5 tips for taking the perfect portrait

Having a great portrait is crucial, because it’s your first impression to potential employers and clients online. It’s a chance for you to show your style, personality, or vibe. So much information can be delivered in a photo.

The cameras on our phones are so high-quality these days that it’s become easy to take our own professional-looking portraits without the help of a photographer. However, photographers know exactly how to set up and direct the perfect shot. So, if you’re going it alone, these tips will help you achieve a flattering self portrait.

1. Wear something with a great collar and shoulder situation

Although portraits focus on the face, what we see of your clothes does matter. Don’t wear anything wrinkled, ill-fitting (like an oversized shirt with a neckline that’s too wide for your neck), worn out (like a polo with a curling collar), or with text, logos, or other distracting imagery. Look for lint and strings of hair to remove. Make sure the neckline of your shirt is centered. Black is always an easy and excellent choice that looks good in any setting.

2. Stand in a shaded part of a bright area.

It’s important to get enough light, but if you’re standing directly in it (sun, lamp), the light will cause harsh shadows on the skin and spotlight wrinkles and blemishes. This high contrast lighting is very difficult (sometimes impossible) to edit away later. Looking right at a light will avoid harsh shadows, but it may force you to squint - and we wanna see them peepers! An overcast day or the shaded part of a bright area will give a softer light that makes the face look smoother.

3. Find an interesting yet distraction-free background

Keep clutter, cars, and other people out of your background. You could take a photo against a plain wall, but it will be awfully bland. Think of your background as an opportunity to add in a lil extra beauty or personality. Neutral colors (grays, tans, and muted versions of other colors) paired with plants are a winning combination.

4. Keep your chin up, kid

We all typically look best when we’re looking up (even slightly). It can help a jawline look tighter and avoid a double-chinned look. Looking up also opens our eyes wider, making us look more awake and happy. To do this, the camera will need to be at least sightly higher than eye level.

5. Find inner happiness

Our eyes tell our real emotions. It’s where we look for answers or cues from people. “Is this person fun?” “Can I trust them?” Take a minute to really believe in yourself and your ability to feel happy, confident, and worthy of the attention you’re seeking from potential employers and clients. Keep the good feels centered in your mind while you’re taking the photo.