Believe it or not, a good headshot can go a long way for your career and business. A headshot serves as a way for your clients or future employers to put a face to a name, and you want to make sure the quality and professionalism portrayed in your photo is up to par. A headshot is a way to convey your personality, confidence, and give a great first impression. Many people who wear glasses often question if they should have them on in their headshot. It’s common knowledge that glasses can be finicky for photos, sometimes giving off an unwanted glare. However, that shouldn’t be a reason to remove your glasses, especially if you wear them every day!
As a glasses wearer myself, I know the glasses glare struggle is real. Fellow glasses wearers, have you’ve tried little ring lights and tricks to capture a great headshot or a video only to find your face giving off more rays than a searchlight at a used car lot? Then this post is for you.
If you’re preparing for a headshot, or even shooting a video for social media, here are some tips to keep in mind so you don’t have to take your glasses off.
Clean your glasses
You’ve decided to keep your glasses on for your headshot, after all, they’re part of your signature look! Now the next step is to make sure those specs are clean and free of smudges. Instead of reaching for a tissue or the edge of your shirt to clean your lenses (which we’re all guilty of doing), use a microfiber cloth specifically designed to rub the smudges away without damaging or scratching your glasses. The last thing you want in your professional headshot is a fingerprint mark on your glasses or foggy lenses blocking your eyes!
Tilt, tilt, tilt!
The best way to prevent that unwanted glare from hitting your lenses during a photo or video is to tilt! You might be wondering, “what am I tilting?” You have two options! One option is to tilt your chin down toward your chest about one inch. This subtle adjustment will hopefully have your eyes looking slightly over the lenses, preventing the glare. Another option is to slightly tilt the glasses themselves. In other words, move the frames down your nose ever so slightly, and this will also prevent the light from hitting them in a way that gives a glare. It may also help you to move your head to the left or right until the glare disappears. In short, don’t be afraid to move around until there’s no glare and the photographer can clearly see your eyes beneath your glasses!
Upgrade your frames
Before you take your headshot or create a video for social media to convey your personality and charisma, take a look at your current frames. While having an eye exam and checking your prescription is always a good idea, let this headshot be the perfect reason to upgrade your eyeglasses to a pair that perfectly suits you and your personality. Don’t be afraid to try out new styles: round or square, narrow or wide, metal or acetate, tortoise or pink. There are countless options out there to customize a lens that is uniquely you. You might even consider investing in more than one pair of frames to give yourself some variety in pictures, videos, and in person.
Focus on lighting
Lighting is key to any photo, but it’s especially important to hone in on while having a headshot taken and even more crucial if you’re wearing glasses. If you’re opting for an indoor headshot, it’s a good idea to use a softbox lighting kit. Using a softbox helps to evenly spread a soft, diffused light across your face which will lessen the chance of having a glare on your glasses.
Another option is to purchase a reflector disk and play around with moving it to see how it affects the lighting. Both gold and silver reflectors give off a unique look and can be fun to experiment with during your photo shoot or video. If you’re outdoors, try to position the sun to be behind you, or to the side of you.
Be confident
Last but certainly not least, be confident and be yourself! Putting yourself out there building your personal brand or leveraging video for social selling can be intimidating and stressful. Don’t let a little thing like your cool specs be a hindrance. Work these tips to make those glasses a cool part of your vibe.
Social sellers: When a potential customer is looking at your LinkedIn profile after you left that thoughtful, insightful comment on their post, don’t you want a headshot and videos that show you doing your thing and looking sharp and super profesh in your glasses?
Job seekers: When an employer is doing their research on applicants, they’re likely going to want to put a face to the name, so you might as well share a photo that conveys you perfectly! Show off those new eyeglass frames, and wear an outfit that makes them stand out!
Whether your looking for a job, doing sales & marketing videos for your brand, or trying to be an online influencer, If you wear glasses every day, there is no reason to remove them for a photo and change what makes you, you!
If you’re gearing up for a headshot, try out a few of these tips and you’ll be good to go. If you take one thing away from this—keep your glasses on! There are plenty of ways to ensure you get the perfect photo without having to abandon your best accessory.
