Should I Wear Glasses in My Headshot Session?

Q: What are some tips for taking a great headshot with glasses?

a few tips for taking a great headshot with glasses: Clean your glasses. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure your glasses are clean before your headshot session. Any smudges or fingerprints will be very visible in your photos. Choose a flattering background. A busy or distracting background can make your glasses look more prominent. Choose a simple, neutral background that will help your glasses blend in. Experiment with different poses. Try different poses to see what looks best with your glasses. You may want to try tilting your head slightly or raising your eyebrows to make your eyes look more open. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re not sure how to pose with your glasses, ask your photographer for help. They can give you some tips on how to look your best.

By Orlando Sydney Modified April 27, 2024 @ 1:21 pm Last Updated on 7 months by https://orlandosydney.com/

To wear glasses in a headshot or not

Regardless of your field, a profile headshot can significantly influence how potential employers, clients, and business partners perceive you.

Most of us will wear glasses one day, if you don’t need them already. So the question always gets asked about whether you should or should not wear glasses in your headshots. Here’s where our skilled photographers can help you look your best with your personal and professional brand. Together with your creative vision we will help you prepare for the headshot shoot.

A lot goes into preparing for a professional photoshoot. For example, our previous post about wardrobe preparation serves as a guide for choosing the best cuts, colours, and patterns that showcase your personality. Our guide highlights the importance of paying attention to even the smallest details, such as necklines, nails, and accessories. Depending on the kind of impression you want to make, the right clothes can make or break your shoot.

But clothes aren’t the only things that matter in a shoot. Another common question among our clients is whether or not they should wear glasses at their session. Considering glasses are essential eyewear for many people, in this article we outline key considerations for glasses-wearers, alongside tips to look and feel your best when taking headshots.

Table of Contents – Jump to Headings

Should I Wear Glasses in My Headshot Session?

What glasses-wearers should consider

The first thing you should consider is whether you wear glasses on a regular basis, as this means the eyewear is an important part of your identity and could be crucial for creating a recognisable headshot. Another critical factor is the purpose of your glasses.

If you use prescription glasses to correct your vision, it’s advisable to wear them during the shoot to avoid squinting and so you can maintain proper eye contact with the camera.

It also helps to be prepared for possible challenges you might encounter if you do wear them. Since headshots typically use flash photography, or continuous artificial lights the lens surface can reflect light and create glare or unsightly and distracting reflections. This can also cause unwanted shadows around the eye and cheek area.

Eyeglasses also can hide the eyes, (if the photographer doesn’t guide you on your chin position), which are the features that people notice first when looking at your photos.

The good news is that you can still wear glasses comfortably and address these issues by following the tips below.

To wear glasses in a headshot or not
What glasses-wearers should consider
Example Headshot Photos with People Wearing Glasses
Avoid Glasses With Glare and Reflections
How to look your best when wearing glasses in your headshots
FAQs For Wearing Glasses or Not

Example Headshot Photos with People Wearing Glasses

Corporate Headshots Photography Sydney. By Orlandosydney.com

Female-Headshots-with-Glasses.-Photo-by-orlandosydney.com

Men and Women headshot photos Wearing Glasses with No Glare or Reflections

Avoid Glasses With Glare and Reflections

Avoid These Reflections in your Glasses During a Headshot Session (These are examples of the rejected shots)

How to look your best when wearing glasses in your headshots

Clean your glasses

If you’ve been wearing your glasses for a long time, there may be a build-up of dirt and grime around the nose pads, hinges, and on the lens surface itself.

There are many ways to clean your glasses, starting with cotton swabs to remove visible gunk from particularly tight crevices that your fingers can’t reach. You can then rinse the glasses under running lukewarm or warm water to effectively dislodge excess grime. While you can use dish soap on the frames and lenses, only apply a pea-sized amount and rub gently to avoid ruining the lens coatings. You can also bring a clean cloth to do some last-minute cleaning before the shoot.

Have your frames adjusted

Just as you want your clothes to look well-fitted, so should your glasses. Schedule a visit to the optometrist a few days before the headshot session to ensure your glasses fit well. The temples or earpieces should be snug without squeezing the sides of your head or digging into your ears, while the bridge and pads should rest over your nose securely and comfortably.

Lastly, a pair of perfectly fitting glasses means the lenses are centred in the right place relative to your pupils.

Consider an appropriate frame style

If you have the time and budget, consider updating your frames to a style that better suits your features. For instance, a Wink Optical optometrist interviewed by the magazine Fashion Journal recommends determining your face shape and bone structure first. Those with rounder cheeks and softer jawlines are suited to more angular eyeglass frames, while narrow faces benefit from the proportions highlighted by round, oval, or classic cat-eye frames.

You can also browse eyeglasses online for a wider selection of frame designs and materials that capture the overall look you’re going for. The eyewear brand Ray-Ban has round metal sunglasses in gold to look classic and professional, while designer brands like Burberry have oversized acetate frames in black for a trendier, more approachable vibe.

Types of Lens Coatings and how they may affect your headshot

Anti-Reflective Coating, Scratch-Resistant Coating, UV Coating, Mirror Coating,
Anti-Fog Coatings, Tinted Lenses and Transition lenses.

Some of these can cause more reflectivity during your session so we’d need to allow extra time to position you and the lighting in a way that your eyes will not be obscured by strong reflections from the room or the studio lighting.

