5 Tips for Preparing for a Business Headshot | Houston Headshot Photographer

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP)  and Craftsman based in Houston, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in professional headshots and can give you 5 tips for preparing for a business headshot.  See more headshots in the gallery.  Contact me to book your professional headshot today!

5 Tips for Preparing for a Business Headshot

There are a few things to consider when preparing for your business headshot session.  Here are a some tips to help you prepare!

  1. WARDROBE: Consider your industry and position.  Are you trying to get that next promotion?  If so, dress like the next level up.  Want to appear professional yet approachable?  Consider a jacket with no tie.  Own a small business?  Consider your brand colors and coordinate so that your look is cohesive.  Wardrobe is the single most important thing to consider for your headshot session.
  2. LOCATION: A headshot can take place in the studio, outdoors, or in your office.  Each has a very different look and feel.  The studio shot is a classic and can be matched with existing headshots for a company.  An environmental headshot gives the viewer a little more about you – the place where you work.  An outdoor headshot can be professional but open and flexible.
  3. HAIR AND MAKEUP: I highly recommend hair and makeup services for women (and sometimes for men).  My hair and makeup artists are skilled at applying makeup for studio lighting.  A professional HMU artist knows the difference between a nighttime glamour look and a business portrait look.  You’ll feel beautiful and confident knowing that hair and makeup is perfect!  Just show up to your session with a clean face and hair and your wardrobe.
  4. SKIN AND NAILS: Sometimes nails show up in a headshot portrait.  Be sure that they are manicured.  Ladies, if you have nail color, make sure it’s business-appropriate.  Men and women, be sure that skin is hydrated.
  5. RELAX: After all of this preparation and planning, it’s hard to relax for your headshot, but do!  Your professional photographer will guide you in wardrobe, posing, and expression to provide the very best you that you can be.  Take a deep breath and just be in the moment.  Your headshot will reflect the real you.

Talk to your photographer ahead of time and go over these details.  Then you’ll both have a great plan for your headshot session!

Recent Headshot Examples

From studio sessions to outdoor sessions and everything in between, we can help create your vision of your next headshot!  I can’t wait to see what we create next.

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Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP)  and Craftsman based in Houston, 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

If you’ve ever said, “I don’t know how to pose”… 

you’re in good company. Almost everyone feels that way.

But that’s why I’m here. I guide you through everything — where to stand, how to angle, what to do with your hands, even the tiny adjustments that make a huge difference.

You don’t have to know how to pose.
You just have to show up. I’ll take it from there. 🤍

🔗 If you’re thinking about booking a branding session and want to prepare with confidence, click the link inmy bio to grab a copy of my Branding Guide.

📸 Let’s create images that feel like you.

#headshotposing #brandingphotography #pictureposingtips #headshotphotographer
Let’s be honest—being a woman in a male-dominated industry means you work twice as hard to be taken seriously.

And whether we like it or not, people make decisions about your credibility in seconds… often before you ever speak a word.

That’s where powerful, intentional branding comes in.

Women don’t need softer visuals.

Women don’t need to “blend in.”

Women need imagery that reflects the authority, confidence, and leadership they already bring to the table.

Here’s what strong branding does for women in male-led spaces:

✨ Positions you as the expert — not the exception

✨ Shows strength without losing authenticity

✨ Communicates confidence instantly

✨ Helps potential clients trust you faster

✨ Builds a visual presence that speaks for you—especially in rooms you aren’t in yet

Branding isn’t about looking perfect.

It’s about showing up as the most powerful, grounded version of you—and making sure the world sees it too.

If you’re ready to elevate your presence and build a brand that stands strong (and unapologetically feminine) in any industry…

🔗 Click the link in my bio to plan your Branding Session with me.

#brandingforwomen #brandingphotographerhouston #brandingphotos #houstonbusinesswomen
If you loved Part 1… you’re gonna really love these next three 👀

Here are more of my go-to PeerSpace studios for branding sessions — each one brings a completely different vibe depending on the story you want your brand to tell.

Each of these spaces helps shape the mood of your session — and choosing the right one is a huge part of creating visuals that feel aligned with your industry and your audience.

Want branding photos that look like you and support your business goals?

Let’s pick the perfect location + build a session around your brand story.

📩 Reach out to schedule your branding shoot.

#peerspace #houstonlocations #brandinglocations #professionalbranding
If you’re a speaker, your images speak before you do. 🎤

Event planners are checking your website, your LinkedIn, your media kit — all before they ever reach out. And the first question they’re asking is:

“Can I imagine this person on our stage?”

That’s why speaker-focused imagery matters.

In my headshot + branding sessions, I don’t just have to take portraits —
I can recreate the experience of you presenting.

Spotlight, stage-inspired lighting, gestures, expressions, confidence… even if we’re shooting in my studio, we can make it look like you’re mid-keynote.

Because if speaking is part of your business, your visuals should reflect that — long before you step on stage.

Ready to build imagery that gets you booked?

🔗 Click the link in my bio to get started.

#headshotsforspeakers #headshotphotographerthewoodlands #professionalheadshots
And by busy, I mean doing what I absolutely love, all thanks to YOU. 💛

Every inquiry, every session, every client who trusts me to capture their brand — you’re the reason my camera stays in my hand and my calendar stays full.

If you want to be part of the fun chaos behind these clips, let’s plan your 2026 session ✨

🔗 Click the link in my bio to book a consultation! I specialize in Headshots, Branding, Family Session and Senior Portraits! I'm ready! 🥳

#BrandingPhotographer #HoustonPhotographer #HeadshotPhotographer #SeniorPortraits #FamilyPortraits
For more information on branding sessions keep reading ⬇️

If you’re planning a branding session and want clarity on:
✨ choosing locations
✨ planning outfits
✨ posing
✨ creating a strong visual message
✨ and what to expect from your session…

I created a Branding Session Guide that breaks everything down for you — step-by-step.

🔗 Click the link in my bio to get your copy!

Your brand deserves visuals that actually look like you.

#HoustonPhotographer #VisualBranding #BrandStrategy #BusinessBranding

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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.