FAQ – Executive Portrait Shoot

EXECUTIVE PORTRAIT SHOOT: YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

I ABSOLUTELY HATE BEING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, I AM NOT PHOTOGENIC AT ALL, IT MAKES ME SO SO NERVOUS …

Our job is not to photograph perfect people, it is to photograph real people. Ambitious people. The ones who dare to dream big. And most of the real people (me included) who do not feel naturally photogenic. Good news, We are here exactly for that.

The portrait studio is a zero-judgment/ happy vibe zone and we are all part of the same team to create your business portraits. We will guide you all along. It ends up being more of a conversation through which we take pictures, more than a photoshoot per se.

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I AM NOT A HUGE FAN OF THE TYPICAL EXECUTIVE/CORPORATE HEADSHOTS LOOK, I WANT SOMETHING MORE ‘ME’, MORE CASUAL, WHILE STILL PROFESSIONAL. CAN YOU CREATE THAT KIND OF IMAGES?

Our method is to tailor everything around your needs and your wishes. We are fully trained and experienced with professional studio lights, natural light, indoor photo sessions, outdoor photoshoots, in the city, in the green, etc… so we create the photoshoot and portraits depending on what you need and want.

If your brand and energy are about being casual, super friendly & trendy: let’s go for it!  We love it!

Do not worry, if on the other hand you don’t really know what you want and need, we got you covered with the pre-shoot consultation and a series of questions and discussion over mood boards and other tools.

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I AM CONSIDERED DEMANDING AND VERY PICKY IN MY LIFE SO I AM AFRAID I WILL NEVER BE FULLY SATISFIED WITH MY IMAGES…

If you have your own business or are leading the way in your company, chances are that you are demanding with yourself and with your team to achieve your goals. We are all about serving ambitious and bold individuals and we almost expect you to be as picky and demanding as you wish. It pushes us to serve you even better. We aim at excellence and your entire satisfaction. We love clients who are demanding and highly selective.

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I AM NOT A C-LEVEL EXECUTIVE BUT MORE OF A SOLO/MOMPRENEUR. WOULD A PORTRAIT SESSION WITH YOU ANSWER MY NEEDS?

Totally. You are the C-level executive of your solo business and of your life! You have a brand, you have clients, you have a message to convey through your business portraits: so yes, book a consultation for us to discuss your needs, targets & brand perception, and let’s create the professional photos you deserve!

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I REALLY WANT TO HAVE A TAILORED SHOOT AND IMAGES THAT REFLECT MY BRAND, HOWEVER, I WAS NOT PLANNING ON THAT KIND OF BUDGET, WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE?

We understand that it feels a bit of an investment. However, it is an investment, not a cost. And the return is a very positive one: telling you that you will get your dream job tomorrow or reach your 6 figures sales target tomorrow would be lying, however, your portraits will get you noticed & remembered, apart from the rest. It will set your foot at the door. A good strong distinctive foot. The one that your target will remember for sure, feel impressed about and be left with a powerful first impression.

Your executive portraits will very clearly set you apart from your competitors & peers. It will be a solid support to grow your career. 

 

We are all about making things easy, so we can definitely organize with you a payment plan at no extra charge. Let’s discuss, make things work for both of us & get your personal brand off the ground!

I JUST NEED ONE PICTURE, I DON’T NEED MORE. CAN YOU MAKE ME A SMALLER PACKAGE?

We want excellence for the people we work with. We want to go beyond average.

We are more than happy to make things smoother with a payment plan. However, we are absolutely convinced that nowadays, you need more than one portrait if you want your personal brand to have the strong impact it deserves. The ‘beginner’ mistake we all make is to use that one professional headshot for all our needs, whatever the platform, project or target.

Exactly like you don’t have just one personality trait, just one expertise, and just one skill, you should not have just one portrait. You deserve to have different portraits to show all your personality facets through the different media you choose. You also need several portraits to use like real marketing tool: by adapting their use depending on the project and the target to have a full real impact. (Website, Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, press release, Annual report, business plan, speaking engagement at conferences, podcasts, guest blogging, online articles, etc..)

