’s a before/after of the final photo after retouching:

A lot of things have to come together for the perfect headshot. Here we have a talented photographer + makeup artist + and a beautiful model.

#3 – The Corporate / Business Headshot

A popular request for professional/corporate headshots is a pure white background. Pure white is Apple-esque in its resemblance, with a modern, yet simple look. This no-frills approach is perfect for the person who wants a photo that looks professional, yet friendly. Perhaps capturing the spirit of, “I may be the CEO, but you can still grab a drink with me.”

Or it could be fun and flirty, or business casual, at the end of the day a lot of it depends on expression. 99% of people that come to me for headshots aren’t comfortable in front of a camera, and that rare 1% are professional models who have been doing it for a while. One thing I pride myself on is being able to provide tips to bring out your best self and the expressions that come along with that… and I back that up with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

I also think that the devil is in the details, and I provide high-end retouches that extend beyond the typical edit.

First things first, getting it right in-camera is important. But beyond that, that’s where post-processing can take care of a lot of things that a camera can’t, use the before/after slider below to checkout my edit. I take care of everything, the tiny details like stray hairs, and if you want to look a little thinner (who doesn’t?), I can take care of that too.

The devil is in the details.

I’m not about catfishing people, I like a photo that looks real and natural. It’s important for actors, because that’s what casting directors are looking for. But I think it’s equally important in business, dating, you name it.

#4 – The Not-So Corporate Headshot

You don’t even have to be looking directly at the camera for a fun (and somewhat candid) headshot.

Great Sort of like my headshot on a pure white background:

#5 – The Editorial Headshot

Headshots are subjective, and they don’t necessarily have to be head and shoulders. A headshot can just be about you.

Take this example of BJJ Black Belt, Rodrigo Gutierrez:

For more samples of my work, circle back to my homepage.

#6 – The Vogue Headshot

I call it the Vogue headshot, for the inspiration from famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, whom would use unique custom backgrounds and interesting props in her portraiture work with Vogue (and elsewhere). Here’s a shot inspired by her (and many others):

#7 – Your Headshot

Headshots are subjective, and remember it’s about you. It’s often used on Facebook, Instagram, etc. People see it everyday. Make it stand out. Make it memorable.