Here are a few tips and tricks to help your child get the most out of their headshot with Vail Fucci Photography.
1. Bring Several Outfits With You and Have them Ironed or Dry Cleaned in Advance. Find out if there is a specific dress code your child needs to adhere to for your agency. On the day of your shoot you should bring several options for outfits with you. Avoid busy prints and neon colors. The attention should be on their face, not on their clothes. Try on your outfits a few days before the shoot to make sure they are comfortable and confident in their choice of clothing. Have the items cleaned and pressed or ironed so there are no wrinkles. Avoid over accessorizing. Necklaces should not be too long or else they risk being cut off at the bottom of the frame of the image. If you have any questions about what your child should wear, don’t hesitate to call or email Vail. She’ll be happy to discuss this with you in greater detail.
2. Talk to Vail before your shoot about your brand. Professional images are for your child’s brand, so that means you are trying to communicate something specific. The clothes you pick for them to wear, the background for your image, their expression, and the lighting style all reflect on their brand and the way they will be perceived. Are you trying to have them look conservative? Edgy? Approachable? Funny? Tell Vail what the photos are going to be used for. If it is for your child’s website the color you pick for your background should work well with the color scheme of the site. It is always better to figure this out BEFORE your shoot instead of after.
3. Make a visit the hair stylist. Usually we look our best when we have recently had a haircut. Roots should be touched up as well if your child regularly colors their hair. Don’t do a drastic change. If possible, have their hair blown out and styled right before your shoot or book a hair and makeup artist do your hair in our studio.
4. Hair styling and makeup on the day of the shoot is essential. Even if your child normally doesn’t wear any makeup on a day to day basis, a little goes a long way in a headshot, and here’s why. Photos are 2 dimensional, they are flat. In real life we see each other in 3 dimensions. Makeup in photos helps to give your face dimension and definition. Additionally the lights that are used during shoots are very powerful. They can make you look shinier than you really are. Vail always has some translucent powder on hand to bring down the shinys. At an absolute minimum be sure to wash your child’s face and brush their teeth that day. Make sure before the shoot that their face is clear of crumbs, stains from drinks, eye crusties, snot, drool, marker, or pen.
Getting your child’s hair and makeup done professionally right before the shoot is recommended. I can book a hair and makeup artist to come to the studio for you for both hair and makeup for $160. If you choose to use your own hair and makeup artist, be sure to tell them you are looking for a styling for your child’s headshot for acting or modeling. Your child should still look like them, just the best possible version of them. If you prefer not to use a professional makeup artist, practice the look a few days in advance. For girls, be sure to use an eye lash curler and some mascara. It will really open up their eyes and make their lashes look longer without the need for false lashes.
4. Tweezers are your friends. A few days before your session you should spend some quality time with your child and a set of tweezers to make sure that their eyebrows are well-shaped. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, try going to your local salon to have their eyebrows waxed or threaded. You will be amazed at how this simple trick really makes eyes pop in a photo. Do not tweeze or wax the morning of their session as they may end up with some redness and irritation that may not clear up in time for your photo.
5. Avoid crying before the shoot at all costs! Getting ready for a photo shoot can be stressful for children and parents alike. Try to keep your child as happy as possible before the shoot in an effort from keep them from crying before the shoot. This is extremely important because crying causes their faces to get red and puffy, and the whites of their eyes get red as well.