You’ve booked a corporate headshot session and you want to look like your best version of yourself when you sit down in front of the camera. Here’s a working photographer’s guide to preparing — the things that actually move the needle on how you’ll look in the final frame, distilled from running 90+ corporate headshot days at SF Bay Area companies over the past decade.
Wardrobe: what to wear (and what to avoid)
Solid, mid-saturation colors photograph best. Navy, charcoal, deep green, burgundy, cream — these read as professional without competing with your face. Avoid bright white shirts photographed against a white background (the camera can’t separate you from the backdrop) and pure black against a black backdrop for the same reason.
Skip busy patterns. Tight stripes, herringbone, and small geometric prints can create moiré — visible interference patterns — on camera. Loose patterns and texture are fine. Jewelry should be subtle; statement pieces date a photo quickly. Logos on clothing date a photo even faster.
Bring two options if you’re not sure. A blazer over a fitted shirt is the safest universal option for both LinkedIn and a website bio. Iron everything the night before.
The day before
Sleep. Genuinely. The single biggest difference between a great and a mediocre headshot is whether the subject is well-rested. The eyes carry the entire portrait, and exhausted eyes show. Drink water through the day — dehydration shows in the skin.
Get a haircut about a week out, not the day before. Fresh haircuts photograph as fresh haircuts for the first few days, then settle. Don’t try a new product, treatment, or skincare routine in the 48 hours before — you don’t want a reaction on camera.
On the day
Bring a lint roller, a small mirror, and a backup shirt in case you spill coffee on the way over. Don’t wear sunglasses or a hat to the session — temporary creases and indentations take longer to settle than you’d expect.
If you wear makeup, go slightly heavier than you would for a normal day — camera flattens skin tones. Powder over any shine on the forehead and chin. If you wear glasses, anti-reflective coating helps; bringing the prescription frames without lenses is another option some clients choose for the headshot, then putting them back after.
How to get a natural expression
The expression is the whole portrait. The single trick that works: don’t “hold” a smile. Hold a thought instead. A genuine memory or a funny moment from earlier in the day produces the natural, settled expression that earns trust at a glance. A held smile produces stiffness.
A good photographer will talk to you the entire time and steer you toward the version of you that you’d want to see at a thumbnail size. Trust the direction — it’s the part of the work that takes the longest to develop.
After the session
Most professional sessions deliver 5–7 unedited selects within a few business days. You pick one (or sometimes two), and the photographer professionally retouches and delivers final images in 3–5 business days. Don’t over-pick — go with the one where you look most like yourself, not the one where you look most polished. The first one almost always wins.
Related: San Francisco Corporate Headshots · Executive Headshots · LinkedIn Headshots · Book a session