How to Pose for A Headshot Photograph?

How to Pose for A Headshot Photograph?

If you are looking for a portrait headshot, here is a comprehensive guide on how to make your pose flawless for a great headshot. Headshots are required for a number of purposes nowadays. You might need one for your professional needs, such as for a LinkedIn profile, or a website. You might also need one for your resume and the next job you are aspiring to get. Other kinds of headshots include the commercial ones and those for other professions such as acting etc. Whichever headshot you are going for, make sure you have a correct and well-balanced pose. A great pose will not only make you more photogenic but will also give your headshot a personality that you are trying to portray.

If you have got a headshot photography appointment with a professional photographer, make sure you practice your pose a little ahead of the day. It will make your headshots pop up. This way, you will have a headshot that you are confident to put on your business profiles or other needs.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

First things first, a good posture is extremely important for a good-looking professional portrait. Make sure that when facing a camera your posture is balanced. Do not slouch and drop your shoulders. It will not only make for a bad headshot but will give an impression that you are tired. Instead, keep your shoulders up and back and keep your chest forward and out. While doing this keep the natural and balanced position. You do not want to appear stiff by tightening up your shoulders more than necessary.

Make Chin Position Right

When taking a headshot you should pay attention to your chin positioning. A bad chin position can make headshots out of balance. Therefore, when facing the camera you should not make your chin rise too high. This will make your face look uneven in the photograph. This pose will show your face and eyes appear small. The major point of focus will be your chin and the neck area. Not a very good ingredient for a professional portrait, right? Moreover, don’t move your chin too low or too close to your neck. The better approach is to keep the chin at a balanced height and move your face a little bit forward. This will give your headshots a great post to capture. 

Use the Surrounding

When taking your headshots you can use your surroundings to make a pose. If you do not want to cross your arms, you can put your hand against a table, a fence, or lean a little towards the wall. This is important when you do not want to appear stiff and stout standing on your own. This can give your headshots interesting angles. This pose can make for a great professional portrait.

Placement of Your Hands and Arms

People usually get confused about the position of their hands and arms when their headshot is being taken. We all have been there. However, there are some ways to maintain a natural position for your arms and hands. A rather popular choice is to cross your arms. This pose is great, however, make sure that you are not standing straight to the camera. This will make you appear wider. Also, it portrays a closed personality. You can tilt a little bit for this pose to work.

Other positions of your arms and hands are putting them in the pockets, full or partially. Another way is to lean a little bit and put your hands on nearby support.

Practice Facial Expressions

Your facial expressions are important for a confident-looking headshot. You might be taking your headshots with different expressions. Some might appear as the smiley ones while others with serious expressions. This is why you should practice your facial expressions beforehand. It seems tedious but a very important thing to make your headshots appear great. You should practice your smile in the mirror or on your phone’s camera. See for yourself which smile looks more natural on your face. Practice different smiles like big, quarter, and half-smiles. Also, try a smile with your mouth closed. While playing with your expressions, you can decide which expression appears more natural on your face. Use these expressions for your next headshot photography. Please visit QRG Direct for more information.