How to Get the Best From Your Bentley Headshots Session
A good headshot session should not feel like you have been thrown in front of a camera and expected to suddenly know what to do. Most people arrive with some level of nerves. They worry they will look awkward, they worry about their smile, they worry about showing their teeth, and quite often they worry that they are going to spend money and still not like the result. That is normal. In fact, it is more common than you might think.
My job is to guide you through the whole process, help you relax, and make sure we create images that actually work for you.
- You do not need to know how to pose.
- You do not need to practise being confident.
- You do not need to stand in front of the camera any longer than needed.
- We work through it together, we review the images as we go, and you choose the ones that feel right before the session ends.
Before You Arrive
Please have your outfits ready the day before your session. That means trying them on, checking they still fit properly, making sure they are clean, lint-free, pet-hair-free, and not creased to death.
A headshot is mainly framed from around the chest area to just above the head, so what you wear across your shoulders, neckline, chest, and collar area matters far more than your shoes or trousers.
If you have a particular top, shirt, blouse, or jacket you really want to wear in the images, try not to wear it on the way to the studio. Bring it with you instead. This helps avoid seatbelt creases, folds, and general “I’ve been sat in the car for twenty minutes” damage.
The session takes place in an art studio environment. There is space to change, but it is not a formal changing room. You also have the option to change in the bathroom if you prefer.
What to Wear
Solid colours usually work best. They keep the attention on your face, your expression, and your eye contact. Loud patterns can work if they are part of your personality or brand, but they can also be distracting. Very fine patterns, tiny checks, tight stripes, and certain fabrics can sometimes cause something called moiré. That is when the camera sensor and the pattern in the clothing clash, creating strange visual waves or shimmer in the image. In plain English, it can make an otherwise good photograph look messy.
Bring two or three clothing options if you want variety. You do not need to bring your whole wardrobe. A good jacket is always worth bringing, even if you are not sure whether you will use it. Jackets can add structure, shape, and authority to a headshot, and they can often help the image feel more finished.
For women, be careful with tops that show a lot of upper arm or shoulder unless that is definitely the look you want. Because headshots are cropped close, bare arms can sometimes pull attention away from the face or create shapes in the frame that do not help the final image. This is not about hiding yourself. It is about making sure the image does its job properly.
If you wear necklaces, think about where they sit. Because the image is usually cropped around the chest area, longer jewellery may be cut off. If the necklace matters to the look, make sure it sits high enough to be properly visible within the frame.
Grooming Do’s and Don’ts
Do not get a brand new haircut on the day of the session. Fresh haircuts can look too sharp, too flat, or just not quite settled yet. A few days before is usually better.
Do arrive looking like yourself on a good day. That is the aim. Not a completely different person. Not a waxwork version. Just you, well presented, properly lit, and guided into better expression.
For men, trim facial hair neatly if you have it, check collars, and bring a jacket if you have one. If you are shaving, avoid doing it in a mad rush just before leaving the house. Redness and irritation are not your friends.
For women, make-up should usually be kept fairly natural unless your brand or usual appearance says otherwise. The camera sees more than people realise, and heavy make-up can sometimes age a face or distract from expression. Bring your lipstick, powder, or anything you may want to touch up during the session.
Glasses, Jewellery, and Small Details
If you wear glasses every day, bring them. If you have more than one pair, bring a couple of options. Some glasses reflect more than others, and some frames suit the lighting better. We can work with them.
Jewellery should support the image, not fight for attention. Small, clean, simple pieces usually work well. Big statement pieces can work too, but only if they are part of how you want to be seen.
Also, check the small things before you arrive. Collars, buttons, lint, loose threads, pet hair, make-up marks, dry lips, and wonky jewellery. These are little details, but in a close headshot they can become big distractions.
What Happens When You Arrive
When you arrive, we do not jump straight into “smile for the camera” nonsense. We have a chat first. You will be offered a drink, we will look at what you have brought, and we will talk through what you need the images for.
Then I will show you where to stand. The first two or three images are usually just lighting checks and small adjustments. These are not meant to be masterpieces. They are there so I can check the light, the position, the angle, and how everything is sitting on screen.
