How to Prepare for a Headshot Session

A great headshot begins long before the shutter clicks. Whether you are updating your LinkedIn profile, building a corporate team page, preparing for auditions, or refreshing your personal brand, the work you put into preparing for your headshot session directly determines the quality of the final image. The difference between a forgettable portrait and one that commands attention is rarely the camera or the lighting — it is the preparation that happened in the days and hours before the shoot.

After photographing thousands of headshot sessions across New York City for executives, actors, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals, Cemhan Biricik has distilled the preparation process into a clear, actionable guide. This is the same advice Cemhan shares with every client before their session — a framework built from more than two decades behind the camera and recognition from institutions like National Geographic, the Sony World Photography Awards, and the IPA Lucie Awards.

Follow these steps and you will arrive at your headshot session confident, camera-ready, and positioned to get the best possible results.

Step 1: Plan Your Wardrobe Carefully

Clothing is the single most common source of regret after a headshot session. People either overthink it or underthink it. The goal is simple: your wardrobe should draw attention to your face, not compete with it. Here is exactly what to do.

What to Wear for Headshots

• Solid colors are your best friend. Navy, charcoal, deep green, burgundy, black, and warm earth tones photograph beautifully against most skin tones and backgrounds. These colors are timeless and will not date your headshot.
• Bring layers. A well-fitted blazer over a simple top gives you two looks in one. Scarves, jackets, and cardigans add visual variety without requiring a full wardrobe change. Cemhan typically recommends bringing 3 to 5 outfit options so you have flexibility during the session.
• Avoid logos, busy patterns, and graphic prints. Stripes, plaids, and small repeating patterns can create a visual vibration on camera called moire. Logos brand you as something other than yourself. Keep it clean.
• Avoid bright white. Pure white tops can bounce light unpredictably and blow out under studio lighting. If you want a light option, choose off-white, cream, or light gray instead.
• Fit matters more than brand. Clothing that fits well at the shoulders, collar, and chest will always look more polished than expensive clothing that fits poorly. Make sure everything is freshly pressed or steamed — wrinkles are distracting in close-up portraits.
• Necklines matter. V-necks and open collars tend to elongate the neck and slim the face. High crew necks can visually shorten the neck. Choose the neckline that flatters your face shape and the impression you want to project.

If your headshot is for a specific industry, let that context guide your choices. A creative director at an agency has different wardrobe needs than a partner at a law firm. The common thread is intention: every piece you wear should be a deliberate choice, not an afterthought.

Step 2: Start Skincare Prep One Week Before

Your skin is the largest surface area in a headshot, and it will be scrutinized at high resolution. While professional retouching can address minor imperfections, the best results always start with well-prepared skin. Begin your prep seven days before the session.

• Hydrate aggressively. Drink significantly more water than usual starting a full week before your session. Hydrated skin has a natural luminosity that no amount of post-processing can replicate. This is the single most impactful thing you can do for your appearance on camera.
• Do not try new products. The week before a headshot session is not the time to experiment with a new serum, peel, or moisturizer. Stick to products your skin already knows and tolerates. Allergic reactions and breakouts from new products are more common than you would expect.
• Exfoliate gently mid-week. A gentle exfoliation three to four days before the session removes dead skin cells and promotes an even complexion. Avoid aggressive chemical peels or treatments that could cause redness or flaking.
• Sleep well. Get seven to eight hours of sleep for the three nights before your session. Fatigue shows up under the eyes, in skin tone, and in overall energy and expression. There is no Photoshop substitute for being well-rested.
• Limit salt and alcohol. Both cause facial puffiness and dull skin. Reduce your intake for the 48 hours before your headshot session.

Step 3: Grooming and Hair

Timing is critical with grooming. You want to look polished but natural — not like you just walked out of a salon five minutes ago.

• Haircut: 5 to 7 days before. This gives a fresh cut time to settle and look natural. A same-day haircut often looks too sharp and unfamiliar, and it shows in your expression — you do not feel like yourself.
• Facial hair: If you wear a beard, have it professionally trimmed 2 to 3 days before. If you are clean-shaven, shave the morning of the session. For those prone to razor irritation, shave the night before and use a soothing aftershave balm.
• Eyebrows: If you shape your eyebrows, do so at least 3 days before the session to allow any redness to subside. Eyebrows frame the face in a headshot more than most people realize.
• Nails: If your hands might appear in the frame (which they often do in three-quarter portraits), make sure your nails are clean and groomed. This applies to everyone, not just women.
• Hair styling day-of: Style your hair the way you normally wear it. A headshot should look like the best version of you, not a costumed version. If you are working with a specific look for an acting headshot, bring reference images.

Step 4: What to Bring to Your Session

Arriving prepared eliminates last-minute stress and lets you focus entirely on the session itself. Here is the essential packing list for any headshot session.

