Creative Business Owner Headshots
Creative business owners face a headshot challenge that most corporate professionals don't. You need an image that feels professional enough to book a client and personal enough to actually look like you.
A headshot that works for a finance executive at Bishop Ranch isn't the same headshot that works for a jewelry designer, a wellness coach or an interior decorator. The standard corporate setup, navy blazer, neutral background, formal pose leaves creative professionals looking like someone they're not.
Here's what actually works.
Lead With Your Personality, Not Just Your Profession
Your clients choose you partly because of who you are, not just what you do. A great headshot for a creative business owner communicates warmth, approachability and confidence, in that order.
That starts before the camera is ever picked up. Before every session, we talk through where these images are going, who your ideal client is and what you want them to feel when they see your photo. The answers shape everything: wardrobe, expression, background and framing.
Wardrobe Matters More Than You Think
Creative professionals often have more wardrobe flexibility than corporate clients, which is an advantage. A few things that consistently work well:
Colors that complement your skin tone and reflect your brand palette
Textures and layers that add visual interest without competing with your face
Something you'd actually wear to meet a client — not a costume, not a compromise
2 to 3 outfit options so you have variety in your final gallery
Avoid large logos, busy patterns and anything that draws attention away from your expression.
Location and Background Options
Sessions take place at the studio at 4725 1st Street in downtown Pleasanton. The studio has multiple background options, clean and simple or with more character, depending on the look you're going for.
For creative business owners, the background conversation is worth having. A simple light background reads clean and versatile across platforms. A darker or more textured background adds depth and personality. Many clients shoot both and use them for different purposes.
What the Session Looks Like
You don't need to know how to pose. That's the job on the photographer's side of the camera. Expect direction throughout, specific guidance on where to look, how to hold your shoulders, what to do with your hands and how to find an expression that looks natural rather than forced.
Most individual sessions run 60 minutes with time for outfit changes. By the end, most clients tell me it felt nothing like they expected in a good way.
After Your Session
Your fully retouched images are delivered through a private online gallery. Images are purchased individually and all include professional retouching. Full-resolution files are included for both print and web use.
Who This Session Is For
This kind of session works especially well for:
Coaches, consultants and speakers
Designers, artists and makers
Health and wellness professionals
Real estate professionals building a personal brand
Any business owner whose face is central to their marketing
If your headshot needs to work as hard as you do, this is the session.
Bay Area Photographer Creates Movement to Capture and Preserve Women’s Stories
Recently, my storytelling project celebrating women was featured in Pleasanton Weekly and it feels incredibly meaningful to see this work beginning to reach a wider audience.
I’m so grateful to Pleasanton Weekly for highlighting the project and sharing the voices of some of the remarkable women who have already been part of it. Their stories are powerful, honest, and deeply human—and they are exactly why this work exists.
As a professional photographer based in Pleasanton, I’ve spent years helping people feel confident and seen in front of the camera. But this project goes beyond a traditional portrait. It’s about capturing something far more lasting—identity, legacy, and truth.
What This Project Is About
This is more than a photoshoot. It’s a guided storytelling experience designed to help women be fully seen and heard.
Each participant is invited to share her story—her journey, her challenges, her growth, and her voice. Through both imagery and words, we’re creating something timeless. Something that reflects not just how a woman looks, but who she truly is.
Why This Matters
So many women wait.
They wait until life slows down.
Until they feel more ready.
Until the timing feels right.
But the truth is—your story matters now.
This project is an invitation to step forward, to be visible, and to preserve your story in a way that feels authentic, elevated, and deeply personal.
Be Part of the Movement
As this project continues to grow, I’m inviting more women to be part of it.
If you’ve been thinking about capturing your story—or simply feeling the pull to be seen in a more meaningful way—I’d love for you to learn more.
To the women who have already stepped into this experience—thank you. Your stories are powerful, and they deserve to be seen, heard, and remembered.
What Color Should I Wear for My Headshot?
This is the question I get asked more than any other before a session. Wardrobe is one of the biggest variables in how a headshot turns out — and color is the most important part of the wardrobe conversation. Here's what 26 years of photographing professionals has taught me.
Colors That Photograph Well
Navy blue is the most reliable choice across all skin tones and backgrounds. It reads as professional and authoritative without being harsh. It works for corporate headshots, LinkedIn profiles and most industry types. When in doubt, navy is the answer.
Jewel tones — deep burgundy, forest green, sapphire, plum — photograph beautifully and add personality without being distracting. These work particularly well for professionals who want their headshot to feel warm and approachable rather than strictly corporate.
Charcoal and dark gray are strong alternatives to black. They have depth on camera without the contrast issues that pure black sometimes creates.
Colors to Avoid
White and off-white are the most common mistakes. Against a light or neutral background, white clothing disappears and draws attention away from your face. White also creates exposure challenges that flatten the overall image.
Beige and tan have a similar problem — they often blend into skin tones and backgrounds, creating a washed-out look.
Pastels, Neon and very saturated colors draw the eye to the clothing rather than your face. The goal is for people to remember your expression and presence, not your outfit.
