HEADSHOT QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Professional Headshot FAQs
Everything you need to know before your session—from what to wear and how long it takes to retouching, image delivery, backgrounds, and what to expect in front of the camera.
HEADSHOT QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Professional Headshot FAQs
Everything you need to know before your session—from what to wear and how long it takes to retouching, image delivery, backgrounds, and what to expect in front of the camera.
HEADSHOT FAQS
Everything You Need to Know
Simple, fitted clothing with minimal patterns typically photographs best for professional headshots. Solid colors, layered outfits, sport coats, sweaters, and clean button-up shirts are excellent options. Busy patterns, oversized clothing, neon colors, and distracting graphics should generally be avoided because they pull attention away from your face and expression.
For more detailed wardrobe recommendations, view our:
• Women’s Professional Headshot Preparation
• Men’s Professional Headshot Preparation
Most sessions last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Sessions are intentionally relaxed and not rushed so we have time to review images together, make adjustments, and create a variety of strong expressions and looks.
The goal is to create a headshot that feels current, credible, and usable — not a rushed photo you settle for.
Individual professional headshot sessions are $495 and include one professionally retouched image. Additional standard retouched images are $100 each.
Group and on-location sessions are $800 per shooting day, plus $100 per selected retouched image. Additional shooting days are billed at the same daily rate.
For team or company sessions, view group and on-location pricing or contact EMS Headshots for a custom quote.
I recommend bringing several outfit options so we can compare what photographs best on camera.
Different colors, layers, jackets, shirts, blouses, and necklines can change the final look of your headshots.
We’ll review your wardrobe options together during the session and choose what best supports your face, expression, and intended use.
For men, good options include button-up shirts, jackets, sweaters, sport coats, blazers, and tie options if needed.
For women, good options include fitted solid-color tops, blouses, jackets, blazers, simple necklines, and minimal jewelry.
For more detailed wardrobe guidance, view the Men’s Preparation Guide or Women’s Preparation Guide.
Not necessarily. It depends on how you’ll use the photograph.
Most people do not need a huge smile in every headshot. They need an expression that fits how the image will be used.
During the session, I guide you through different expressions so we can create options that look relaxed, alert, and believable. Some people look best with a slight smile. Others look better with a more serious expression. We will review the images together and choose what works best on camera.
Yes. Every final selected image includes professional retouching.
Retouching is meant to remove temporary distractions while still keeping you looking like yourself. This may include natural skin cleanup, under-eye softening, stray hair cleanup, redness reduction, minor clothing wrinkle cleanup, background cleanup, and final color correction.
The goal is a clean, realistic headshot that looks finished without looking fake or over-edited.
Advanced repair work, major clothing reconstruction, heavy background fixes, or composite-style edits may require a separate custom quote.
Simple backgrounds usually work best because they keep attention on your face instead of the setting.
Popular background options include:
• Neutral gray
• Dark charcoal
• Light gray
• High-key white
• Light blue
• Lightened black
• Painted muslin for portrait-style images
The best background depends on your profession, how the image will be used, your company branding, and the overall tone you want.
We’ll review background options together during your session and choose what photographs best.
Individual professional headshot sessions are $495 and include:
• Guided professional photoshoot
• Wardrobe review during the session
• Multiple looks and background options
• Direction for posture, expression, and angles
• Image review and selection during the session
• One professionally retouched final image
Additional retouched images are available for $100 each.
You can view full professional headshot pricing on the pricing page.
One final retouched image is typically delivered within 2–3 days after image selection.
Each final image is individually retouched before delivery. The retouched image is first sent for review and approval. If minor adjustments are needed, they can be handled before the final files are exported.
After approval, clients receive:
• 2 cropped versions
• 1 uncropped version
• Web-optimized files
• Print-ready files
This gives you flexible versions for LinkedIn, websites, business profiles, marketing materials, presentations, and other professional uses.
Once the final files are approved, cropped, exported, and delivered, additional retouching requests may require a separate quote.
Yes. EMS Headshots provides corporate headshots and on-location headshots for companies and teams throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area.
On-location sessions are designed to keep the process efficient while creating a consistent look across the entire team.
This includes:
• Consistent lighting
• Consistent background and crop
• Clear direction for each person
• Efficient scheduling for teams
• Professional retouching for selected final images
The goal is to create a team page that looks organized and intentional instead of patched together.
You can learn more on the Corporate Headshots page.
Yes. EMS Headshots provides on-location headshots in San Francisco and can bring a complete portable studio setup directly to your office, conference, or event location.
On-location sessions are ideal for:
• Corporate teams
• Law firms
• Tech companies
• Medical professionals
• Executives
• Conferences and events
The goal is to photograph your team efficiently while keeping the lighting, background, crop, and retouching consistent across everyone.
You can learn more on the Corporate & Group Headshot Pricing
LinkedIn headshots are usually created for individuals who need a strong image for:
• LinkedIn profiles
• Résumés
• Personal websites
• Speaker bios
• Personal branding
• Business profiles
Corporate headshots are usually created for companies that need consistent images across:
• Company websites
• Staff directories
• Leadership pages
• Executive teams
• Marketing materials
• New hire profiles
The biggest difference is purpose. A LinkedIn headshot is usually focused on one person’s professional presence. Corporate headshots are focused on creating a consistent look across a team, company page, or brand.
Men should prepare by bringing several outfit options and taking care of small grooming details before the session.
Recommended:
• Bring multiple outfit options
• Make sure clothing is clean, pressed, and lint-free
• Trim facial hair evenly
• Clean up the neckline
• Shave the night before or morning of, depending on your skin
• Moisturize lightly the night before
• Bring lip balm if needed
• Schedule haircuts 3 to 5 days before the photoshoot
Small details like collars, wrinkles, beard lines, dry lips, and flyaway hairs can show up more clearly in a close-cropped headshot.
For more preparation recommendations, view the Men’s Professional Headshot Preparation guide.
Women should prepare by bringing several outfit options and keeping clothing, hair, and makeup simple enough to support the face instead of competing with it.
Recommended:
• Bring multiple outfit options
• Choose fitted clothing that photographs cleanly
• Avoid busy patterns or distracting fabrics
• Keep makeup natural and mostly matte
• Avoid heavy shine, shimmer, or glossy products
• Bring a few lipstick shades and/or lip balm
• Moisturize lightly the night before
• Style hair in a clean, professional version of how you normally wear it
Small details like necklines, jewelry, shine, hair shape, and fabric texture can make a noticeable difference in a close-cropped headshot.
For full wardrobe and preparation recommendations, view the Women’s Professional Headshot Preparation guide.
Yes. Most people feel a little uncomfortable at the beginning of a headshot session.
That is normal, and it is one of the reasons the session is guided instead of rushed. I direct your posture, expression, jawline, angles, and small adjustments throughout the shoot so you are not left trying to figure it out on your own.
We review images during the session, make corrections as needed, and keep working until we find an expression and look that feels believable on camera.
The goal is to create a headshot that looks current, credible, and like you — not stiff, forced, or awkward.
EMS Headshots is located in San Francisco at:
352 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
In-studio headshot sessions are available by appointment.
On-location headshots are also available throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area, including:
• San Francisco
• Oakland
• San Jose
• Marin County
• surrounding Bay Area locations
You can visit the Contact page for directions, booking details, and additional information.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Let’s Create Your Headshot
Ready to plan your session? Whether you need an individual headshot or portraits for an entire team, tell me what you have in mind and we’ll take it from there.