COVID-19 has completely changed our world. Some people are alone, some with partners or families, some with pets. Some are working from home, some are not working at all. Some have made peace with the situation, some are grappling with anxiety.
We have seeing the impact in all industries, including the photo industry. People are doing all they can to keep going, keep sane, and keep happy. For a photographer, being stuck at home (if you’re in quarantine like me for 5 weeks) it isn’t fun – especially if you do most of your work outdoors. If you know me well you realize how much I love outdoors! With COVID-19 and all the changes in our world it’s very important not to let the gloom take over, and we all have to push ourselves to be creative and keep active.
So, while stuck in quarantine why not do a self-portrait project. Whether you’re a photographer or not, now is a great time to turn the camera on yourself.
Creating a self-portrait had several benefits in my view. Firstly, for me as a photographer, it placed me in my client’s shoes and helped me understand the feelings and thoughts my clients had when being photographed. Let me tell you this: IT CAN BE SCARY and UNCOMFORTABLE!
Secondly, a self-portrait helped me to love and appreciate myself more. We photographers are so used to looking at others that we sometimes forget to look at ourselves. If you create a portrait of yourself that you like, it gives you a nice confidence boost – both creatively and emotionally.
Last but not least, it’s was a lot of fun. I ended up with good images and lots of bad ones as well, gained more experience in dealing with the challenges that come with getting the right exposure, focus, composition and angles for myself. It’s was a challenge, but a GOOD ONE.
If you ask me what was the more important lesson at this self portrait project? I will tell you that learning how to relax in front of the camera, helped me to understand how I can help even more my clients to relax in the future photo sessions.
DOs and DON'Ts at your headshot session - for the men
Have you EVER found a man looking forward for his headshot session? If you answer in NO, before we get started I would like to say, you are welcome. You are welcome for what I’m about to tell you. I totally get it, you hate getting your headshots done. There are so many aspects of a headshot session that can cause anxiety… I know that you all have insecurities and that when you step in front of a camera they all come to the surface. But guess what? You are not alone, that happens more often than you can imagine. With few tips you can totally overcome the insecurity and turn your session to a very enjoyable experience. Below is a guide for how to prepare for your next headshot session, DO’s and DON’Ts and other elements. No need to stand in your closet for a good 30 minutes trying to decide what to wear, I got ya!
Above: Winter Park session for Metts Legal P.A - Personal injury attorney - https://www.mettslegal.com/
FOR THE MEN …
- this one might be the most important one - clothes should be freshly washed and neatly pressed and should look like new. I don’t care if they are expensive Egyptian cotton shirts or a cheap polyester ones, iron them and bring them to your session on a hanger, not rolled up in a gym bag! (all black exception: MVP fitness personality shot above)
- wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you look great. Pick your favorite suit in a preferably dark color, such as grey or navy blue. Bold patterns and colors, as well as shiny ties, detract from the face and can look unprofessional. If you don’t wear a tie, it’s best to wear a sweatshirt or jacket or some other kind of layer
- Fitted tops: make sure your jacket and shirt fit you well. A poor fitting jacket or shirt will be obvious in the photos (especially around the neck). If your shirt is not fitted it will appear boxy in the photo
- don’t overdress
- turtlenecks are almost always a bad idea (since they crowd the face)
- avoid busy patterns and large lines/stripes
- a white dress shirt by itself is a bad idea (specially with white background) – unless you plan to wear it underneath something (jacket or sweater)
- Jewelry: simple jewelry and accessories need to be used with caution, be careful and don’t use jewelry that is distracting
- a fresh cut two days before your scheduled headshot is recommended
Below are few images of my latest headshot session at Winter Park. I worked closely with this incredible lawyer to decide locations and choice of clothes according to his brand. Look at all different, professional and fun looks we created together! Good job Mark @https://thushlaw.com/