Booking a professional headshot can feel like a bigger step than it probably should.
You know you need a better photo. Perhaps your current LinkedIn picture is several years old, your website still uses a cropped holiday photo, or you’ve reached the point where your image no longer reflects the person or business you’ve become.
But what actually happens when you book a headshot photographer in Cranleigh?
Do you need to know how to pose? What should you wear? Will you be able to see the photos as we go? And what happens if you usually hate having your picture taken?
Here’s the complete process, from our first conversation through to receiving your finished photographs.
It starts with a conversation
Before your session, I’ll ask a few simple questions about what you need the photographs for.
That might include LinkedIn, your company website, speaking engagements, press features, social media, marketing materials or an upcoming business launch.
The purpose matters because a headshot isn’t just a photograph of your face. It needs to create the right impression.
A solicitor might want to look credible, experienced and approachable. A designer may want something more creative and expressive. A business owner might need a small collection of images that work across several platforms.
We’ll talk about how you want people to see you, where the photographs will appear and whether there are any particular styles, backgrounds or expressions you have in mind.
You don’t need to arrive with a detailed creative brief. Most people don’t. My job is to help you work out what will suit you and how we can create photographs that feel natural, current and useful.
Choosing what to wear
One of the most common questions I’m asked is: “What should I wear for my headshot?”
The best answer is usually something that feels like you, but slightly more considered.
You don’t need to dress as somebody else. If you never wear a suit, there’s little value in turning up wearing one simply because you think that’s what a professional headshot should look like.
Choose clothes that fit well, make you feel comfortable and reflect how you usually present yourself to clients or colleagues.
Plain colours often photograph well, although that doesn’t mean everything needs to be dark or neutral. Colour can work brilliantly, particularly when it connects with your personality or brand.
Try to avoid very small patterns, large logos and anything that needs constant adjustment. It’s also worth checking that jackets, shirts and tops sit properly when you’re standing and sitting.
Depending on the session you book, you’re welcome to bring a few options. We can look through them together and decide what will work best with the backgrounds and lighting.
Layers are useful too. A jacket, overshirt, jumper or change of top can create a noticeably different photograph without needing to rebuild the entire setup.
Arriving at my Cranleigh studio
My portrait studio is based in Cranleigh, Surrey.
It’s a private space, so you won’t be walking into a busy shop or being photographed in front of other people. We’ll have time to talk, look through your clothing choices and settle into the session before I start taking photographs.
There’s no expectation that you should walk through the door already knowing what to do.
Most of the people I photograph aren’t models. They’re business owners, professionals, performers and creatives who need strong images but don’t spend their lives in front of a camera.
Some arrive feeling excited. Others tell me immediately that they hate having their photograph taken.
Both are completely normal.
You won’t be left to pose yourself
You don’t need to practise poses before your session.
I’ll direct you throughout, including where to stand, how to position your body, what to do with your hands and where to look.
Often, very small adjustments make the biggest difference. Turning your shoulders slightly, shifting your weight, changing the angle of your chin or relaxing your hands can completely alter how a photograph feels.
I’ll also guide your expression.
That doesn’t mean asking you to hold a fixed smile while I take 50 nearly identical photographs. We’ll create small changes in expression, from open and friendly through to more confident, thoughtful or serious.
Conversation is a big part of the process. People tend to look much more natural when they’re responding to something rather than trying to “perform” for the camera.
My aim is to remove the guesswork. You won’t be standing there wondering what to do next.
Lighting and backgrounds
Your session can include different lighting styles and background choices, depending on the option you book and the type of images you need.
Some headshots benefit from soft, open lighting that feels friendly and approachable. Others work better with stronger contrast and more shape.
We can create a clean, straightforward professional headshot, something darker and more dramatic, or a set of images with greater variety.
I use professional studio lighting rather than relying only on the available light in the room. This gives me much more control over the shape, mood and consistency of the finished image.
The lighting should support you, rather than becoming the main subject of the photograph.
Seeing your photographs as we work
During the session, my camera is connected to a larger screen. This is known as tethered shooting.
Instead of trying to judge everything from the small screen on the back of the camera, we can review the photographs properly as they appear.
This is one of the most useful parts of the experience.
You’ll be able to see what’s working, compare expressions and understand how small changes in posture affect the result.
It also means we can make decisions together.
You might prefer one side of your face, like a particular expression or realise that one jacket works better than another. We can respond to that during the session rather than discovering it afterwards.
For many people, tethered viewing also helps reduce anxiety. Once you see that we’re already creating good photographs, it becomes much easier to relax.
Creating enough variety
A headshot session shouldn’t necessarily produce one expression against one background.
The amount of variety will depend on the package you choose, but we can often create several useful looks by changing your position, expression, clothing, crop, lighting or background.
You may want one friendly photograph for LinkedIn, a more confident option for your website and something slightly more relaxed for social media.
This is where choosing the right session matters.
My Essential, Standard and Signature portrait options offer different amounts of time and different numbers of finished images, depending on how much variety you need.
The Essential Session is designed for a focused update. The Standard Session gives us more time to explore different looks, while the Signature Session is better suited to someone who wants a broader collection of portraits with multiple setups.
Choosing your favourite images
After the session, I’ll provide a set of preview images for you to review.
You won’t be expected to choose from hundreds of random frames. I remove obvious duplicates, test shots, blinks and anything that isn’t worth considering.
You can then choose the photographs you’d like me to edit.
Some people know their favourites immediately. Others like to look through them several times or ask a trusted colleague or family member for an opinion.
There’s no pressure to choose the image you think you’re “supposed” to like. The best headshot is one that feels like you and supports what you need it to do.
Editing your finished headshots
Once you’ve made your selection, I’ll edit each chosen photograph individually.
This includes adjustments to colour, contrast, exposure, crop and overall finish. I’ll also tidy temporary distractions such as stray hairs, marks on clothing or short-term blemishes where appropriate.
The aim isn’t to change your face or make you look like a different person.
You should still look like yourself, just photographed with good lighting, careful direction and a professional finish.
Your completed photographs will be supplied as high-resolution digital files through a private online gallery. They’ll be suitable for websites, LinkedIn, social media, press use and printed marketing materials.
Book a headshot session in Cranleigh
A professional headshot session shouldn’t feel like being placed under a spotlight and told to perform.
It should feel guided, collaborative and far more straightforward than you expected.
From choosing what to wear through to posing, reviewing the images and selecting your favourites, I’ll take you through the entire process.
You don’t need to know your best angle. You don’t need to be naturally confident in front of a camera. And you definitely don’t need to know how to pose.
You just need to turn up.
Explore my Essential, Standard and Signature portrait options, or book a headshot session in my Cranleigh studio.
