Preparing for the Photo Session

• 1). Choose your clothing 10 days before the session. Select solid fabric colors and avoid bold patterns or prints. Look for specific colors, which highlight and enhance your skin tone and hair color. For example, warm toned skin features have golden or apricot undertones and cool toned skin features have rosy or pink undertones. Warm skin tones work best with yellow-based colors like olive, mocha and deep oranges while cool skin tones wear blue-based colors best like vivid red, emerald hues and aquatic blues.
  
  
• 2). Choose the right undergarments for the session such as the right bra type and color as well as any body contouring garments enhancing your features. Try on the undergarments with your selected wardrobe several days prior to the session.
  
  
• 3). Study yourself in a mirror and practice expressions. Be aware of any unwanted facial expressions such as eye squinting or showing too much of your gums when smiling as well as nose and forehead wrinkling. Bear in mind, photographers generally take headshots as still photos, producing artificial moments.
  
  For example, if you think of an enjoyable day spent at the beach for your commercial shots, you will most likely produce a natural smile while remembering a specific event as opposed to just smiling at the photographer's request. The more you practice and make specific choices for your expressions, the more relaxed you will be at the photo session.
  
  
• 4). Practice different poses. This is especially important if you are planning to take ¾ body as well as full body shots the day of the session. If you plan on sitting, be aware of sagging or slouching. Shoulders are often visible in headshots and slouching can portray non-confident body posture.
  
  
• 5). Take several digital shots with your selected wardrobe, makeup and hairstyle. Upload digital photos to your computer. If you are working with a photographer using natural light for outdoor photos, keep the weather in mind. Excess sun often results in unwanted squinting and wind can alter your hairstyle. If your hair frizzes in low humidity, avoid outdoor shots.
  
  
• 6). Review your digital photos and take time to figure out how you are selling yourself. What do the pictures convey? What types of roles do you want to play? Are you gearing the headshots for commercials, theatre or films? Repeat the steps until you are satisfied with the result.
  
  
• 7). Pluck your eyebrows to frame your face with tweezers. If you do not feel comfortable reshaping your eyebrows, hire a professional you have worked with beforehand from a local beauty salon. If you are prone to skin irritations, have hot wax hair removal treatments done a minimum of two to three days prior to the session and clean any strays with the tweezers.
  
  
• 8). Dye hair if needed several days prior to the shoot for a natural tone. Do not try a new hair color for the shoot. Bear in mind, if you have paid the photographer's deposit and need to reschedule for any mishaps, you can lose a portion of the deposit for changing dates. Photography is a business with specific cancellation policies.
  
  

Taking Care of Yourself for the Photo Session

• 1). Get to sleep early for a full night's sleep. This is especially important to do for a minimum of five to seven days leading to the shoot. Avoid any activities which usually produce redness in the eye, puffiness or dark circles around the eyes. Bear in mind your eyes convey the message in your headshots to casting directors, potential agents or producers.
  
  
• 2). Exercise, eat right and drink lots of water leading to the shoot. Your body is your instrument as an actor and any unwanted feelings or discomfort such as fatigue comes across in the photos.
  
  
• 3). Manicure your nails. Choose a soft nail color to avoid distractions from your face. This is especially important if you plan close-up photos including your hands or show your hands in a ¾ shot.
  
  
• 4). Pack extra makeup and remover, flat irons, hair curlers, pins and hairbrushes for the shoot. Though most actors hire professional makeup artists and hair stylists for the session, it is best to have the articles handy if needed. It is also important to pack extra pantyhose, shoe types and a sewing repair kit for mishaps.
  
  
• 5). Choose music for the shoot. Though this step is optional, favorite songs help you get into specific moods for the photo session. Most photographers ask clients for music preferences as a way to relax and reduce tension before the photo session commences and play the music throughout the session as well.