Here’s how to prepare for your headshot session to ensure you look your best. At IRIS Photography and our West Hartford Center studio, we specialize in creating headshots and professional portraits that help you make a lasting impression. Whether you’re updating your LinkedIn profile, refreshing your company website, or creating business marketing materials, a high-quality headshot is essential for showcasing your professionalism and personality.

Dress for Headshot Success
Your clothing plays a big role in the look and feel of your headshot. When choosing what to wear for your portrait, follow these tips to look your best:

Dress to Impress: Wear clothing that reflects the professional image you want to convey. We recommend dressing one step more formal than what you normally wear to meet clients. So if you meet clients in business casual attire, maybe wear a jacket with no tie.

Choose Patterns Thoughtfully: Solid colors are ideal for headshots, as they keep the focus on your face. If you prefer patterns, go bigger. Avoid tiny stripes or checks to prevent visual distractions. We want viewers to look at your face and connect with you, not with your tie or chunky necklace.

Color Psychology Matters: Did you know colors can signal different traits? Here’s what different colors can communicate in a professional photo:

–Navy: Trust and reliability
–Black: Expertise and authority
–Red: Confidence and power
–Grey: Timeless and classic
–Green: Growth and harmony
–Orange: Creativity
–Yellow: Happiness
–Purple: Luxury
–White: Simplicity

Fit and Style: Clothing Tips for a Flattering Look

–We recommend that no matter your size, wear fitted clothing to create clean lines. Loose clothing can look unprofessional…don’t worry, we are going to retouch any noticeable bumps.

–Layers can be very flattering and add interest by breaking up a solid shirt…think jackets for more formal shots – or nice hoodies for more casual images.

–Avoid wearing overly seasonal clothing like heavy sweaters. Also, we find knit cardigans rarely look professional unless they are brand new.

You can get some ideas by looking at our headshot portfolio here.

Grooming and Make-up Tips for a Polished Look

The key is to plan ahead.

–Plan your haircut or color several days in advance to ensure a fresh yet natural look.
For men, trim facial hair or shave.

–When in doubt, wear matte makeup to reduce shine under professional lighting. West Hartford, CT make-up artist, Nicole Moleti says, “I love a little reflection around the edge of a woman’s features, but definitely keep matte on the center of your face. And bring a powder puff to blot and remove extra shine before your shoot.”

Need a makeup artist? We’re happy to recommend trusted professionals who work with our clients in the Hartford and Greater CT areas.

Accessories and Final Touches
Keep your accessories minimal and timeless. Jewelry should be small to medium in size to avoid overpowering your face. Skip trendy pieces that might age your photo.

What You Don’t Need to Worry About
Poses and your expression. While we will ask you about the type of portrait you want to end up with, you don’t need to worry about posing yourself, controlling your smile, etc. That’s our job. We are skilled at bringing out a variety of genuine expressions and poses for you to choose from and find your most flattering angles.

Retouching Brings It All Together
Not everything has to be perfect at your session. At IRIS Photography, we send every final image out to a professional retoucher, ensuring you look polished.

Corporate Services

Company Style Matching: We have over 30 companies in the Greater Hartford area that send their new hires to our monthly headshot days at our West Hartford Center studio at 10 LaSalle Road. We keep track of your corporate guidelines and match your lighting and backgrounds to ensure consistency.

On-Location Headshot Days: We host headshot days on-site at a variety of companies, accommodating up to 70 employees per day. We bring our full professional lighting and backgrounds to your location and can travel nationwide.

Group and Team Photos: We photograph small groups in our studio and larger teams on location.

Commercial Lifestyle Sessions: Clients updating their websites hire us to do a variety of headshots, team, and lifestyle images. We work to bring out the personalities of our clients in a natural way for this type of photo library so that your website images stand out and do not look like stock photos. We want to create images that help your clients connect with the human side of your company.

You can see our full commercial website here: www.photojane.com

Ready to update your professional image? Contact us today to book your headshot session at IRIS Photography in West Hartford Center, CT, at 10 LaSalle Road, opposite Starbucks.

📧 Email: info@photoiris.com 📞 Phone: 860.810.5480 🌐 Website: photoiris.com

Or book on headshot day direct: https://photoiris.as.me/headshotday

See our full corporate photography work here: https://photojane.com/Corporate/thumbs

Invest in a headshot that elevates your personal brand and helps you stand out in your industry. We can’t wait to help you shine!