From there, I guide you properly. Head position, shoulders, expression, eyes, jawline, posture, and tiny adjustments that make a big difference. You are not left guessing.
The Chin, Jawline, and Double Chin Worry
Lots of people are conscious of their chin or jawline. Again, normal.
One of the simplest things we work on is bringing the forehead slightly forward and the chin slightly down. It can feel a bit odd at first, but it helps tighten the jawline and reduce the appearance of a double chin.
This is not about forcing you into some ridiculous pose. It is about using small, controlled movements that work well on camera. Most of the time, the best adjustments are subtle. A little forward. A little down. A slight turn. A tiny change in the eyes. That is where the good stuff usually happens.
Your Smile Does Not Need to Be Big
You do not have to show your teeth if you do not want to. A good headshot does not always need a massive grin. Sometimes the strongest expression is a slight smile, a calm look, or something that suggests confidence without trying too hard.
That said, I may guide you through a few different expressions so we can see what works. A useful thing to practise before the session is what I call the good morning smile. It is the small smile you might give someone when you pass them first thing in the morning. Not a forced grin. Not a full performance. Just a slight lift at the corners of the mouth, with a little squint in the eyes. Soft, approachable, and believable.
The eyes matter more than most people realise. If the mouth smiles but the eyes do nothing, it can look fake. If the eyes soften and engage, the whole face starts to work.
Seeing Yourself on Screen
Some people struggle when they first see their image on screen. This is often because most of us are used to seeing ourselves in a mirror. In other words, we are used to seeing a reversed version of our face. A photograph shows you the way other people see you, and that can feel strange at first.
That does not mean the image is wrong. It just means your brain is adjusting. This is one of the reasons we select images during the session. You get chance to look, compare, settle into the process, and begin to recognise which expressions and angles work best for you.
How Image Selection Works
We use a process of elimination throughout the session. As we shoot, we look at the images together and start removing the ones that do not work. This keeps things simple and stops you being overwhelmed by too many choices at the end.
Toward the end of the session, we make the final selection together. You only choose the images you want. The images are paid for at the session, then delivered through an online ShootProof gallery, where you can download the full high-resolution files.
The final images will be sharp, clean, and have a film quality about them. By that I mean they are not designed to look plastic, over-smoothed, or fake. They are polished enough to use professionally, but still natural enough to look like you.
Retouching
The image you see on screen during the session is generally very close to what you will receive. Retouching is available, but it is best discussed at the session while we are looking at the image together.
Temporary marks, small blemishes, stray hairs, skin distractions, and little things that would not normally be there can usually be dealt with. Smile lines, eye lines, and marionette lines can be softened if needed, but I would never want to remove them completely. They are part of your face. Overdoing it looks false, and false does not build trust.
There is not much that is completely out of bounds, but we need to be realistic. Shedding 20lbs in retouching is not something I offer. At least not in my studio. The aim is not to rebuild your face. The aim is to make the strongest version of the image we created together.
Examples of my finished work are available to view, so you can see the style before you book.
Do This Before Your Session
Have your outfits ready the day before. Bring two or three options if you want variety. Bring at least one jacket if you have one. Check clothing for creases, lint, and pet hair. Think about jewellery, necklines, collars, and anything that will appear in the cropped frame. Arrive as calmly as you can, but do not worry if you feel anxious. That is part of the job.
You may also want to practise your good morning smile in the mirror. Just a slight lift of the mouth, a little squinch in the eyes, and no big performance. Then forget about it. We will work on it properly during the session.
Don’t Do This Before Your Session
Do not get a brand new haircut on the day. Do not arrive in badly creased clothing. Do not wear tiny checks, tight stripes, or very fine patterns unless we have discussed it or unless it is genuinely part of your brand. Do not over-practise posing. Do not convince yourself you are not photogenic before you have even walked through the door. That is a proper waste of energy.
And please do not feel you have to stay in front of the camera for the full session time. The time is there so we do not need to rush. Some people are done quickly. Some need a little longer to settle in. Both are fine.
One Final Thing
You do not need to arrive confident. You do not need to know your best side. You do not need to know how to stand, smile, or look down the lens. That is what I am here for.
The session is guided from start to finish. We chat, we adjust, we check the images, we improve them as we go, and we stop when we have what you need. Simple as that.