Should I wear glasses in my headshot?
Headshots serve as a visual representation of ourselves, influencing first impressions in personal and professional environments. For those who wear glasses, the decision to wear them or not in headshots can be a dilemma. I’ll my experiences here and talk about the pros and cons of wearing glasses in your headshots to help you make a more informed choice.
The Pros Of Wearing Glasses In Your Headshots.
Your Personal Brand: Glasses are a part of who you are, and who you are is a part of your brand, they can convey intelligence, sophistication, and professionalism.
Familiarity: If you're known for always wearing glasses, including them in your headshots helps to bridge the gap between when people see you online and when they get to first shake your hand.
Frame Choices: Glasses offer an opportunity to showcase your sense of style and show off your personality with a range of frame styles.
Covering Flaws: Glasses can discreetly conceal the lines we get around the eyes, and can help to hide and little imperfections you might have. This helps to enhance your confidence in your headshots.
Niche Industry Appeal: In certain industries like tech, research, or teaching, glasses can often show a sense of expertise or specialization.
The Cons Of Wearing Glasses In Your Headshots.
Glare and Reflections: Glasses produce glare or reflections from studio lighting, often covering the eyes and distracting from the quality of the headshot. But, worry not, I have tricks for dealing with this glaring problem.
Distraction: Glasses can draw attention away from your face, especially if you are wearing frames that are too large for your face, or that have wild colors or shapes. It’s a good idea to bring in a few different pairs of glasses to your headshot session so we can see which looks the best.
Limiting Expressions: Glasses may make it more difficult to see the pupils in your eye, and can potentially reduce the range of emotions we can show in your headshots.
Fashion and Style Trends: Styles and fashion trends change quickly, and glasses worn in headshots could date your images over time, affecting the longevity of the image's relevance.
Inconsistent Branding: If you don’t wear your glasses full time, let’s say you switch between glasses and contacts, which can lead to inconsistent branding across your various online platforms. If you switch frequently, maybe take headshots with both glasses and no glasses. If you typically only wear readers, then I wouldn’t shoot with them.
Okay, those are some pros and cons of wearing glasses. Now, that being said, I do have tips and tricks for wearing glasses and making them look killer in your headshots.
Select frames that are perfect for your face. Avoid frames that are too big or too small.
Positioning your frames on your face. I have some tactics for getting them to sit just right so they angle down, this helps get the glare out.
We’ll take test shots until the glare is gone!! A lot can be done with the positioning of the lights to help reduce the glare. If it’s just impossible to get the glare out in the studio for whatever reason, I’ll photograph you without them and with them and have my retoucher work his voodoo and make it perfect!
Ultimately the choice to wear glasses or not is a personal one. Lots of factors will influence this decision such as industry standards, your branding, and above all, your style. So by thinking about the pros and cons, and adding in some tips from me, no matter what you choose, I’ll create some amazing headshots or branding portraits for you that you won’t be able to wait to share. Click below to reach out for booking information or to ask any questions.