Photoshoot checklist: How to prep so you’ll love your new headshots
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Your headshots are going to be everywhere. Your website, your LinkedIn profile, your email signature, maybe even a conference speaker bio or two. These photos shape first impressions before you ever get a chance to shake someone’s hand. That’s exactly why we created this photoshoot checklist for our clients.
Maybe you’re dreading the awkward posing. Or you’re worried you’ll show up in a suit when everyone else is wearing a company-branded polo, or that your outfit will blend right into the backdrop. Retouching can fix a lot, but it can’t fix everything (and sometimes there’s no budget for it anyway).
Most of those worries disappear with a bit of planning. Keep reading for what to do the week before, the night before, and the morning of your headshot session so you can walk in feeling prepared instead of panicked.
What to do & when: A photoshoot get-ready timeline
All of your advanced preparations for getting new headshots won’t happen all at once. Some things need to be handled days in advance, while others are best left until the morning of your photoshoot. Here’s what to do and when.
The week before
Start by confirming the details with your photographer. Know where you’re going, what time to arrive, and how long the session will last. If you’re unsure about the creative direction (indoor vs. outdoor, casual vs. corporate), now is the time to ask.
Next, plan your outfits. Solid colors tend to photograph better than busy patterns, and fitted clothes look sharper than anything too loose or too tight. Try everything on and sit down in it. Some shirts pull or gap in ways you won’t notice until you’re in front of the camera. If you’re part of a team shoot, check with your marketing contact to make sure your look aligns with everyone else’s.
This is also the week to schedule any haircuts or color touch-ups. A fresh cut the day before can look too sharp, so give it a few days to settle.
Finally, gather anything you might want to bring: a backup outfit, a few accessories (this might be the right time to pull out that scarf or tie that matches the primary hue in your company’s brand identity).
The night before
Lay out your outfit so there’s no last-minute scrambling. If you’re bringing a backup, set that out too.
Get a good night’s sleep. Tired eyes and low energy are hard to hide on camera, no matter how skilled your photographer is. Skip the extra glass of wine and try to wind down early.
If you have inspiration photos or headshot examples from past photoshoots that you like, save them to your phone so you can share them with your photographer.
The morning of
Stick to your normal routine. This isn’t the day to try a new skincare product or experiment with a different hairstyle. If something goes wrong or doesn’t turn out as you hoped, you won’t have time to fix it.
Eat a real breakfast. Low blood sugar can make you feel lightheaded or sluggish, and that “not quite feeling like yourself” vibe can sometimes show up in photos.
Keep makeup natural unless your photographer has advised otherwise. You can always add more on set, but it’s harder to tone things down once you’ve arrived.
Pack a small touch-up kit with a hairbrush or comb, lip balm, powder (or blotting papers) for shine, a lint roller, and anything else you might need for quick fixes between shots.
Give yourself extra time to get there. Rushing in flustered and sweaty is not how you want to start your session.
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On set
Trust your photographer. They’ve done this hundreds of times and will guide you through posing and expression. You don’t need to show up knowing your angles.
Move slowly. Small adjustments between shots look more natural than big shifts, and your photographer can capture more usable frames as a result.
If you’re feeling stiff, take a breath. Walk around for a minute. Shake out your hands. Forced smiles never look as good as relaxed ones, and a quick reset can make a real difference.
Don’t be afraid to ask to see a few shots as you go. It can help you understand what’s working and give you confidence to keep going.
Quick recap
Your 11-point photoshoot checklist—
- Confirm session details (time, location, duration, creative direction)
- Test your outfit options to see how you look in them when seated and standing
- Schedule haircuts or touch-ups a few days before
- Gather a backup outfit and accessories
- Lay out everything the night before
- Get a full night’s sleep and eat breakfast
- Keep makeup natural
- Pack a touch-up kit with essentials (e.g., a hairbrush, lip balm, powder, lint roller)
- Save inspiration photos to your phone to share with your photographer
- Leave early so you arrive relaxed
- Trust your photographer and take a break if you need one
Ready, set, shoot
A little preparation makes a big difference. When you show up knowing what to expect and feeling ready, it comes through in your photos.Need help planning your next professional photoshoot? TBH Creative offers photography for marketing services, and our experts can oversee the process from start to finish, from creative direction to final retouching. Let’s talk.
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About the author Joy Olivia Miller
Joy is the creative director at TBH Creative and uses her expertise to help clients use their online communications to build, design, and manage their brands. She likes to blog about content marketing in all its forms, the latest trends in digital marketing, and share tools with readers.
