Most people arrive at my Gordon studio saying the same thing: "I hate having my photo taken." After 23 years of photographing people, I can tell you the difference between a stiff headshot and one that wins you clients is rarely the lighting or the outfit. It's the expression. Here's what actually creates a natural, confident headshot, and why none of it is your job to worry about.
Aim for you on a good day
A headshot shouldn't make you look like someone else. It should look like you, relaxed and at your best. That's what people recognise when they meet you in person, and that recognition builds trust before you've said a word.
2. A real smile beats a perfect one
A forced smile photographs exactly as it feels. A real one, the kind that happens mid-conversation, photographs beautifully. That's why my sessions run like a chat. The best frames almost always happen while you're talking, not posing.
3. Confidence lives in the eyes
You can smile or not smile, but the eyes decide whether a headshot reads as confident. The good news is that confident eyes aren't a skill you need to bring. They happen naturally once you're comfortable, and getting you comfortable is my job.
4. Warmth makes you approachable
If clients need to like you before they hire you, and they do, warmth matters more than polish. When someone looks at your photo and thinks "I could work with them", the headshot has done its job.
5. Let your personality in
A lawyer, an author and a personal trainer shouldn't have interchangeable headshots. Before we shoot I ask about your work, who your clients are and how you want to come across, then we let that shape the session.
6. Different photos for different places
The expression that suits LinkedIn isn't always the one for your website or a book cover. That's why I photograph a range in a single session: a few looks, from professional and steady through to warm and open, so you have the right image for each place it appears.
7. Trust is the whole point
People do business with people they trust, and your headshot is often the first face-to-face moment they have with you. A genuine expression signals that what they see is what they'll get.
8. None of this is your job on the day
You don't need to practise in the mirror or study posing guides. You turn up, we chat, and I direct you the whole way, down to what to do with your hands. Every one of the points above is my responsibility. Yours is just to show up.
If your current headshot doesn't look like you anymore, or never did, I'd love to help. My studio is at Gordon on Sydney's North Shore, with a private dressing room and hair and makeup available. Get in touch or book your session online.