Headshot Tips for Men

We often get asked “what to wear for professional headshots?”.

For men there are few three main options: business casual, casual and business attire.

Luckily you don’t have to make a decision which of these three options to choose. We offer any number of outfits for our headshot sessions so you can bring all three options.

We will review all the options when you come and see which one will work for the best for you.

With either of the options, the most important thing is that the clothes fit you well! There is really not much we can do if the clothes do not fit you properly.

Our clothes recommendations are:

Solid color

Whether it’s your shirt, polo, or jacket use solid colors only. Avoid stripes or small patterns. Those small design pattern can create a phenomenon called Moire. 

It’s not so important what this phenomenon is or what causes it, what’s important is how to avoid it. So bring solid colors clothes to your session.

Also, avoid any clothes with brand or sport logos. Those logos distract from your face and do not make your professional headshot look good. 

Well fitted shirt

if you don’t wear casual or more formal shirt on a regular basis, try it on 2-3 days before the session. Our bodies change over the years and sometime we gain some weight and sometime we loose it. 

It’s critical that your shirt fits you really well especially around your neck. 

We recommending going to a store such as Nordstrom or Men’s Warehouse and ask their associates to check your measures and recommend the specific shirt size.

White shirt only with a jacket

White shirt is not our top choice. White color reflects the most light and your white shirt will easily become the brightest part of your headshot. Your face though should be the brightest part in your portrait. When we look at photos, our eyes automatically go to the brightest part. Of course your shirt should not be the center of attention. So white shirt we recommend wearing a darker jacket.

Undershirt

Even though undershirt are great for every day use, for headshot we advise against them. They often can be visible from under the shirt, through the shirt or create lines on your chest and shoulders. 

So for business headshots never wear undershirt.

Wrinkle and lint free clothes

Even though we can remove some of the wrinkles and link during editing, we strongly recommend your clothes are steamed and cleaned before the session. Especially if you have any pets (dogs or cats). 

Also, check your clothes for any stains. It’s good to do it in good light because it’s easy to miss those little stains in low closet light.