Preparing for professional headshots doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether you need a business headshot for LinkedIn or your company website, an actor headshot for auditions, a modeling portfolio image or a personal branding portrait, a little preparation can make a tremendous difference.

At Charles Fara Photography in Sarasota, we’ll guide you through posing, expression, wardrobe selection and the entire photography process. You don’t need to know how to pose or be naturally comfortable in front of a camera—that’s our job. Following these recommendations will help you arrive feeling confident, relaxed and ready to look your best.

 

1. Allow Plenty of Time

Map the route to our Sarasota photography studio in advance and take traffic conditions into consideration. Give yourself enough time to arrive without feeling rushed, but please avoid arriving excessively early if another client may still be in the studio.

Unless we have discussed a different timeframe, allow approximately two hours for the photography portion of your headshot or portrait session. Your total appointment may be longer if professional hair and makeup services are scheduled at the studio. We’ll confirm your arrival time and estimated total duration in advance so you can plan your day accordingly. Some people need a little time to become comfortable in front of the camera, and we want to work at a relaxed, enjoyable pace rather than watching the clock.

2. Get Plenty of Rest

Try to get a few good nights of sleep before your photography session. Being well-rested can make a noticeable difference in your energy, expression, complexion and overall appearance.

Light exercise, reading, meditation or another relaxing activity may help you unwind the night before. Avoid scheduling an exhausting day immediately before your session whenever possible.

3. Choose the Right Clothing for Your Photo Session

The clothing you select should reflect your personality, profession and the message you want your photographs to communicate. What looks good in everyday life does not always photograph well, so bring several options and we’ll help you determine which pieces work best with your complexion, background and intended use.

Solid, medium-toned colors generally photograph best because they keep the attention on your face and eyes. We recommend avoiding bright white tops, which can become the brightest part of the photograph and pull attention away from your face. White may be appropriate when required for a uniform, medical coat or specific company branding, but it is usually not our first choice for a traditional headshot.

Solid black tops can sometimes lose detail against darker backgrounds, although black can work beautifully when layered beneath a jacket or combined with contrasting pieces. Rich blues, greens, burgundy, earth tones and other colors that complement your complexion are usually excellent choices.

Avoid extremely busy patterns, narrow stripes, large logos and distracting graphics. Classic, properly fitted clothing generally photographs better than something overly trendy. Fit is more important than price, so avoid clothing that appears noticeably loose, tight, wrinkled or worn.

Please bring three to five complete outfit options on hangers, pressed and lint-free. Consider bringing different necklines, colors, jackets, ties, jewelry and accessories so we can create a variety of looks. If we may be creating three-quarter-length or full-length portraits, remember to coordinate your pants, skirt and shoes as well.

Please also consider how your undergarments work with each outfit. For clients who wear bras, check that straps, cups and seams do not show through the clothing or extend beyond the neckline or shoulders unless intentionally part of the look. Bringing a strapless or convertible bra can be helpful for certain tops and dresses. Properly fitted, neutral-colored undergarments generally photograph best and help clothing lie smoothly.

4. Take Care of Your Skin

Drink plenty of water during the days leading up to your session. Try to avoid excessive alcohol, very salty foods and prolonged sun exposure, all of which can affect how your skin looks and how you feel on the day of the shoot.

Avoid experimenting with unfamiliar skincare products, tanning treatments, chemical peels, aggressive facials or other procedures immediately before your session. Even products and treatments that normally improve the skin can sometimes cause temporary redness, irritation or unexpected breakouts.

Arrive with clean, moisturized skin and bring lip balm if needed. Minor blemishes, temporary redness and other small imperfections can be addressed naturally during professional retouching, so don’t let a last-minute breakout worry you.

5. Prepare Your Hair

Schedule any major haircut or color change at least one or two weeks before your session. This gives the hair time to settle and allows you to become comfortable with the result. Routine styling or a blowout may be done the day before or the morning of your appointment.

Your hair should look polished while still resembling the way you normally present yourself. This is especially important for actor headshots because casting professionals expect you to look like your photograph when you arrive for an audition.

Please bring a brush, comb and any styling products you may need for touch-ups or hairstyle changes during the session. If you plan to wear your hair both up and down, arrive with it down whenever possible so you don’t begin the session with creases from a ponytail holder.

6. Prepare Facial Hair

Decide in advance how you would like your facial hair to appear. Trim and shape beards or mustaches carefully, and complete any plucking, waxing or bleaching a few days beforehand to allow possible redness or irritation to disappear.