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HOW LONG IN ADVANCE SHOULD I BOOK MY PORTRAIT SESSION?

Our photoshoot schedule gets busy fast so we would advise booking something like 2-4 weeks in advance.

However, we do know that executives and business owners have some very hectic & busy lives and sometimes deadlines are much shorter: feel free to get in touch as we might be able to fit you in on an evening or a weekend morning.

 

 

I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT TO WEAR FOR MY SESSION! HELP!

Seat down, breathe… we got you covered.

First, you can scroll down for some tips on what to wear on professional headshots.

 

 

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN EXECUTIVE PORTRAIT SHOOT AND A PERSONAL BRANDING SHOOT?

In reality, these are the same type of portrait photoshoot but some people refer to it as ‘executive portrait shoot’, and some other ‘personal branding shoot’. They both answer the same purpose: to create professional photos for your personal brand. Your personal brand is, in short, ‘your reputation’ (offline and online) and whether you are leading a career in the corporate world or leading your own business, you need to differentiate yourself from your peers and competitors, offline and online. That’s where your personal brand enters the scene and that’s where your professional portraits impact your online reputation.

This is not something you want to leave up to chance as nowadays, the first time people see you is through Internet in most of the cases.

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WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING FOR MY SHOOT?

You need bring different outfits and accessories. All of those depend on the message you want to convey.  Tips can be found below.

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HOW MANY OUTFITS CAN I BRING FOR MY PORTRAIT SESSION?

There is no real limit to the number of changes as we prioritize results over quantity. We are here to tailor the portrait experience and create the best photos for you. So it can be through 2 outfits, or 5 outfits, it will all depend on your needs, objectives, and project. On average there are about 3,4 outfit changes. But again, we are not here to set some strict rules, we are here to get a job done with excellence and care.

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CAN I SEE THE PHOTOS DURING MY PERSONAL BRANDING SHOOT?

A personal branding/executive portrait shoot is all about conveying a message and a story. For that particular type of session, we gladly will show you images on the back of our camera, or if in the studio, we can shoot tethered and show you on our laptop/computer screen.

 

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First and formost – COMFORT BEFORE EVERYTHING

The overall rule is to feel comfortable in what you wear. 

Comfort = feeling good = confident = Great energy in front of the camera.

But when we say comfortable, it’s not about wearing yoga pants or your weekend outfits😉. It’s about wearing clothes you feel comfortable and confident in. Almost the ones that you wear most in your wardrobe. For some, it’s a tailored suit and sharp outfit. For others, it’s more casual and trendy, well-fitted jeans and colorful tops. It also depends on the message you want to convey on your professional photos, but don’t buy too many new outfits in which you might not feel totally yourself. 

Don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Remember three basic wardrobe principles and you’ll find that looking your best is as easy as—well, 1,2,3!  

1. Color and Patterns

It’s tempting to stick with black and white, but a splash of color can really make your image pop.

Men and Women

Bring colorful options.  Black and/or white may be your “go to” wardrobe choice, and that’s fine, but photographically, pulling details out of black or white can be challenging and the image will look flat.  If you love wearing black or white, by all means bring it along.  Men, please no all-black suit coats or sport coats, unless they have obvious texture.

Each color have a meaning. Colors are actual optic waves and frequencies. They do trigger energy, feelings, and emotions. Colors are used every day in the communication industry, PR campaigns, politics, etc. So use that tool to support the message you want to convey through your portraits.

In general, but even more, if your portrait shoot will take place in a studio, the white ‘swallow’ all the light and then we see more your shirt or top, than you. And it’s common knowledge that it has a tendency to make things look bigger than they are. Easy fix: wear a contrasting jacket, cardigan, or scarf on top!

Try to avoid very strong patterns like polka dots, big flowers, etc. It has a tendency to distract the viewer. A professional portrait is putting YOU in the spotlight, not what you are wearing. (Unless you are a fashion designer like Marie and it’s part of the story you want to tell.)

