Do you offer headshots for men?

I get asked this one a lot, and the simple answer is you betcha!

I do love photographing women, but I consider photographing all people (including men, children, families, and pets too) to be an honor. Model: the dapper Rohain Aurora with hair and makeup by the oh-so-talented Madeline Baye. Photograph by Laura Shortt. All rights reserved.

I’ve been getting this question quite a bit from men recently who are drawn to the aesthetic of my portfolio, but want to double check that I do actually offer photographic services to men.

It’s true, I do love photographing women. Why? In my experience (as both a photographer of women and as a woman myself), women usually don’t see how beautiful they are, and tend to focus more on their flaws. And it’s so ridiculously rewarding to see the reaction that women have when they see how beautiful they are in the portraits that I’ve taken of them.

(Note: I honestly think that so many women feel negatively about their physical appearance because 3/4 of the time they see themselves under harsh, overhead fluorescent lighting, not understanding that good lighting is imperative to looking our best. So when I get the privilege of photographing women, it is always such a joy to see their reactions as they see how amazing they look when lit correctly. For a related topic, check out another blog post, “Why I’m done with ‘Not Good Enough’.)

Black and White studio portraits of the beautiful Isabella Piercey with hair and makeup by the wonderful Vivian Chen. Photograph by Laura Shortt. All rights reserved.

All that being said, photographing people in general (whether men’s headshots, corporate group headshots, grad photos, children’s portraits, and even pet portraits) is also a pleasure and a joy for me, and so when men come to me for headshots, it’s a lovely change in gear.

Is there anything you do differently when photographing men?

Yes and no. Male clients are offered the same complimentary wardrobe consultation that female clients receive. Professional hair and makeup is offered to women, and on-site grooming is available for men on the day of their photo shoot (although I don’t recommend that men get makeup- it’s one of life’s great mysteries that men universally look better on camera with no makeup).

The main differences in the process of photographing men versus women occur in posing:

In these three portraits of Rohain, I posed him in such a way to open up his upper body to make his shoulders appear larger on camera. This is a universally flattering trick that makes all men look powerful on camera. When photographing men, I’m also conscious of posing the chin correctly (pushed towards camera, but not lowered) to add extra definition to the jawline. Photographs by Laura Shortt. All rights reserved.

1) Men should have a V-shape in their upper bodies (versus an hourglass shape for women).

This means that we want strong shoulders and a thin waist for a man. A man’s shoulders can be made to look more board by 1) getting him to lean slightly towards camera and 2) getting him to open his limbs up away from his body to make his upper body appear larger. Women are the opposite in that I would never try to broaden a female client’s shoulders on camera. (When photographing women, the goal 99% of the time is to create an hourglass figure. I’ll be talking more about women and posing in an upcoming blog post, so stay tuned for that…)

2) Creating a strong jawline for men.

Again, this is something I would never do with a female client. The coaching I give to a woman during her session is to tell her to push her chin forward and lower it slightly. When done correctly, this move will create a very flattering jawline shape that is also very feminine. Men, on the other hand, generally only need to push their chins forward. There is no lowering of the chin for male clients (unless a client has a habit of lifting his chin too high, in which case I will direct him to lower it). But most of the time, if a man lowers his chin while looking at the camera it will reduce his jawline and be less flattering. And with men, we want to create a jawline so chiseled that you could grate cheese on it 😎.

In conclusion…

To sum up, I adore photographing women, but I consider photographing men to be a privilege as well. And while there are some key posing differences between the two, overall, the photo shoot process is quite similar for both male and female clients.

If you’re ready to learn more, or if you’d like to request a welcome guide, please feel free to head on over to www.laurashortt.com/contact/ to complete the form and you’ll receive a reply within 24 hours.