If you’re searching online for tips and tricks for photo posing, you’ll likely be flooded with images of Instagram influencers. Hip twisting, muscle flexing and contorting their bodies into not-quite-safe-for-work poses that look flattering for them, but aren’t the look you’re going for when you need a professional pose for your LinkedIn profile photo.

Stepping in front of a professional camera doesn’t have to feel like sitting down under a spotlight for an interrogation with the KGB. We’ve been taking professional headshots since 2005 so we’ve used our years of experience to put together ten tips to help you rock your next photoshoot with confidence.

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week (April 21st-27th, 2024), which was created to not just bring awareness to how pervasive infertility is (since 1 in 8 couples has trouble conceiving, it’s a pretty safe bet you already know infertility is a thing), but to also reduce the stigma around talking about infertility.

The true goal of the art of photography is to capture moments, emotions, and memories. One of the most challenging aspects of photography is capturing that coveted natural smile that we all want to have in our photo. This is especially true for headshots, where the focus is on your facial expression and the first impression it gives.

The goal of a good headshot is to look like you on your best day. And that usually involves makeup. But how much? Where do you apply makeup for photos? Do you do your makeup yourself or hire a professional makeup artist for your headshot session?

Many people experience “sticker shock” when they book a headshot session with a professional photographer. They had no idea a photo of their face could cost several hundred dollars. This begs the question, “why are headshots so expensive?” It’s just a photo of my face, right? How hard can it be?

There’s something about group photos that can make someone only 3 inches taller than the person they’re standing next to look like LeBron James standing next to Simone Biles. Have you ever noticed this in a group picture you’ve been in?

I don’t remember where I heard it, but years ago I heard someone say that most people are more likely to return to a restaurant that messed up their order but apologized and made it right than a restaurant that got their order right the first time. Correcting a mistake is one of the purest ways to gain trust with someone: it says, “even when things go wrong I will work hard to make them right.”

Okay, so you need an updated headshot and don’t want to go to a professional. We get it, headshots can be pricey and professional photo studios are intimidating! Oh wait, your coworker Shannon always brings a camera to the company parties. Maybe she can take it?

Let me stop you right there.

Let’s say you just hired a professional photographer for headshots, an event, your wedding, or your commercial photography project. Should you ask your photographer for the RAW files from your photo shoot? If you don’t know what a RAW file is, that’s okay! We, as photographers are required to know these things and are here to shed some light on the subject.

Whether you need acting headshots, business headshots, or simply a photo to update your LinkedIn profile, a great headshot can make all the difference. It's your first impression since we meet most people online before we meet them in person, and it needs to be as professional and polished as you are.

Happy Women’s History Month! Your inbox is probably flooded with emails about inclusivity, pride, and solidarity (which is never a bad thing, right?). To spice up your reading, I wanted to share something a little different—a more personal story of what today means to me as a woman business owner.