How to Prepare for a Professional Headshot
Jeffery Stine · July 14, 2026 · 5 min read
A short, practical checklist that makes your Phoenix headshot session calmer, faster, and far more productive.
Start with the purpose of the image
Before anything else, decide where the headshot will live. A LinkedIn profile, a law firm bio page, a conference speaker listing, and an acting submission all reward slightly different framing and expression. When you arrive knowing the destination, direction during the session becomes far more precise.
If the image will sit alongside colleagues on a company team page, bring an example. Matching background tone and crop keeps a team gallery looking intentional rather than assembled over several years.
Bring options, not a single outfit
Two or three well-fitted options give us room to make a decision under the lights, where fabric, contrast, and neckline behave differently than they do in a mirror. Solid colors read cleanly; heavy patterns compete with your face.
Steam or press everything the night before. Wrinkles are one of the few things retouching cannot fully fix without the image starting to look artificial.
Sleep, hydrate, and arrive early
Rest shows up in the eyes more than anywhere else, and it is the single most useful thing you can do the day before. Arriving a few minutes early gives you time to settle, which almost always improves the first frames.
If you have questions about grooming, makeup, or glasses glare, ask before the session rather than during it. Every question has a straightforward answer and none of them need to eat into your studio time.
Book a session with Jeffery Stine
Studio headshots, corporate photography, and event coverage in Phoenix, Arizona.
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