Headshot photography is an art. If you have a great photographer, and you follow these guidelines, you can’t go wrong!

The following ideas are for traditional headshots.

1. Look straight ahead; do not smile.

2. Do not have your eyes closed.

3. Your face should be in focus; if possible, focus on the eyes.

4. Keep your hair neat and out of your face; either off to one side or off of the forehead entirely.

5. Wear clothing that is complementary to your skin tone; wear solid colors (no patterns) and avoid white or black unless it is part of a color scheme such as a red tie with a white shirt or vest, etc.

6. Avoid wearing glasses unless they are part of your brand image and/or marketing collateral materials (i.e., you are an author, academic or professional).

7. Keep hands visible, but relaxed (i.e., do not hold onto glasses, pens or other props). Your hands should be at the same level as your elbows from a profile view and slightly above your shoulders from the front view.)

8. Have a clean background (use seamless paper if possible); do not have clutter in the background that distracts from