Expression is the most important part of a headshot. The lighting, composition and retouching can all be well done, but the expression still needs to feel believable and suit what the photograph is for.

A natural-looking headshot can involve quite a bit of direction. Where you look, how you sit and what happens between photographs can all affect your expression. You don’t need to arrive knowing how to do any of it.

Getting there usually involves conversation, small adjustments and looking at the photographs together.

We start by talking

Before you sit down, we’ll chat for a bit. Why are you here? What do you do? What would you like to do? What kind of music do you like?

Some of that helps me understand what you need from the session. Some of it is just getting acquainted. It’s easier to photograph someone once we’ve had a conversation and found a little common ground.

Then we’ll take a first photograph. I’ll have you turn toward the light, see how everything looks and start making adjustments.

Small instructions give you something to work with

“Look natural” isn’t a particularly useful instruction. It asks you to produce a result without explaining how.

I’ll give you something more specific. Turn slightly this way. Bring your chin down a little. Move your shoulders back. Try a slight smile.

Sometimes someone opens their eyes wider than usual when the camera comes up, giving them that “deer in the headlights” expression. I might ask them to close their eyes slightly. You may have heard terms like “squinch” or “smize,” but knowing the terminology isn’t necessary.

The adjustments depend on what I’m seeing. I’ll change the lighting, adjust your position, take another photograph and see what’s working.

Seeing the difference helps

Direction is easier to understand when you can see the result.

I might show you the first photograph beside one taken after a small lighting adjustment and a change in expression. Or we might compare a photograph looking away from the light with one looking toward it.

That gives us something concrete to discuss. You can see what changed and why I asked for it. You can also tell me how you feel about the photographs as we go.

You don’t have to remember every instruction or work out whether it’s succeeding. I’m watching that while we shoot.

The direction continues throughout the session

Once we find something that works, I keep the small instructions coming. Look this way. Now the other way. Chin down a touch. Slight smile.

That keeps you responding to something simple instead of sitting still and thinking about every part of your expression at once.

The conversation continues too. There might be banter and laughter, or the conversation might become quieter and more reflective. Expressions change with it. I keep photographing and adjusting as those moments happen.

Natural doesn’t always mean smiling

A broad smile can be right for one photograph and completely wrong for another. A natural expression can be friendly, amused, thoughtful or serious.

For a corporate headshot, we’ll usually be looking for confidence and approachability. An actor may need something quieter or more guarded, depending on the roles they’re pursuing. The expression still needs to feel believable.

You don’t need to be laughing in every photograph to look comfortable, and you don’t need a severe expression to look serious.

You don’t need to arrive with a practised expression

You’re welcome to bring references and tell me what you want from the photographs. But you don’t need to rehearse a smile or learn a collection of poses before coming in.

We’ll talk, take some photographs and look at them together. I’ll give you direction throughout the session and make adjustments based on what I see. That’s part of the photographer’s job.

What Makes an Expression Look Natural in a Headshot?