Continuing with our series on the Headshots Experience Day, this second post addresses how we have attempted to address people’s past experiences with photography, which have lead them to feel a certain way about having their portrait taken. To refresh your memory, please refer to our Headshots Experience Day landing page to see what is included. If you hadn't downloaded my table with a bullet point summary of everything I'm talking about here, feel free to do that.
So many people are nervous when having their photo taken. This can be for a wide variety of reasons: they don’t like being the centre of attention, they are self-conscious about themselves, they have had bad experiences with professional photographers, etc.. We also have been on the other side of the lens, so we know how it feels! But, there are a bunch of things we do to help.
First and foremost, we have, combined, over 20 years of experience photographing regular people and helping them feel comfortable and at ease. One of the most common comments we get from past clients is how calming and relaxed we make people feel. In some ways this is our superpower! And we like to play to our strengths :-) To help out even more with that, we have introduced the champagne and beer, and delicious snacks, to help people feel at home and relaxed. So please, drink the champagne! It is not just a gimmick! It actually helps us make a better portrait! We have also designed a comfortable lounge area where you can sit while waiting your turn…your turn with the hair and makeup artist that is.
Getting your hair and makeup done is another step towards getting you camera ready - and for a better picture. The hair and makeup session serves the dual purpose of making you look your best, as well as making you FEEL like you look your best, and our hair and makeup artists (H&MUAs) are nice people who will further chat with you to help you feel at ease. The hair and makeup makes sure that your skin doesn’t have shiny hotspots, and there are no big stray hairs – essential to a great photo. Though everyone has a pass in the makeup chair (yes guys, even you can use some work before a photo), our H&MUAs can do more or less makeup depending on your comfort level. We do not recommend a tonne of makeup, if you usually don’t wear any at all (so please tell them)! (We do also send out tips on hair, makeup, and clothing, a few days before each session.) Our stylists are also a great set of extra eyes and help on set when needed. All of this translates to better looking skin and hair, and a more comfortable session, resulting in more authentic, natural, timeless, and professional portraits that will resonate with whomever needs to see your picture, and we think lead to more success.
After that we go on set. We know that posing can be uncomfortable, and most people don’t know what to do with their hands. Knowing what looks best is our job! We choose poses, angles, and that one particular head tilt, that are most flattering for each person. We are also on the alert for poses that people do naturally, because that often looks the most genuine. Professional models can make weird poses look natural, but for the rest of us, doing what we do normally is usually best!
People often walk away from portrait sessions not knowing if they will be happy with their photos, so to help with that we show you the photos we are taking as we go. We download the images to our computers WHILE WE SHOOT, so that every few minutes we can bring you behind the monitor to see what is going on. Then, with you, we pick the angles and poses that seem to be working, and go back on set to work on the ones we like, to get just the right expression, until you are HAPPY with at least 1 shot, if not more. You don’t have to pick your final photos right away, as we don’t like putting that kind of pressure on people. We put our selects from the session on our proofing website, for you to choose your favourite images in the comfort of your home or office, and if you like, get advice from the outside world on which are the best. Finally, we provide 2 or 3 different crops for your various needs. With all that, we try to ensure that there are no unhappy surprises, and that you get the maximum benefit from the photos you receive from us…which means, better first impressions with your clients, and ultimately more business success!
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