A great headshot starts with proper preparation. Follow these tips to ensure you look and feel your best for your session.
What to Wear?
•Clothing Choices: Stick to solid colors or subtle patterns. Avoid overly bright colors, logos (unless it’s your company’s logo), and busy patterns.
•Color Selection: Opt for colors that complement your skin tone and enhance your features. Jewel tones such as emerald green, royal blue, burgundy, and deep purples are flattering on most people. Neutral shades like navy, grey, beige, and earth tones provide a timeless and professional look. Consider seasonal colors—lighter pastels for spring, vibrant hues for summer, warm fall tones, and deep, rich colors for winter. Using color theory, warm tones (reds, oranges, yellows) can evoke energy and confidence, while cool tones (blues, greens, purples) can convey calmness and professionalism.
•Necklines & Fit: Choose clothing with well-fitted necklines that flatter your shape. Avoid low-cut tops or loose, baggy fits.
•Layering: Blazers, cardigans, and fitted jackets add structure and professionalism.
•Jewelry & Accessories: Keep it minimal to avoid distractions from your face.
•Glasses: If you wear glasses regularly, bring an anti-reflective pair or be prepared for minor reflections.
Dressing For Your Bodytype
•For broader shoulders or an inverted triangle shape: Opt for V-neck or scoop-neck tops to elongate the neck and balance proportions. Avoid shoulder pads or wide collars that may emphasize the upper body.
•For a pear-shaped body: Choose structured tops with details or patterns to draw attention upwards and opt for tailored blazers to add balance.
•For an hourglass figure: Fitted styles that highlight the waist work best. Wrap dresses, tailored blazers, and high-waisted trousers complement this shape well.
•For a rectangular body type: Layering with structured blazers and cardigans can add definition. Look for outfits with belts or cinched waists to create the illusion of curves.
•For fuller figures: Darker, solid colors with vertical lines or seams create a slimming effect. Well-fitted clothing rather than overly loose attire ensures a polished and professional look.
Grooming & Makeup
•Hair: Have your hair styled neatly. If you’re due for a haircut, get it a few days before your session.
•Skin: Stay hydrated and moisturize your skin to maintain a fresh look.
•Makeup: Keep it natural and polished. Avoid heavy foundation or excessive shine.
•Shaving & Facial Hair: If you shave, do so carefully to prevent irritation. If you have facial hair, ensure it’s neatly groomed.
Day Of The Session
•Rest Well: Get a good night’s sleep to look fresh and alert.
•Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to maintain healthy skin.
•Eat Lightly: Avoid heavy or greasy meals that might cause bloating.
•Bring Options: Bring a couple of outfit choices in case one doesn’t work well on camera.
•Relax & Have Fun: A genuine, confident expression is the key to a great headshot.
Final Tips
•If you have specific preferences or needs, communicate them with your photographer ahead of time.
•Take a few deep breaths before your session to ease any nerves.
•Trust the process and enjoy your time in front of the camera!
•Know how you want to be photographed. Consider whether you prefer a straight-on shot or a slight turn to the left or right or both. Discuss angles and poses with your photographer to find the most flattering look for you.
With these steps, you’ll be well-prepared for a fantastic headshot session!
Branding & E-Commerce Photography
Although branding and commercial photography have lots of similarities, it is important to note that they do very different things for your business. In the rapidly evolving world of e-commerce, the visual representation of your business, you yourself, and your products is more important than ever. High-quality photography is vital in highlighting your brand’s identity and captivating your customer into buying your products.
Branding Photography
What is my business’s identity? What is my business’s story? How can I give consumers something to relate to and connect with beyond the products I am selling? How can I make my business more memorable? How do I want people to perceive my business and its values?
All of these questions are important in defining your business brand! That being said, branding photography gives the consumer a visual representation that answers these questions. It provides a more personal approach in showcasing you and your business.
There are many benefits that brand photography can contribute to your business:
✓ Help create a positive first impression
✓ Increases views of your content
✓ Show real world applications of your products
✓ Generates new customers
✓ Helps your business/products become more memorable
In this swiftly growing world of e-commerce, the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” is quite outdated. People are constantly making quick judgments scrolling through a never-ending page of pictures. If you are utilizing social media platforms such as Instagram, you have about half a second to grab your consumers attention and draw them into further examining your business/products. Time is money. I can help your business with branding photography, 0.5 seconds at a time.