Women

If you know “your colors,” bring items from that palette, or try hues that bring out your eye color and enhance your skin tone. Rich colors and jewel tones are great choices for almost all women.

Men

Guys, avoid a plain white shirt. If white shirts are your signature look, accentuate it with an interesting tie. Avoid the all black jacket, unless it has texture, but be careful to avoid fine print patterns as they can lead to moiré in the final image. Charcoal grey is great choice or anything with color or texture. Whatever you bring, make sure you feel good wearing it. If you feel good, you’ll look good.

 

2w. Women’s Style and Fit

Crew, boat or narrow v-necks are always flattering and will always lay nicely. We want to be sure we can see your top after the image is cropped. Standup collars don’t always “behave,” so I suggest women avoid them. If you typically wear a jacket to work, bring a couple of jacket choices, but you do not need to wear a jacket to look professional. I’ve photographed lots of ‘C-suite’ women without jackets and without sacrificing their professionalism and status. Also, make sure your clothes fit well. Try them on a few days before your session just to check. Generally, a little snug is better than baggy and loose.

Avoid:

short sleeves or sleeveless styles (unless you’ve got “buff” arms and want to show them off)
low necklines
busy or trendy patterns or plaids
turtlenecks
shiny fabrics — no silks or satins

 

2m. Men’s Style and Fit

Men, if you’re going business casual (specifically, no tie) bring a couple of sport coats. A sport coat without a tie is an intentional wardrobe choice. But if you wear a suit coat without a tie, it gives the impression that you are dressing “down.”

Tie = suit coat OR sport coat.
NO tie = sport coat but NOT a suit coat.
Button-down collars rarely lay nicely in a photo. AVOID button down collars, unless it’s an intentional style choice for you.

 

Men’s Fit

Make sure your clothes fit well. This is especially important for men’s collars, sports coats and suit jackets. Guys, take a look at your jacket & shirt, watching for gaps at the back of your neck. Conversely, watch that your shirt isn’t too tight, causing your neck to “bulge” over your collar−even a little bulge will look terrible in camera. Think ahead, and invest in tailoring before your session if necessary. It will be money well spent for a professional headshot and a professional overall look.

Guys, if you’re not confident tying a great tie knot, tie it before you come to the studio and slip it over your head. A sloppy tie knot, looks like just that—sloppy. The best tie not by far is the Pratt or Shelby Knot. 

 

3. Women’s Accessories

• Less is more. Keep jewelry to a minimum (unless it is your signature look). A few jewelry tips:
• Stud earrings are best—simple pearls, diamonds or other gemstones.
• Hoops and dangling earrings can interfere with your hair and get lost in your portrait.
• If you have jewelry that has special meaning for you, by all means bring it along. But in the end, we want all of the attention on your face not your clothes and jewelry.
• Big jewelry draws attention away from you, and your portrait should be all about you.
• If your signature brand is big jewelry, however, bring it along, and we’ll choose the best options for your headshot.

 

FINAL tips for both men and women

• Don’t wear your portrait wardrobe in the car; seat belts will lead to wrinkles in your clothing. Instead, bring your clean, neatly pressed pieces to the session on hangers.
• Make sure everything is clean, pressed and fits well.
• Bring at least three to four choices. We only need above the waist for headshots. But if you feel more confident by putting on the full wardrobe, feel free to bring the pants and shoes along.
• Also, take a few minutes to browse our headshot gallery, and you’ll see some great examples of good wardrobe options.

 

Eyeglasses

In case you wear glasses and you have different pairs at home: bring them all. 

Some react differently with the studio light in terms of glare, or some create fewer shadows than others. To be sure you won’t have any regrets on-site, bring them all. 

Eyeglasses and lens glare can be tricky. For more information about eyeglasses, take a look at our post with eyeglass tips. If you normally wear glasses, plan to wear them for your picture. It’s ideal if they have a non-glare coating, but if they don’t, consider borrowing a pair of glassless frames for your session; otherwise, we can remove the glass glare in post-production for an additional charge.