The Formula for Your Perfect Pageant Head Shot

As I’m in the midst of working on head shots for upcoming Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Volunteer America state & national pageants, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a pageant head shot tick all of the boxes. Posing, expression, wardrobe, backdrop, lighting, hair, makeup — these and more all come together to create your unique first impression for the judges.

A successful head shot visually reflects your personality and level of preparation for the role of a state or national titleholder, so it is important that we ensure every detail is intentional. Here are some key things that we consider through the entire process of planning your photo shoot!

The Big Picture, and the Biggest Question; What Should I Wear for My Pageant Head Shot?

Planning is the most important part of the process when creating images — each session with my team includes a call with me to discuss your overall vision for the shoot, and once you’re booked in a wardrobe consultation with Keely, our expert wardrobe stylist, to dive into look details.

Keely will study your personality and coloring (skin tone, hair color, etc.) to select the best options for your session wardrobe. Wearing silhouettes & colors that suit you the most is a massive advantage when competing that will ensure you always stand out.

Specifically for head shots, Keely will suggest necklines that are both interesting and suitable for your pageant’s image requirements.

For example - many systems will crop images multiple ways depending on the medium (judges’ binders, stage background images, social & print graphics highlighting contestants, etc.), so she will avoid styling you in a strapless or very low off the shoulder top for a head shot look. If a top sits too low, it may be entirely cropped from the image leaving you looking bare. This doesn’t mean that we never use these styles of tops, but it’s a common example of something we encounter that our clients may not have considered… and that’s exactly why we’re here!

Wardrobe sets the tone for the entire session — based on how Keely styles you I will select backdrops, lighting, and posing that complement.

Images that are custom to you will set you apart from the rest in the lineup!

Lash choice is key — for camera, false lashes can’t be massive and dense. If they are, you risk losing catchlights (those gorgeous bright spots you see in Nicole’s eyes here) which add so much life and impact to your images.

Honing in: Hair & Makeup Considerations

The most important thing to remember about makeup is that you do not need as much makeup for a photo shoot as you will on stage. (The same goes for fake tan, too.)

The level of makeup for camera is closer to polished makeup for face-to-face interactions like interview than makeup to combat bright stage lighting. Hair & Makeup is included with all of our sessions so that you won’t need to worry about these details. but it’s still valuable info to know as a titleholder!

Cameras are so high definition that if the look isn’t properly balanced, it will take away from your natural features and can actually create more retouching work. Makeup can be ultra-natural, full glam, or somewhere in between on camera, but having a professional who knows how to harmonize all of the elements with your features is integral to the overall success of your head shots.

Now, it’s almost the opposite story for hair. The more volume, the better and more luscious it will look on camera. Extensions are highly recommended (for density, not necessarily length) to achieve styles like a soft voluminous wave, and different levels of depth in hair color is optimal for camera. Consider adding soft high or low lights to break up the color and add extra dimension. Keely’s hair wind skills will add the perfect final touch to your head shots!

The Tiny Details: What You Won’t See in Final Images (because we’re perfectionists)

Bringing multiple undergarment options (strapless bra, bandeau, nipple covers, etc.) to your photo shoot can help to prevent visible lines in your images, but depending on your wardrobe eliminating lines like the top of the bra shown here may be unavoidable — and that’s totally fine! This can be removed in post production easily once your final selections are made.

Similar details to watch for — bra straps, hanging loops, tags, impressions left on the skin by hair ties and jewelry, fake tan inconsistencies & transfer on clothing, and the freshness of your manicure. I keep a keen eye out for these things as they can be majorly distracting and take away from the professional polish of your images (which you invested time and money in!).

Satin is one of the most unforgiving fabric finishes on camera. In this case, the color and neckline were perfect for our client, so Keely decided it was the right choice to style her in for her head shots and I removed unwanted creases & undergarment lines when retouching.

While there is a lot of great information in this post, it barely scratches the surface of our custom photo shoot experience.

Competing for Miss Connecticut or Miss Connecticut’s Teen 2025? Head here to book your Head Shot Refresh coming up on 3/15