If you wear transition lenses it is a great idea if you stay in the room for a few minutes to allow the lens to go clear before your shoot, especially if the company is updating all the staff’s headshots on the same day, so as not to hold up the flow with your colleagues.

Get anti-reflective lenses

When getting a new pair of spectacles, it also helps to get a special lens coating that reduces glare by absorbing and redirecting reflected light from screen displays and camera flash.

In this case, lens maker Tokai Optical, which works with different optical clinics across Australia and New Zealand, includes an anti-reflective coating for its multi-coats on ophthalmic lenses. AR coating can reduce the reflectance rate of lenses by 0.19%, the lowest in the world. While this means an additional cost for your glasses, it’s a long-term investment as it can also help you prevent eye strain when using digital devices.

Enhance your eyes using makeup

If you wear makeup, it can go a long way in helping enhance your eyes even with glasses. Although eyeglasses can serve as a physical obstruction to your features, you can make your eyes stand out more through various makeup applications and techniques.

When it comes to eye makeup, TikTok’s latest hack involves adding a moisturising balm like Aquaphor to your mascara to lift, lengthen, and volumise your lashes. This automatically opens up your eyes and makes them look bigger while still appearing natural.

You can also adjust the eyeliner’s thickness to that of your frames for a more balanced, seamless look. Lastly, makeup experts recommend matching your eyeshadow to your frames. Softer and lighter hues complement thick frames, while those who wear thin or rimless frames can experiment with bolder colours.

Position your head properly

Lastly, the right posture and position can also help reduce the reflection from lighting strobes and the camera flash. It is recommend moving your head toward the camera, holding your shoulders still, and dipping your chin slightly until you get rid of the glare from your glasses. Our photographer will help guide you to make sure your pose doesn’t look stiff or awkward in the photo!

Summarising

So as you can see, you don’t necessarily have to remove your glasses for your headshots to come out perfect.

By following the tips listed above and working with an experienced photography studio like Orlando Sydney Corporate Photography, you’re guaranteed to get professional service and impressive results. Check out our website via the content hub below to learn more about our services and get a free quote.

FAQs For Wearing Glasses or Not

Here are some helpful FAQs about whether or not to wear glasses in a headshot session:

Should I wear my glasses in my headshot if I don’t always wear them in public?

It depends on a few factors, including how often you wear your glasses in general, what type of glasses you have, and the purpose of your headshot. If you wear your glasses most of the time, then it’s probably best to wear them in your headshot so that people will recognize you. However, if you only wear your glasses for certain occasions, then you may want to consider taking a headshot without them.

What are some of the challenges of wearing glasses in a headshot?

There are a few challenges to wearing glasses in a headshot, including glare, shadows, and reflections. Glare can be caused by the sun or artificial light, and it can make your eyes look blurry or obscured. Shadows can be cast by your glasses, and they can make your face look dark or sunken. Reflections can also be a problem, and they can make your glasses look like they’re floating in front of your face.

How can I avoid the challenges of wearing glasses in a headshot?

There are a few things you can do to avoid the challenges of wearing glasses in a headshot, including:

Choose the right glasses. If you have glasses with thick frames or dark lenses, they’re more likely to cause glare and shadows. Choose glasses with thin frames and light lenses to minimize these problems.
Wear anti-reflective coating. Anti-reflective coating can help to reduce glare from your glasses. Most glasses these days come with anti-reflective coating, but it’s always a good idea to check.
Position your glasses correctly. The way you position your glasses can also affect the way they look in your headshot. Make sure your glasses are centered on your face and that they’re not too low or too high.
Work with your photographer. A good photographer will know how to work around the challenges of wearing glasses in a headshot. They can help you choose the right glasses, position your glasses correctly, and adjust the lighting to minimize glare and shadows.

What are some tips for taking a great headshot with glasses?

Here are a few tips for taking a great headshot with glasses:

Clean your glasses. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure your glasses are clean before your headshot session. Any smudges or fingerprints will be very visible in your photos.
Choose a flattering background. A busy or distracting background can make your glasses look more prominent. Choose a simple, neutral background that will help your glasses blend in.
Experiment with different poses. Try different poses to see what looks best with your glasses. You may want to try tilting your head slightly or raising your eyebrows to make your eyes look more open.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re not sure how to pose with your glasses, ask your photographer for help. They can give you some tips on how to look your best.

I have a very strong prescription. Will my glasses make my eyes look too small in my headshot?

It’s possible that your glasses could make your eyes look too small in your headshot, especially if you have a very strong prescription. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize this effect, such as choosing glasses with thin frames and light lenses. You can also ask your photographer to use a wider aperture, which will help to blur the background and make your eyes look larger.

I have a lazy eye. Will my glasses make my lazy eye more noticeable in my headshot?

It’s possible that your glasses could make your lazy eye more noticeable in your headshot, but it’s also possible that they could help to disguise it. If you’re concerned about your lazy eye, talk to your photographer about how to best address it. They may be able to use certain techniques, such as shooting from a specific angle, to minimize the appearance of your lazy eye.

I have a large or small nose. Will my glasses make my nose look even bigger or smaller in my headshot?

It’s possible that your glasses could make your nose look even bigger in your headshot, especially if you have frames that are too wide or too thick. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize this effect, such as choosing frames that are the same width as your face or that have a more vertical shape. You can also ask your photographer to shoot from a slightly higher angle, which will help to elongate your face and make your nose look smaller.

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