I've been shooting professional commercial portraits for years and I've picked up a few tips that can really help with your photography. Let's face it, nobody is giving you any advice so I thought I was trying to help you get the most out of recording your profile.
1. Think about what you will be wearing
Don't wear t-shirts with graphic logos or band names or funny slogans on your top. There is a risk that they will be cut off in the picture and look silly.
Also, patterns and thin stripes don't work well on camera and computer screens. There is a so-called moiré effect when thin stripes lie close together and create a secondary wave pattern. This is particularly evident when an image is small on a screen. Also, patterns that look cool on your clothes can just be a busy visual noise on the camera. So if you can think of wearing something simple that looks good regardless of the size of the picture.
Many portraits are converted to black and white. So you should also think about the shades you wear. The pink tie with the light blue shirt may look great in real life, but when the image has been converted to black and white, they may have the same tone and just blend into each other. So think about contrast and tones and when in doubt, snap a few shots of yourself in your phone's mirror and convert them to black and white to see what looks good.
2. shiny skin
Most of the time, when a photographer comes to your workplace and sets up a studio, there is a good chance they are using artificial light. This is to ensure that he can get consistent results from the portraits. This is great as he will usually adjust the lighting to get the most flattering image of you possible. However, one of the downsides to studio lighting is that it often makes your skin look shiny / shiny / sweaty / oily. This is especially true in summer when it is a hot day. So I would recommend a little concealer / foundation to the ladies. Gentlemen are best to go to the bathroom to wash their face just before their picture is taken, or a quick wash with a baby wipe also works well.
3. Your hair
I would always recommend ladies with long hair to bring a brush to the shoot. Make sure everything is brushed and clean around the edges. Photoshopping hair is tricky because there are so many different lines in so many different directions that it really is a specialized job and usually goes beyond what's included in the work. It's much easier to get it right before taking a picture than after it.
4. Make-up
This is a professional shot of you at work. So keep that in mind when applying your makeup. A natural look always works best. Don't overdo it: How they would do makeup for a special night probably won't work for a corporate portrait. Keep it simple and make sure it feels good to you. If you usually wear heavy lipstick, that's fine, but don't go for a bold look if you don't normally look that way. After all, you want the picture to be a good, professional representation of yourself.
5. glasses
That's not a big deal, but it's probably worth a mention. So if you normally wear glasses and people are used to seeing you in them. Wear them. If you only wear them to work at the computer (like me) and don't wear them often when you meet people, decide beforehand whether or not you want to wear them in the photo. If you are not going to wear them, take your glasses with you before you come for the photo so you don't have two red spots on each side of your nose. It takes a while for them to go away. So take your time.
If you're going to wear your glasses, you should really clean them really well. It's amazing how much dust/fingerprints/eyelash hairs etc can show up on the final image. So make sure the lenses are spotless, and if your frames have fingerprints or grease stains, clean them too.
Finally, you should push your glasses back as much as possible when taking pictures. Oftentimes, the glasses only slide down your nose slightly and tend to cover your eyes just uncomplicatedly. When it comes to profile photos, seeing the eyes is really important. So when the glasses are pushed back, they show their best side.
6. Your best side
Many people know how they look in front of the camera and which side of their face they prefer. I personally don't know, so it always surprises me when people say this is my best site. But it really helps me and makes my life easier as I will focus and work with this side.
Likewise, if there is a feature of your face that you don't like or something that you are yourself aware of, let the photographer know. I've seen people tell me many times that they don't like the fact that one of their eyes is bigger than the other. So I make sure to shoot with the eye closest to the camera so that it looks a little bigger from perspective. Also, a lot of people have told me that they don't like their teeth so we're going to make them smile with their mouths closed. It's much easier to say these things to the photographer than to come to terms with a portrait that you don't like. Imagine us photographers like doctors, you can tell us anything without being embarrassed. We've probably heard all of this before.
7. The right height
Try to reach the same height or just below the camera lens. Your photographer will always advise you on what is best for the portrait. However, if you are very tall, you are probably used to seeing photos of you taken from below. This can accentuate a double chin and is not the most flattering angle. So if you're really tall, there's one thing you can do: spread your legs as wide as you can. Yes, that's right, strike that rock pose. This has the effect of making you a few inches shorter. It's a lot better to do than to squat a little. Squatting for a while tends to cause pain. That's why a lot of people do this because it's a good workout for your muscles. However, if you are in pain, it will show in the photo and you will look terrible. So, spreading your legs has the benefit of being much more comfortable than squatting.
8. Keep calm
I can guarantee you that one of the first things people say to me when they come to me to have their picture taken is, "I hate to be photographed, I've never got a picture, I am satisfied with. And then they nervously chat to themselves in front of the camera, and all I record is them talking and making faces. So if you want to do this to calm yourself down, leave it. Stop talking for a few minutes. Take a deep breath and relax. You are in safe hands. The photographer wants to get the best picture of you that he can get of you and that makes you happy. Just have confidence.
9. Smile
Easier than you might think. How much do you like yourself when you smile in a photo? Lips closed or lips open? If you're not sure, ask your photographer what you like best. He can do some test shots and work with you to find what suits you best. Or snap some photos of yourself and ask friends and family.
I've always found that asking someone to smile for the camera looks a little fake. It's not a real smile, and what I mean by that is you can't see it in the eyes. That's why I never ask people to smile. Either I try to make her smile or I ask her to think of someone or something that makes her laugh. That way I get a great response and a genuine smile. So if you think of someone or something funny while taking a picture, it will look much better and more natural.
10. Look in the mirror just before you have your picture taken
Finally, I would always advise taking a short break to look at yourself in the mirror before the photo shoot. Chances are the photographer has never met you before, so they don't know what you look like. So just give yourself some time to make sure you are happy with the way you look. Make sure your hair looks good and your necklace isn't slipped. Your tie is straight and the top button is not showing. Not having food between your teeth, etc.
