What To Wear For Professional Headshots In Johannesburg
Keep the clothes simple
What you wear matters because clothing can either support a portrait or compete with it.
You do not need to buy anything new for your headshot.
Start with clothes you already wear for work and feel comfortable in.
Bring a few good options and we can decide what works best when you arrive.
The clothes should never become more important than you.
What photographs well
Simple clothing usually works best for headshots.
Black is always a good place to start. Navy, charcoal, white and other neutral colours also photograph well.
Jackets, shirts, blouses, knitwear and simple tops can all work. What matters more than the particular garment is how well it fits and how you feel wearing it.
Layers can give us useful options without requiring a complete change of clothes. A jacket can be photographed on and off. A tie can be added or removed.
If you normally wear something distinctive for work, bring it. Your headshot should still look like you.
What to bring
A few options are more useful than an entire wardrobe.
- Two or three tops, shirts or jackets
- A tie if you normally wear one
- Simple jewellery if you wear it
- Clothes on hangers rather than folded into a bag
- Your usual glasses, plus another pair if you have highly reflective lenses
Avoid large logos, slogans and very busy patterns.
You do not need to decide everything before you arrive. I can help you choose.
Bring options. We only need to photograph the good ones.
Check the condition of your clothes
Cameras notice things we often do not.
Before your session, check collars, cuffs and shoulders for fading, fraying, pilling, loose threads and marks.
Black clothing in particular can show wear surprisingly quickly under studio lighting.
Make sure shirts and jackets are pressed and bring them on hangers if possible.
A simple garment in good condition will photograph better than an expensive one that has seen better days.
Hair, makeup and grooming
Come looking like yourself on a good day.
If you are planning a haircut, it is usually better to have it done a few days before your session rather than immediately beforehand.
Makeup is entirely optional. If you wear it, there is no need to do anything dramatically different from how you would normally present yourself for work. Professional makeup can also be arranged if you would like it.
Hands sometimes appear in my headshots, so it is worth checking your nails too. They do not need to be painted. They simply need to be neat.
What about glasses?
Wear them.
If people normally meet you wearing glasses, there is no reason to remove them for your headshot.
Make sure the lenses are clean. If your lenses are highly reflective or have a strong reflective coating, bring another pair if you have one.
I can adjust the lighting for glasses when necessary.
If they are part of you, they belong in the photograph.
Dressing for different professional portraits
What works for a single headshot may be slightly different from what you need for a larger set of professional photographs.
For a corporate team, clothing needs to work alongside what everyone else is wearing without making the team look artificially matched.
An executive portrait may require more than one option depending on where the photographs will be used.
Personal branding usually gives us more room for clothing changes because we are creating a broader collection of photographs.
If you are not sure which kind of session you need, my guide to the difference between a headshot and a portrait is a useful place to start.
Headshot Vs Portrait: What’s The Difference? →
Ready when you are
You do not need to arrive with the perfect wardrobe.
Bring a few clothes that feel like you and are in good condition.
We will take it from there.
Headshot experience →
Headshot portfolio →
JOHANNESBURG PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
One Moment. One Portrait. Forever
© 2005–2026 Bridget Corke Photography
Blairgowrie · Johannesburg · South Africa
International Master's in Portrait Photography
One of only two in Africa.