E-Commerce Photography
In an online marketplace where customers cannot physically interact with products, visual content becomes the primary means of communication . E-commerce photography is product imagery used to help sell businesses’ products. Hence, it is very important to have quality photos that will increase your chances of earning a sale.
What E-commerce Photography does:
✓ Clearly shows your products and clarifies what they are buying
✓ Highlights details of the product – what makes it unique and standout from others
✓ Enhances your brand
✓ Increases your sales
✓ Can provide context and help customers visualize how the product fits into their lives (lifestyle photos)
Product shots for e-commerce are traditionally done with a white background. It provides a consistent, clean look that prevents the customer from getting distracted, keeping their focus on the product alone. Minimalistic styled photos contain the use of colors, different lighting techniques, and changes in depth of field to create a picture that is balanced between simplicity and effectiveness. Photos can also contain props or use models to imaginatively make the product look appealing or to demonstrate how the product works. Lifestyle photos are also very important to implement as they provide an essential connection with the customer that demonstrates the use of your product in relation to their daily living.
Headshots vs. Branding Photography: What Does Your Business Need?
Headshots and branding photography are often used interchangeably, but they serve very different purposes.
Both can help you look more professional online. The difference comes down to how much of your business story you need your photos to tell.
What Is a Professional Headshot?
A headshot is primarily about you.
The focus is usually your face, expression, and professional presence. It is designed to give people a clear, polished introduction to the person behind a role or business.
Headshots are commonly used for:
- Company websites
- Staff directories
- Email signatures
- Speaker profiles
- Professional associations
- Media features
A headshot session is ideal when you simply need an updated, professional image that can be used consistently across several platforms.
What Is Branding Photography?
Branding photography tells a much larger story.
Instead of creating one type of image, a branding session builds a library of photographs showing you, your business, your environment, your process, and sometimes your products or team.
A branding gallery might include:
- Professional portraits
- Candid working images
- Workspace photographs
- Products
- Tools or equipment
- Team interactions
- Client experience
- Detail photographs
- Lifestyle content
- Behind-the-scenes images
These images can then be used throughout your website, social media, advertisements, email marketing, presentations, and campaigns.
Which One Do You Need?
Choose a headshot session if:
You mainly need an updated profile photo, company website image, or professional portrait.
Choose a branding session if:
You constantly need new content for your business and want photographs that show more than what you look like.
If you find yourself posting the same headshot every time you announce something, branding photography is probably the next step.
Sometimes You Need Both
For many business owners, the best solution is a combination.
A branding session can include clean professional portraits along with more relaxed working and lifestyle imagery.
That gives you a polished image for LinkedIn while also creating content for your homepage, About page, social media, advertisements, and future campaigns.
Think About the Purpose, Not Just the Photo
The question isn’t simply:
“Do I need new pictures?”
Ask instead:
What does my business need these pictures to do?
If you need one strong professional introduction, start with a headshot.
If you need a collection of images that helps communicate your brand, services, personality, and customer experience, consider a branding session.
Dictionary Photography offers both professional headshots and strategy-led branding photography for Edmonton businesses, professionals, and entrepreneurs.
Explore the Headshots and Branding pages to compare options.
How to Prepare for a Branding Photography Session
A great branding session starts before the camera ever comes out. The goal isn’t simply to create a collection of attractive photos. It’s to build a useful library of images that supports your website, social media, advertising, and overall marketing.
Here are a few things to think about before your session:
1. Where the Photos Will Be Used?
Consider what your business currently needs. Look through your website and social media and identify the gaps.
Do you need:
- Homepage images?
- About-page portraits?
- Social media content?
- Photos demonstrating a service?
- Product images?
- Website banners?
- Advertising creative?
- Behind-the-scenes content?
Knowing where your photographs need to go helps us create images with a purpose.
2. Think About the Story of Your Business
What would someone need to see to understand what you do?
For a realtor, that might include client interactions, working at a desk, reviewing listings, and portraits in a property.
For a clinic, it could include staff, treatment spaces, equipment, client interactions, and environmental details.
For a product-based business, we might combine portraits with products, packaging, lifestyle images, and behind-the-scenes content.
