Over the years we have shot thousands of executive portraits and we always give our clients direction on how to prepare for their session. There are some basic rules to follow to get the best results.

Keep in mind that the greatest difference between seeing something live & in-person and seeing something captured ‘on film‘ is permanence.  Most professional photographers offer retouching services for an additional fee so you don’t have to worry about that frown line or the wrinkles around your eyes. But your portrait is a moment frozen in time and all of the imperfections that you normally wouldn’t notice are forever there for extreme scrutiny.  For this reason, the list below has quite a few obvious suggestions.

What to wear:

Your choice of clothing should reflect your company’s Brand. For example, lawyers would almost certainly wear a suit and tie while creative types, like designers, could be more casual.

  • Make sure your clothing fits you well. A poor fitting jacket or dress screams unprofessional.
  • Avoid turtlenecks. They crowd the face and can be very unflattering.
  • Clothes should look like new. I can’t stress this enough.  Wrinkled clothing (even slightly wrinkled) looks absolutely horrible in photos.
  • Plain colors are your best choice. Avoid big prints, busy patterns and large lines or stripes. They are a huge distraction in the image.  
  • Choose colors that are a shade or two darker than your skin tone. 
  • Avoid wearing tops in flesh tones (cream, beige, pastels, etc.) They blend your face into your clothes if you are fair skinned. 
  • Stark black and white are a big no no. They wreak havoc with the lighting and camera exposure. Substitute black with richer neutrals like chocolate, navy or maroon.

 

For men:

  • The standard business look is a suit jacket, dress shirt and tie.
  • A casual business look is often a jacket and open dress shirt, shirt and tie without a jacket.

 

For Women:

  • Avoid sleeveless tops and dresses.
  • Keep jewelry simple – smaller is better and is less likely to distract from your face.
  • Make-up should be clean and natural. Avoid heavy foundation.
  • Avoid products with lots of sparkle or shine or overly bright colors.

 

Your photographer should offer more insight based on your needs.  Remember the goal is to humanize your brand and give people insight into the personal side of your business.

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We Can Help

3D Studios helps businesses grow their influence and their brands. As a boutique brand management agency, we begin with a thorough analysis of your needs and partner with you to develop and execute a marketing plan that will help you take your business to the next level. To learn more about how 3D Studios can help you, visit us at www.3Dstudios.net or call 914-304-4229.