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August 20, 2019

Headshot Photography Tips | Houston Headshot Photographer

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX. Tara Flannery Photography specializes in corporate headshots and can help with headshot photography tips. See more headshots in the gallery. Contact me to book your professional headshot today!

Headshot Photography Tips

Planning for your headshot doesn’t need to be stressful! With a little bit of advanced preparation, you’ll be ready for a great session. Here are a few things to keep in mind before your headshot session.

Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated before the session.
Make sure your hair and nails are cut and manicured. Sometimes the nails show in a headshot and you’ll want them to look their best. Decide if you’d like a watch to show. But don’t try a new haircut the day before your session!
Try on the wardrobe that you’ve selected for the headshot. Your photographer can advise on the best wardrobe. Make sure it fits and is pressed.
Talk to your photographer about a plan for the session including what you’ll be wearing so that he or she can coordinate backgrounds, lighting, etc.
Talk to your photographer about any issues that may arise during the session or anything that needs special attention.
Arrive for your session and relax! The best, most natural portraits of you will be those where you’re relaxed and can genuinely smile. If it helps, bring a friend or spouse along to the session!

Headshots for Encana

I photographed the executives for Newfield many times. The new company is Encana and they needed an updated headshot for one of their leaders. We met in the office and set up in a conference room. We were able to get some fantastic headshots quickly and efficiently! I love the very last image!

Headshot Photography Tips woman in white shirt with grey background

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX. Tara Flannery Photography specializes in corporate headshots. See more headshots in the gallery. Contact me to book your professional headshot today!

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@taraflanneryphotography

I put together a Guide to Photography Gear for those of you who need some help deciding what is actually worth investing in (and what`s not). The link is in my bio!

Lighting is one of those things that feels complicated when you’re starting out… but it doesn’t have to be.

At the end of the day—light is light.

You don’t need the most expensive setup to get good results. What matters more is having something reliable that you understand how to use.

Especially if you’re shooting outside… the last thing you want is a $2,000 light going down in the wind.

Start simple.
Focus on gear you can trust.
And build from there.

Curious—what lighting setup are you using right now?

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I put together a Guide to Photography Gear for those of you who need some help deciding what is actually worth investing in (and what's not). The link is in my bio!

Lighting is one of those things that feels complicated when you’re starting out… but it doesn’t have to be.

At the end of the day—light is light.

You don’t need the most expensive setup to get good results. What matters more is having something reliable that you understand how to use.

Especially if you’re shooting outside… the last thing you want is a $2,000 light going down in the wind.

Start simple.
Focus on gear you can trust.
And build from there.

Curious—what lighting setup are you using right now?

My Photographer Gear Guide is linked in my bio if you want the full breakdown of what’s actually worth investing in (and what’s not).

If I was starting photography all over again, I wouldn’t buy everything.

I’d buy intentionally.

It’s easy to feel like you need all the gear to be “legit”… but most of the time, it just leads to spending money on things you don’t fully understand yet.

A solid camera, a really strong lens, and a reliable lighting setup will take you a lot further than a full bag of random equipment.

The goal isn’t to have more—it’s to have what you actually know how to use.

Start simple. Learn your gear. Build from there.

🤔 Curious—what was the first piece of gear you invested in?

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Open post by taraflanneryphotography with ID 18117379670509149

My Photographer Gear Guide is linked in my bio if you want the full breakdown of what’s actually worth investing in (and what’s not).

If I was starting photography all over again, I wouldn’t buy everything.

I’d buy intentionally.

It’s easy to feel like you need all the gear to be “legit”… but most of the time, it just leads to spending money on things you don’t fully understand yet.

A solid camera, a really strong lens, and a reliable lighting setup will take you a lot further than a full bag of random equipment.

The goal isn’t to have more—it’s to have what you actually know how to use.

Start simple. Learn your gear. Build from there.

🤔 Curious—what was the first piece of gear you invested in?

My Photographer Gear Guide is linked in my bio if you’re trying to figure out what’s actually worth investing in when you’re first starting out.

Because the truth is—you don’t need everything right away.

When you’re new, it’s easy to feel like you need all the gear… but really, it comes down to a few key pieces.

A solid camera body and a really good lens will take you further than a full bag of equipment you don’t know how to use yet.

If you’re deciding where to spend your money, start there.

A 24–70mm or 70–200mm lens will cover more than you think—and give you the flexibility to shoot a wide range of sessions without overcomplicating things.

Curious—what was the first piece of gear you invested in?

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Open post by taraflanneryphotography with ID 17980146186029923

My Photographer Gear Guide is linked in my bio if you’re trying to figure out what’s actually worth investing in when you’re first starting out.

Because the truth is—you don’t need everything right away.

When you’re new, it’s easy to feel like you need all the gear… but really, it comes down to a few key pieces.

A solid camera body and a really good lens will take you further than a full bag of equipment you don’t know how to use yet.

If you’re deciding where to spend your money, start there.

A 24–70mm or 70–200mm lens will cover more than you think—and give you the flexibility to shoot a wide range of sessions without overcomplicating things.

Curious—what was the first piece of gear you invested in?

One of my favorite things about this session 👇🏻

Every single person showed up in outfits that coordinated with their brand colors—without overdoing it.

Nothing felt forced. Nothing felt too “on brand.” It just worked.

And that’s the difference.

When you’re in a business like coaching, your brand isn’t separate from you… it IS you.

So the way you show up—your colors, your styling, your overall presence—matters more than you think.

When everything feels aligned, the end result is naturally more polished, more cohesive, and honestly… just better.

Not because it’s perfect—but because it feels intentional.

If you’re planning a branding session, start with clarity first—

🌟 What do you want your brand to feel like?

🌟 How do you want to show up?

That’s exactly why I created my Brand Personality Workbook—to help you define that before you ever step in front of the camera.

📥 Grab it through the link in my bio. And while you’re there, go ahead and schedule a FREE consultation with me for a branding session!

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‼️ No clients (or videographers) were harmed in the making of this video 🤣

(For the record—this is very much a joke.)

But if you are a photographer, you know the real challenge isn’t getting someone in front of the camera… it’s knowing how to guide them once they’re there.

Small adjustments = big difference in how confident and natural someone looks.

And having a go-to posing flow makes everything feel easier—for you and your client. (so you don`t resort to violence 😉)

➡️ I put together a Headshot Posing Flow Cheat Sheet to help with exactly that—link in bio.

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A quick look at the people and brands I had the chance to photograph this month 👇🏻

Grateful for every person and team that trusted me to capture this season of their business.

Each session is different, but the goal is always the same—to create images that actually represent you well and support where you’re going next.

If you’ve been thinking about updating your headshot or branding photos, now is a great time to get it scheduled before things get busy later in the year.

📩 You can book your session through the link in my bio.

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Serving the Greater Houston, Texas Area

tara@taraflannery.com

713-412-5437

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Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers of America PPA.

Tara is a Certified Professional Photographer.

Tara is a member of TPPA Texas Professional Photographer's Association.

Tara has earned her Master of Photography degree.

Tara has earned her Photographic Craftsman certification.

Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston PPGH.