The quality of headshots and other portraits is greatly enhanced by retouching. For this reason we retouch all our portraits at no additional charge.

Retouched

Our aim is to achieve the most natural look, so that the retouching  is not apparent. The most common feature of retouching is to smooth skin and to reduce wrinkles and blemishes. We go beyond that. Some people tend to squint when they smile: we can open the eyes a little to counteract this. If one eye appears smaller than the other we can enlarge it or reduce the other to match more closely. Double chins can be de-emphasized, broad jaws can be narrowed, lips can be slimmed orincreased, ruddiness reduced, eyes brightened, etc. All these enhancements and more,

Un-retouched

when done discretely and as appropriate to the particular face can improve the portrait without appearing unnatural.  This customized retouching, combined with a well posed and lit portrait results in an image of which you can be proud.

Here are some tips for getting ready for our visit to your office for a headshot session. Of course, we’ll be happy to work with you any way you like, but we have some ideas for optimizing the success of the shoot, based on many sessions over many years.

Our Requirements

We use two light stands and a background stand in our set-up. This requires a certain amount of floor space, usually a minimum of about eight by ten feet. A conference room usually works well. Otherwise, we can work in an empty office or a lobby or waiting area. We always find something that works.

Also we’ll need a task chair, or any chair with a low back, for the subjects to sit in.

Personal Preparations

Darker clothes are usually preferable, but not required. Do avoid white– this can cause severe contrast problems. (This does not apply to shirts or blouses worn under jackets.) If you’re not wearing a jacket, wear long sleeves.

Women: wear your normal make-up, but bring some powder to touch up glossy areas before being photographed. Simple jewelry is best; avoid large, flat, shiny surfaces like metal. Short necklaces are better than long, so we can feature the whole thing in the shot.

Men: reserved ties are best. We recommend against pocket handkerchiefs and lapel pins. White (if worn under a jacket) or blue dress shirts are fine.

Time per Sitting

Our first hour at your office includes set-up and break-down, which takes about twenty minutes. Average number of sittings in first hour is four. The average number of sittings in additional hours is six. This may vary depending on readiness of people and length of time required to get an acceptable portrait.

Scheduling

The cost of your session will depend on how quickly we can proceed from one portrait to the next. This means that people should be prepared to enter the camera room when called. Here are some approaches to scheduling based on our experience:

• By the Clock 

Unfortunately, we can’t predict the exact time it will take for each sitting, so          scheduling by the clock will eventually put us ahead or behind schedule, but it tends to average out. The average time per portrait is about ten minutes.

• When Called

The next person can be called when the previous person is finished, although this adds some time to the schedule as we wait for their arrival. If minimizing inconvenience to your people is the main concern, this is probably the best approach. If someone is unavailable, it might be possible to move ahead to someone else, and return to the first person later in the schedule.

Hair and Make-up

Make-up at Spa Sydell

We suggest that you have your hair styled and make-up done in your usual fashion before your headshot or portrait session. Apply your usual make-up; there are no special requirements for photography. Don’t worry about small blemishes – we’ll retouch them. Men should remember to shave. Women should bring some cosmetic powder to touch up glossy areas in the face if required. We have powder available to touch up men when it’s necessary. Please remember to bring a comb or brush. If you’d like on-site hair styling and make-up, we can arrange it for an additional fee. You may also arrange for your own stylist to accompany you to the studio.

Clothing and Jewelry

Actor

It’s not a good idea to wear white, bright or pastel colors or loud patterns; the emphasis of a headshot is on your face, and clothing should not distract from this. The same advice applies to jewelry keep it simple. Items with flat, reflective surfaces should be avoided. If you’re wearing a necklace, it’s best if it’s short, so that all of it will show in a closely cropped shot.

Business Headshots

Attorney’s headshot

For business headshots we suggest that you choose one outfit for the session. Jackets should be darker in color. Navy, black, dark grays, dark reds, dark greens and dark blues work well.

Actors & Entertainers

In sessions for actor’s and entertainers the goal is often to get more than one good shot, with some variety for comp cards and portfolios. You may want to bring several changes of clothing. Actors, for instance, may want a business look and a casual look. We suggest up to four changes; your time is better spent shooting than changing clothes. Black always works, so we suggest that you bring at least one top of that color.

Portraits

Engagement portrait

For portrait sessions, you’ll probably want to stick with one outfit, unless, for instance, you want both a casual and a formal portrait. If we’re doing a head & shoulders portrait, we recommend wearing long sleeves, even for a casual look. If  you are one of a group, it will be important to balance everyone’s clothing. Usually, we suggest trying to keep everyone in either warm or cool colors. For jewelry, the same suggestions apply as for business headshots.

These are guidelines that we’ve found generally work. Of course, every rule has exceptions, and we’re happy to photograph you however you like.

 Headshot or Portrait – What’s the Difference?

Executive portrait

People who want a picture of themselves taken are sometimes confused about how to name what they want. Say, for instance, you are looking for a small picture, say 5″x7″, of yourself for a gift. Because of the size of the image you’ll probably want a fairly close-up picture of your face; a wider shot would lose most of the detail in your face.

This is often called a head & shoulders portrait. Why not call it a headshot? You could

Actor’s headshot

refer to it that way, but generally headshot refers to a commercial image used for promotion or publicity, such as those used by models and actors. Beyond the head & shoulders portrait, 3/4 and full length poses are often taken in portrait photography.

Other Differences

Beyond matters of size, there are usually other significant differences in the way a photographer might approach a head & shoulders portrait and a headshot. For models, the goal is to produce a number of usable shots, for use in a portfolio or comp card, which is a single sheet printed with several different images of the subject. Actors may want several images showing a range of expressions. In either case the goal is to capture a lively, extemporaneous expression. This requires taking  numerous exposures in a fast sequence. This is very different from the goal of portrait photography which is usually to capture a timeless expression, one which is more generally representative of the subject. The deliberate pace of a portrait session allows for more considered lighting which can be carefully adjusted to flatter the subject’s features. The headshot session, in contrast, requires a more even lighting that will work regardless of the particular pose the subject strikes: whether the model turns to the right or to the left, whether she lifts or dips her chin.

The Business Headshot

Business headshot

An exception to these distinctions between the portrait and headshot is the business headshot, which, apart from usage, has more of the characteristics of the portrait than the model’s or actor’s headshot. The goal is usually to produce one excellent pose which will be used for public relations and editorial purposes.

Proofs are generally ready for viewing within twenty-four hours of  your session. They are posted to a gallery on this website. To view them select “View Proofs” from the main menu, or “View Proofs” from the “Galleries” menu. You will see a list of names, including

Proof #120915-012

yours. If your company or firm is listed, your name may be found in that folder. Once you have clicked on your name you may be asked for a password, which should have been supplied to you. If you don’t have the password, contact us by email or telephone. Once you have entered the password your proofs will appear.

Each proof is represented as a thumbnail underneath which is a proof number. The proof number is in the following form: “120922_034”; the first six numbers represent the date of the session and the last three are the individual proof number. This allows you to easily reference any particular proof. When you have made your selection, email or telephone us with your choice.

Location group portrait

What’s the difference between a studio portrait and one done on location? One non-technical difference is the convenience a location portrait may provide for the client. A professional person may appreciate the amount of her valuable time that may be saved by a headshot done at the office. Another is the opportunity to personalize a portrait by

Family portrait

posing it in the client’s own environment, such as their living room or garden.

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