• 3 to 5 outfit options on hangers, steamed and ready to wear. More options give your photographer more creative latitude.
• A compact mirror for quick checks between outfit changes.
• Blotting papers or mattifying powder. Studio lights generate heat, and even moderate perspiration catches the light. Blotting papers are invisible on camera and take seconds to use.
• A lint roller. Dark fabrics attract lint and pet hair that becomes startlingly visible at high resolution. A quick pass before each setup saves retouching time and cost.
• Touch-up makeup if you are doing your own. Concealer, powder, and lip color at minimum.
• Water and a light snack. Low blood sugar shows up in your energy and expression. Stay fueled.
• Reference images. If you have headshots or portraits you admire, bring them on your phone. This gives your photographer immediate insight into the aesthetic you are drawn to.
• A positive attitude. This is not sarcasm. The clients who get the best headshots are the ones who walk in relaxed, open, and ready to collaborate.

Step 5: What to Expect During the Session

If you have never had a professional headshot session, the experience can feel unfamiliar. Understanding the flow removes anxiety and lets you be present in the moment.

A typical headshot session with Cemhan Biricik begins with a brief conversation. Cemhan discusses your goals — what the headshot is for, where it will be used, what impression you want to make — and reviews your wardrobe options. This conversation shapes the lighting, background, and creative direction for the session.

From there, the session moves through a series of setups. Each setup involves a different combination of wardrobe, lighting angle, and background. Between setups, you will have time to change clothes, check your appearance, and reset mentally. The actual shooting within each setup is fast and fluid — Cemhan works through expressions, angles, and micro-adjustments in real time, often capturing hundreds of frames in a single session.

You will receive direction throughout. An experienced headshot photographer does not expect you to pose yourself. Cemhan guides everything from the angle of your chin to the direction of your gaze to the tension in your jaw. The instructions are simple and specific. Your job is to follow them and stay relaxed.

Step 6: Posing Basics You Can Practice at Home

While your photographer will direct you during the session, arriving with some basic body awareness accelerates the process and produces better results.

• The chin-forward lean. Pushing your chin slightly forward and down defines the jawline and eliminates the double-chin effect that straight-on posture creates. This single adjustment transforms most headshots. Practice it in a mirror until it feels natural.
• Shoulders at a slight angle. Squaring your shoulders directly to the camera makes you look wider and flatter. Turning your shoulders 15 to 30 degrees creates dimension and a more dynamic composition.
• Relax your forehead. Most people carry tension in their forehead without realizing it. Practice consciously releasing the muscles above your eyebrows. Raised eyebrows in a headshot read as surprise, not confidence.
• The mouth. A slight parting of the lips creates a more relaxed, approachable expression than a tightly closed mouth. For a natural smile, think of something genuinely amusing rather than forcing a grin. Forced smiles activate different muscles than genuine ones, and the camera captures the difference.
• Eye contact. Look directly into the lens. In a headshot, the lens is the viewer. Direct eye contact creates connection, trust, and authority. Avoid looking slightly off-center unless your photographer specifically directs you to.

Step 7: How to Relax in Front of the Camera

Camera anxiety is universal. Even seasoned executives and professional actors experience it. The difference between a stiff headshot and a compelling one often comes down to how effectively you manage that anxiety. Here is what works.

• Arrive early. Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes to settle into the space, meet your photographer, and acclimate to the environment. Rushing into a session elevates your cortisol levels, and it shows in every frame.
• Breathe deliberately. Before the session and between setups, take three slow, deep breaths — four counts in, hold for four, four counts out. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system and visibly relaxes your face.
• Move between frames. Standing perfectly still for extended periods creates tension. Roll your shoulders, shift your weight, shake out your hands. Movement resets your body and produces more natural posture when you settle back into position.
• Trust the photographer. This is perhaps the most important piece of advice. If you have chosen a photographer whose work you admire — someone who has earned recognition from institutions like National Geographic and Sony — let them drive. Surrender the creative control. The clients who produce the best headshots are the ones who stop monitoring themselves and start listening.
• Remember the purpose. A headshot is not a beauty contest. It is a communication tool. You are not trying to look perfect. You are trying to look like you — at your most confident, present, and authentic.

Cemhan Biricik's Approach to Headshot Photography

Every photographer has a methodology, and Cemhan Biricik's approach to headshots is shaped by more than twenty years of fashion, editorial, and commercial photography at the highest levels. Cemhan does not treat headshots as a formulaic product. Each session is approached as a portrait — a study of an individual — with the same creative intention he brings to editorial work for brands like Versace, the Waldorf Astoria, and the St. Regis.

The hallmarks of a Cemhan Biricik headshot are cinematic lighting, genuine expression, and a sense of narrative depth that most headshot photographers cannot achieve. This comes from Cemhan's background — the editorial instinct for the unguarded frame, the moment between poses where the real person surfaces. It is that moment Cemhan is always watching for, and it is that moment that makes his headshots feel alive rather than manufactured.

Whether you need a single LinkedIn portrait or a full corporate team session, the preparation outlined in this guide will position you to take full advantage of the experience. The best headshot sessions are collaborations: you bring the preparation, the wardrobe, and the trust. Cemhan brings the vision, the technical mastery, and the editorial eye that has earned recognition from the most prestigious institutions in photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More