If you would like photographs with both facial hair and a clean-shaven look, please discuss this with us before your appointment so we can plan the order of the session properly.

7. Teeth and Your Smile

Avoid coffee, red wine and other foods or drinks that may temporarily stain your teeth on the day of your headshot session. There is no need to schedule expensive whitening solely for your photographs unless that is something you already want to do.

Don’t worry about minor staining or discoloration. Natural-looking teeth adjustments can be made during professional retouching when appropriate. Our goal is for you to look polished and refreshed while still looking like yourself.

8. Hands and Nails

Your hands may appear in some of your portraits, so make sure your nails are clean and neatly groomed. If you wear nail polish, neutral shades or a clear coat are generally the least distracting unless a particular color is an intentional part of your personal style or brand.

9. Eyeglasses

If you normally wear glasses, please bring them, along with any alternate frames you may have. Make sure the lenses are completely clean before your session. Anti-reflective lenses are especially helpful under studio lighting.

If your glasses have a strong prescription, no anti-reflective coating or produce significant glare and distortion, you may want to ask your optician whether a similar frame with clear demonstration lenses is available. We can generally create a selection of photographs both with and without glasses.

10. Hair and Makeup

If you wear makeup, it should be polished but natural, allowing your eyes, expression and personality to remain the focus. Avoid excessively heavy makeup unless it is intentionally part of the look you want to create.

Our greatest concern under studio lighting is unwanted shine, so bring translucent powder along with your usual makeup products for touch-ups. It is better to bring something and not need it than to leave an important product at home.

Professional hair and makeup services can be an excellent investment for clients who want an especially polished result. We’re happy to recommend experienced hair and makeup artists who can provide their services at our studio and remain on hand throughout your photo shoot to make any necessary hair and makeup adjustments.

11. Tell Us How Your Photographs Will Be Used

Let us know where and how your photographs will be used. You may need a professional business headshot for LinkedIn, a company website or marketing materials; an actor headshot for auditions and casting websites; modeling portfolio images; social media content; or a portrait intended for print.

Knowing the purpose of your images helps us select the most appropriate wardrobe, lighting, background, expression, composition and image orientation. If your employer, talent agency or casting professional has provided specific branding, wardrobe or cropping requirements, please share those with us before the session.

12. Share Headshots and Portraits You Like

We encourage you to share examples of headshots or portraits you like—and even examples you don’t like. You can choose favorites from our photography portfolio or send inspiration images you have found elsewhere.

Think about the impression you want to make. Do you want to appear confident, approachable, authoritative, friendly, creative, sophisticated or dramatic? Discussing these goals helps us understand the style, mood and overall feeling you want your finished portraits to convey.

13. What to Bring to Your Headshot Session

Before leaving for the studio, make sure your clothing is pressed and placed on hangers. Bring your wardrobe selections, appropriate undergarments, alternate eyeglass frames, accessories, jewelry, ties, hair products, makeup for touch-ups and any inspiration images or company guidelines you would like us to review.

If you are unsure about an outfit, bring it. Having additional choices gives us more flexibility, and we can help you select the pieces that will photograph best.

14. Relax—We’ll Coach You Through Everything

You don’t need to practice poses or know what to do with your hands, posture or expression. You’ll receive professional direction throughout your entire headshot or portrait session, including body position, facial angles, posture and expression.

Our goal is to help you feel comfortable, look natural and create professional photographs that genuinely represent you. Arrive prepared, relax and enjoy the experience—we’ll take care of the rest.

 

 

For a model portfolio session, the goal is to demonstrate versatility while keeping the attention on you—not simply to photograph several different outfits. Depending on the type of modeling work you’re pursuing, plan on bringing clothing for three or four distinct looks. Begin with a clean, form-fitting foundation look that clearly shows your proportions without distraction. Ford Models, for example, advises prospective models to present themselves naturally, with a makeup-free face, hair pulled back and fitted clothing such as skinny jeans and a tank top so scouts can clearly evaluate their features and body proportions.

In addition to this natural foundation look, bring an approachable commercial or lifestyle outfit suitable for advertising and brand work, followed by a polished fashion or beauty look. You may also bring a more dramatic editorial or high-fashion outfit featuring interesting structure, texture, silhouette or movement.

The strongest wardrobe selections support the model rather than overpowering the photograph, so avoid outfits that feel overly theatrical or costume-like unless that is the specific creative direction. Your ideal mix of looks will depend on whether you are pursuing commercial, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, fitness or another type of modeling. If a modeling agency has given you specific wardrobe, grooming or submission requirements, please share them with us before your session, as those instructions should always take priority.