The best branding galleries provide context.
3. Create a Loose Shot List
You don’t need to arrive with a spreadsheet containing 147 individual photographs.
A simple list of priorities is enough.
Think in categories:
- Portraits
- Working images
- Products or services
- Team interactions
- Workspace
- Details
- Lifestyle
- Horizontal website images
- Vertical social content
We can refine the list during the pre-session planning meeting.
4. Plan Your Wardrobe – Be Intentional With Your Outfits
Branding sessions often allow multiple looks, so use them strategically. Instead of choosing three completely unrelated outfits, think about how your wardrobe fits your brand.
Consider your business colours, the location, the types of clients you work with, and where the final photographs will appear.
Bring options if you’re unsure.
5. Gather Your Props and Brand Details
Props should help tell the story—not look like props.
Bring items you genuinely use in your business:
- Laptop
- Notebook
- Tools
- Products
- Packaging
- Coffee
- Phone
- Equipment
- Client materials
- Business cards
Small branded details can make the gallery feel significantly more customized and tailored to you and your business.
6. Prepare Your Location
If we’re photographing at your workplace, take a quick look at the environment beforehand.
Remove anything distracting that doesn’t belong in the photographs, but don’t strip the space of all personality.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s intention.
7. Don’t Try to Script Every Moment
Some of the strongest branding photographs happen between the planned images.
Movement, conversation, laughter, and natural interactions often create the photographs that feel most authentic.
We’ll plan enough to make sure we get what you need while leaving room for those moments to happen.
8. Strategy Before Shutter
Every Dictionary Photography branding session includes a 30-minute planning meeting to discuss your goals, location, wardrobe, shot ideas, and editing preferences.
Because the goal isn’t just more photos. It’s the right photos for your business.
Visit the Branding Photography page to start planning your Edmonton branding session.
How Mobile Team Headshots Work
Getting professional headshots for an entire team doesn’t have to mean sending everyone across the city to a photography studio.
With mobile team headshots, the studio comes to you.
Dictionary Photography can set up professional lighting and backdrop options directly in your Edmonton workplace, making it easier to photograph small teams, clinics, offices, and larger organizations efficiently.
Step 1: We Choose the Look
Before the session, we’ll determine how you want the final headshots to look.
Options can include:
- White backdrop
- Grey backdrop
- Black backdrop
- Other available colours
- Environmental headshots in your workplace
For organizations that already have existing staff photographs, we can also discuss maintaining a similar visual style.
Step 2: We Find a Space
A boardroom, meeting room, open office space, or other uncluttered area usually works well.
The setup doesn’t need to be glamorous.
Once lighting and the backdrop are in place, a normal office can quickly become a temporary headshot studio.
Step 3: Employees Rotate Through
For larger teams, sessions are designed to keep things moving.
Quick LinkedIn Refresh sessions typically take approximately 5–10 minutes per person, including posing and expression coaching.
Employees rotate through at scheduled times rather than having the entire team waiting around.
This makes it much easier to photograph a large group during the workday.
Step 4: Everyone Gets Direction
You don’t need a team full of professional models.
Each person receives guidance on:
- Posture
- Body position
- Head angle
- Expression
- Small clothing adjustments
The goal is consistency without making every employee look exactly the same.
Step 5: Images Are Professionally Edited
Selected photographs are professionally edited to maintain a polished and consistent look across the team.
This is particularly important when headshots appear together on a company website or staff directory.
Step 6: Delivery Is Online
Final photographs are delivered through a private online gallery.
Images can be downloaded in both high-resolution and web-sized formats, making it easy to use them for websites, LinkedIn profiles, internal directories, press materials, and marketing.
What About New Employees Later?
One advantage of establishing a consistent headshot style is that it becomes easier to photograph new team members as your organization grows.
Matching the lighting, backdrop, crop, and editing style helps keep your website from slowly turning into a collection of photographs taken in six different decades.
Mobile Headshot Pricing
Dictionary Photography offers team pricing for groups of 10–19 employees and larger teams of 20 or more.
A $75 travel fee applies for mobile sessions and is waived for groups of five or more.
Current individual and team pricing can be found on the Investment page.
If coordinating headshots has been sitting on someone’s to-do list for six months, bringing the setup directly to the office usually makes the whole process considerably easier.