Busy patterns, stripes and large prints are distracting on camera and date quickly. They also create visual tension in the image that works against a clean, polished look.
A Note on Black
Black is a popular choice and it does photograph well — with one important caveat. Make sure it's a true, fresh black. Faded black, washed-out black or black with lint reads poorly on camera and looks unprofessional in the final image. If you're wearing black, make sure it's freshly laundered, free of lint and has good depth to the color.
How to Match Color to Your Background
The background you choose for your session also affects what color reads best. A few general guidelines:
Against a white or light gray background, deeper colors — navy, burgundy, charcoal — create a clean, strong contrast
Against a dark or charcoal background, medium tones and jewel tones work well
Against a warm background, cooler tones often balance the image nicely
This is one of the reasons wardrobe planning is part of every session. Knowing your background choice before you pack your clothes makes a real difference.
How Skin Tone Affects Color Choice
Color doesn't work in isolation — it works in relationship to your skin tone. A few broad principles:
Cooler skin tones tend to look best in jewel tones, navy, burgundy and cool grays
Warmer skin tones tend to look best in earth tones, warm neutrals, olive green and warm blues
Deeper skin tones are often the most flexible — rich jewel tones, bold colors and deep neutrals all tend to photograph well
If you're unsure, navy is a safe starting point for almost every skin tone.
Bring More Than One Option
The easiest way to take wardrobe pressure off the day of your session is to bring 2 to 3 outfit options. Different colors and necklines give you flexibility in your final gallery, a more formal look for your company website, a slightly more relaxed look for LinkedIn, a bolder color for speaking bios or press features.
After you book your session, a wardrobe prep guide is sent with your confirmation. If you'd like to talk through your specific options before the session, that's available too.
Quick Reference — Headshot Color Guide
Best choices: Navy, jewel tones (burgundy, forest green, sapphire, plum), charcoal, muted warm tones
Use with care: Black (only fresh and lint-free), bold patterns (only if they're part of your brand)
Avoid: White, off-white, beige, neon, busy patterns, large logos
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best color to wear for a LinkedIn headshot? Navy is the most reliable choice. It photographs well on all skin tones and reads as professional across every industry.
Should I avoid black for headshots? Not necessarily — but make sure it's a true, deep black. Faded or washed-out black reads poorly on camera. If your black is fresh and lint-free, it's a solid choice.
Can I wear patterns for my headshot? Small, subtle patterns can work. Large prints, bold stripes and busy patterns tend to distract from your face and date quickly. Solid colors are almost always the stronger choice.
Does background color affect what I should wear? Yes. Deeper, richer colors work well against light backgrounds. Knowing your background choice before you pack your wardrobe helps you make the right call.
Can I bring multiple outfits? Yes — and it's encouraged. Bringing 2 to 3 options gives you variety in your final gallery and takes the pressure off having to get it perfect in one look.
It is Womens History Month Make Sure Womens Stories Are Heard
I've been thinking about my grandmother lately.
Not just this month — though Women's History Month has a way of bringing her closer. I've been thinking about the stories she carried. The things she lived through, survived, built, and lost. The wisdom she had that I only caught in glimpses before she was gone.
I never thought to ask her to tell me everything. I assumed there would be time.
There wasn't.
And I don't think I'm alone in that. I think most of us have a woman in our lives — a mother, a grandmother, an aunt, a mentor — whose story we only half know. Whose voice we'd give anything to hear again. Whose face we wish we'd photographed more honestly, more carefully, more intentionally.
That grief is part of why I became a photographer. And it's entirely why I created Her Words, Her Light.
What Her Words, Her Light Actually Is
I want to be clear about something: this is not a portrait session with a fun podcast add-on. This is a documentary project. A legacy archive. A deliberate act of preservation.
Every woman who participates is personally selected — because I see something in her worth documenting. She comes to my Pleasanton studio, where we create a cinematic black-and-white portrait that captures who she actually is. Not who she thinks she should be. Not her LinkedIn headshot. Her.
Then we talk. An unscripted, honest conversation that becomes a full episode of Visible Impact — my new podcast dedicated to the stories women are finally ready to tell.
Together, the portrait and the podcast episode become something lasting. Something her daughters and granddaughters can return to. Something that says: she was here, and she mattered, and this is what she had to say.
The Thing I Keep Hearing
Every woman I've approached about this project says the same thing first.
"I don't think I'm interesting enough." "My story isn't that special." "I hate being in front of a camera."
And every single woman who has pushed past that and participated has left the studio changed. Not because I did anything magical — but because being truly seen, and truly heard, does something to a person. It reminds her that her story matters. That she matters.
That's not a small thing. In a world drowning in artificial images and curated perfection, being seen honestly might be the most radical act there is.
Why Now
Women's History Month exists to remind us that history is made of individual stories — not just movements and milestones, but the quiet, extraordinary lives of ordinary women.
I want to document those lives before they're gone.
If you've been thinking about participating, or if someone came to mind while you were reading this — please don't wait. Sessions are $650 and include your portrait, a fine art print, and a full episode of Visible Impact. Participation is by application and personal invitation.
