Stacey Doyle Photography: Headshot Series Part II

Feb 23, 2020

Alright, ready to talk more about headshots!?

This time, let’s talk clothing!
While most clothes will work for most things, there are certain clothing items you definitely want to steer clear of, especially for a professional headshot.

Avoid clothing with labels.

Unless you work for that company or label, or it is part of your brand/online identity, I recommend staying away from clothing with logos.
Mostly because they are distractions, and they’ll take away from the main subject of the photo, which is YOU.

You want the first thing someone sees, when presented with your headshot, to be your eyes.

You need to make connections fast these days. With social media and the internet, people swipe past most things pretty quickly.
If your image is confusing or they’re not sure where to look first, they are going to swipe right on by.

Color palette.

This really all depends on how you’ll be using your headshot.
If you work for a conventional corporation or business, you may want to stick with a more conservative color palette.

Here is where I’d recommend light grays, off-white, black. Wearing jackets over blouses or button down shirts.
If you wear colors, I’d lean more toward a very subtle palette, pastels, light blues, grays.

Now, if your business or online identity is colorful and bold, have at it!
I’d still be careful with certain patterns and colors, however, the less conservative your field or business, the more fun you can have with your clothing colors.

Clothing style.

This is super important too! I’m a big believer in wearing what you feel comfortable in, whether that is a t-shirt or a ball gown. If you feel good in it, that is going to shine through in your images.

But, if you’re a dentist and you need a new headshot for an upcoming convention where you’re part pf a speaker series, a ball gown or t-shirt probably isn’t the best idea.
Here’s where you look at the current trends in your particular business, and allow those trends to have a subtle influence on what you wear.

Why subtle? Well, you don’t want to look like a cookie cutter exact copy.
No one wants that. Use the info to guide you to make the best choice for your attire, while also leaving room to infuse a bit of YOU into your dress.

You may need to wear that white lab coat for your pro headshot, but you could always wear your favorite color blouse underneath. That little pop of color stays true to who you are, while also staying within those guidelines dictated by your profession.

No matter how lenient or conservative your dress needs to be, always stay true to who you are for your images.
If your profession requires suit and tie, and you like bold & fun, maybe you have a bit of fun with the tie selections.
On the other hand, if you are personally more comfortable with traditional dress, then stay true to you!

Be you, and the rest will follow!

Ready for your new headshots? Touch base!

Booking Sacramento area now.

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