What Happens After Your Headshot Session
My favorite part of a headshot session happens after the camera goes down.
It's the email I get when a client opens their finished image for the first time. Sometimes it's one short line. Sometimes it's a long note about finally feeling ready to replace a LinkedIn photo that's been up for years.
A recent testimonial:
“I had a wonderful experience getting photographed by Nina. My appointment was filled with her expertise, passion, & joy. She knew how to make you laugh and feel comfortable when it came to the awkwardness of being photographed. She gave me plenty of options and wanted to ensure that the photo I chose was one where I felt most happy and confident. I loved how it turned out and I’d recommend Nina to anyone else looking for the perfect headshot.Getting to that moment takes a few steps. If it's been a while since your last professional headshot, here's exactly what to expect.”
Step 1: Choosing Your Images Together
At the end of your studio session, we sit down together and review your images on screen.
You'll notice small differences from frame to frame. A slight tilt of the chin. A smile that reached your eyes half a second later. Those differences matter, and you're the best judge of which one feels most like you. I'm right there beside you to share my perspective.
A few tips for choosing:
Look at your eyes first. The frame where your eyes feel engaged is usually the one.
Think about where your image will live. LinkedIn, your company website and a speaker bio each set a slightly different tone.
Trust your first reaction. You know how you want to be seen.
Each image you choose becomes a finished portrait. You might choose one image or a few, so you have options for different platforms.
You leave the studio with your decision made. No homework, no gallery to sort through later.
Booked an On-Location Session?
When I photograph you at your office or another location, the process has one extra step. Within 5 business days, I send you a private proof gallery.
Your proofs are unretouched previews and each one carries my watermark. That's your signal it's a preview. The lighting and expression are there. The finishing work hasn't happened yet.
Please make your selections within 3 days so your finished images reaches you while the excitement is still fresh.
Your proofs stay in the gallery. Your finished image is the one meant for the world.
Step 2: Retouching
This is where your image becomes your headshot.
I retouch every image myself. I soften what's temporary, such as a blemish or a stray hair, and keep what makes you recognizable. I balance color and light so your skin looks natural. I never reshape your face or make you look like someone else.
When someone meets you after seeing your headshot, I want them to recognize you right away.
Retouching takes 3 business days from the day you make your selection.
Step 3: Your Finished Image
Your final image arrives as a high-resolution file, ready for LinkedIn, your website, your company directory and your next speaker bio.
Your purchase includes a license to use your finished image. In plain terms, you're free to use it for for example professional profiles, website and print materials. As the photographer, I keep the copyright, which is standard practice in professional photography.
Why the Wait Is Worth It
When you love an image, you want to share it right away. I understand that.
What you see on screen captures the moment. The finished image is the one you'll use for the next several years. It's what a recruiter, a new client or a conference audience sees before they ever meet you.
A few extra days give you an image you'll be proud to use every time.
Ready When You Are
If you've been putting off a new headshot, I'd love to help. My studio is in downtown Pleasanton and I photograph clients from across the Tri-Valley and East Bay.