This is your invitation.
What to Wear for Your Headshot: Wardrobe, Makeup and Hair Tips
Preparation is one of the biggest factors in how a headshot turns out. The choices you make beforehand about wardrobe, hair and makeup shape the result as much as anything that happens in the studio. Here's what 26 years of photographing professionals has taught me about what works.
Wardrobe: What to Wear
Stick to solid colors Solid colors almost always outperform patterns on camera. Busy prints, stripes and bold graphics draw attention away from your face and date quickly. A solid color in a flattering shade keeps the focus where it belongs.
Best colors for headshots Navy is the most reliable choice across all skin tones, it reads as professional and photographs cleanly against most backgrounds. Other strong options include jewel tones (burgundy, forest green, sapphire, plum), charcoal, muted warm neutrals and dusty pastels.
Colors to avoid White and off-white tend to wash out against light backgrounds and create exposure challenges. Beige and tan often blend into skin tones. Neon and highly saturated colors pull attention away from your face.
Fit matters Clothing should fit well, not too tight, not too loose. Anything that bunches, pulls or gaps will show on camera.
Bring options Pack 2 to 3 outfits. Different colors and necklines give you variety across your final gallery, a more formal look for your company website, a slightly more relaxed look for LinkedIn, a bolder color for a speaking bio.
A note on black Black photographs well when it's a true, deep, fresh black. Faded or washed-out black reads poorly on camera. If you're wearing black, make sure it's freshly laundered and free of lint.
Makeup Tips for Headshots
Why headshot makeup is different The camera picks up more detail than the eye does. Makeup that looks natural in person can read as too light on camera, and makeup that looks overdone in person can look perfectly natural in photos. The goal is a polished, even look that doesn't call attention to itself.
Foundation and base Your base is the most important step. Make sure your foundation matches your natural skin tone exactly, particularly at the jaw and neck. A mismatched foundation line shows clearly in photos. Set your base with powder to reduce shine, as the studio lights pick up oil and sheen quickly.
Eyes Defined eyes read better on camera than bare ones. A neutral eyeshadow, defined lashes and a subtle liner help your eyes show up clearly without looking overdone. Avoid very dark or smoky looks unless that's genuinely part of your personal brand.
Lips A neutral to slightly deeper lip color photographs well. Very light or nude lips can disappear on camera. Avoid glossy formulas, matte or satin finishes hold up better under studio lights.
Avoid shimmer and glitter Highlighter, shimmer eyeshadow and glittery products reflect studio lighting in ways that create distracting bright spots. Stick to matte and satin finishes throughout.
Professional makeup services Professional hair and makeup is available through Nina's preferred artists, who understand what reads well on camera for a professional headshot. If you're considering it, ask when you book, it's worth the investment.
Touch-up kit Bring your makeup for touch-ups during the session. Blotting papers, powder, lip color and anything you used for your base are all worth having on hand.
Hair Tips for Headshots
Keep it simple and controlled The most common hair mistake in headshots is flyaway or frizzy hair that distracts from the face. Whatever your natural style, the goal is a version of it that's clean, controlled and intentional.
Freshly washed or styled Show up with hair that's freshly washed or professionally styled. Avoid dry shampoo overload, it creates a dull, powdery texture that reads flat on camera.
Avoid major changes right before your session A new haircut or color right before your session is a risk. If something doesn't go as planned, there's no time to correct it. Schedule any significant changes at least two weeks before your session.
Longer hair If you typically wear your hair down, bring the tools to put it up as well. Having both options gives you variety in your gallery, some clients find they prefer a more polished updo for their corporate headshot and their natural style for LinkedIn.
Men's grooming Freshly groomed is the right call. A haircut and fresh shave or trim of any facial hair within a day or two of the session makes a visible difference. Avoid heavy product that makes hair look wet or overly styled.
The studio has a steamer and a dressing area If anything needs a quick refresh when you arrive, the studio is set up for it.
Quick Reference Checklist
Before your session, run through this list:
2 to 3 solid color outfit options packed and pressed
Lint roller in your bag
Foundation that matches your skin tone at the neck
Makeup touch-up kit
Hair tools if you want an updo option
Glasses if you typically wear them
Any props relevant to your personal brand
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get professional hair and makeup for my headshot? It's worth considering. The camera picks up more detail than the eye does, and professional makeup artists who work with photographers know how to produce results that look natural on camera. Ask when you book.
What if I don't wear much makeup? That's completely fine. A light, even base and some definition around the eyes is enough. The goal is a polished version of how you normally look, not a transformation.
Should I get a haircut before my session? If you're planning one, schedule it at least a week before the session so it has time to settle. Last-minute cuts are a risk if the result isn't what you expected.
What if I'm not sure what to wear? A wardrobe prep guide is sent with every booking confirmation. If you'd like specific feedback on your options before the session, send photos and Nina will weigh in.
Senior C-Suite HR Executive Magazine Feature
As featured in HR Magazine - Sumer 2020 Issue.
