I’ve been envying some of the great headshots that people have out on the web. Even people who are not traditionally “pretty” can have headshots that flatter their facial features. Why can’t I have a headshot that looks as good as some of these?
After long last, I have discovered how to get the best headshot possible for publication on your web site. It doesn’t take a lot of effort, and you can do most of it yourself at home, provided you have the right materials at hand. You might even be able to produce a better headshot than the fantastic self-made ones you see online! Here’s how it works…
First, you’ll need a camera. Any camera will do, but I prefer digital because you can see how bad you’ve messed up what you need to improve immediately. You can probably also use a film camera, but the trial and error involved in getting the perfect photo might cost you an arm and a leg and a buttock just in processing, so you might as well stick with the digital.
Be sure you have a big enough memory stick. 1GB or more should cover it. Be sure it’s fresh before you start.
Your camera should have a flash. Without a flash, your headshot will likely not have enough light and will not look good. Because of where we will be shooting our photos, you will need to set your camera ’s flash to the brightest setting possible. If you do not have an adjustable flash setting on your camera, you might be able to make do, but if your flash is not strong enough, you may need some supplemental lighting. The great thing about this method is that you don’t need a ton of special lighting equipment, provided you have an adequate camera, so having to use supplemental lighting would be a bummer.
Next, you need to wear the proper attire. I can’t stress enough that wearing at least a black top, if not also wearing black pants is critical to the success of this project. This could be the most expensive part of this method of producing a headshot. Just stop by the local KMart and pick up a cheap black shirt and pants, and you’ll be all set.
Onward to setting up the production area. You’ll never guess where I’ve determined the best production area is… The bathroom! That’s right, lock yourself in the bathroom with your camera and prepare to take the best headshot you’ve ever made.
Your bathroom will need to have a mirror. Most bathrooms do. Make sure the mirror is clean - crystal clear - before you begin. Break out the Windex now instead of wasting your time through 30 shots of your face with last week’s dried zit poppings and toothpaste spittle blurring your image. (Yeah, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about you disgusting creature.)
You’ll be leaving the lights on for the practice shoot. You need to practice because this is the most complicated part of getting the best headshot ever - aiming the camera.
Position yourself at an angle to the mirror. Using the hand on the side of your obtuse angle with the mirror, hold the camera out so that it points at your reflection in the mirror. Your goal is to take a photo of your reflection. Sorry, I’ll have to come up with some other headshot technique for the vampires among us.
This part may take some trial and error because it is difficult to aim properly, pose, and press the shutter release. You might want to employ a tripod for the purpose of getting the angle right. Take a few photos on each side to see which side is your “good side”. Don’t forget to try from different angles, below and above, and facing in different orientations. You might want to look directly at the camera - feel free! You can also look away from the camera, and strike any number of facial expressions. Choose the one that you want your final portrait to portray, and be wary that you are not familiar with how your face looks to others - an odd-looking expression to you may be just what appeals about you to others. Mix it up. Your portrait may look great by making fish faces into the mirror.
When you’ve got the angle and pose selected, it’s time to make a production run. Close the door, seal the window (it might be necessary to do this at night to prevent light from any windows), and turn off the lights. Aim the camera as you have practiced and take a dozen pictures or more. You will likely need to take many more pictures than you had before, since your aim will be off due to not being able to see. If you can see in the room, then it’s not dark enough. Your black clothing should help keep the room very dark so that only your head is lighted by the flash.
Review the work you have done and select the best two of the bunch. Examine what you like best about those photos, then retake the whole shoot over, trying to improve on what you liked about your favorites. You may need to do this several times before you get your final photo. If nothing about your first shoot impresses you, maybe you need to switch up your technique. Try shooting with the camera upside-down.
Remember that if you’re using a digital camera (or if you’re getting your film processed to CD, or scanned), your photos will be digital, and you can edit them in the computer. If you are getting the edges of the mirror in your photo, you will be able to crop them out later. Or you can leave them in to add a mysterious effect of, “What is that thing?” Shower stalls behind your head look particularly mysterious if left in.
When you’ve selected your best photo, you should run it through several filters. First, you’ll need to make it grayscale. No self-respecting self-portrait taker would produce a color headshot of himself. Use Photoshop or a similar graphics editor to convert to grayscale. When you do, you should be sure not to use more than 8 shades of gray, which will give your photo a grainy feel. Then you can convert the image so that it uses more “colors” and apply a light blur effect. This will smooth out any imperfections in your photo, kind of like how magazines airbrush models so that you can’t see their eye bags and cellulite.
When you’re through with the filtering process, you photo is complete, but the process isn’t over. Print out your photo. Use nice glossy photo paper on a high-quality printer. Borrow printer time from a friend if your printer isn’t up to the task.
With your self-made headshot in hand, venture to your local photography studio. Present them with your self-portrait and say, “My photo of myself looks like crap. Please take a good one and I will pay you.” Be sure that you are clear that you want to use this headshot for publication, otherwise your use of your own likeness may be stifled by reproduction fees spawned from ridiculous intellectual property and copyright laws.
Following these instructions, you should obtain an impressive headshot for publication on your website or your next Wrox Press book within a few weeks.
–Owen’s experience with self-portraits spans an impressive ten minutes. His own photography skills are unmatched by anyone with more than zero skill. You’ll frequently find him strying to operate the knobs on his camera while tooling around tourist locations looking for Kodak Photo Spots.
