What to Bring to a Headshot Session in Leicester

Decide where your headshots need to work

List the places the finished images will appear: your website, LinkedIn profile, press kit, email signature or event materials. Note whether each destination needs a square, vertical or wide crop. A photographer can leave space around the subject when they know a banner will need text beside the portrait. If a brand team will choose the final image, identify that reviewer before the shoot.

Choose a simple visual direction rather than trying to imitate someone else's portrait exactly. Three words such as approachable, focused and contemporary are more useful than a folder of unrelated examples. Tell the photographer whether the image should feel formal or relaxed and whether it needs to sit beside existing team portraits. Bring any brand guidance that affects background colour, clothing or crop, but leave room for the photographer to respond to the person in front of the camera.

Bring clothing that supports the role and the crop

Pack one main outfit that feels like something you would genuinely wear in the setting represented by the portrait. Add a second option only if it serves a different use, such as a more formal biography and a more relaxed founder profile. Check fit, creases and necklines in advance. If a jacket or shirt shifts when you sit or turn, test it before the session rather than discovering the problem after a sequence of frames.

Avoid treating colour rules as absolute. Instead, look at how the clothing separates from the likely background and whether strong patterns pull attention away from the face. Bring a lint roller, a comb and any small personal items you normally use to look and feel prepared. If several colleagues are attending, share a loose palette and level of formality, while allowing each person's clothing to remain individual.

• One main outfit plus a purposeful alternative
• Any brand or crop requirements
• Simple grooming and clothing-care items
• Contact details for the person approving final images

Plan the whole appointment, not only camera time

Allow for arrival, a short briefing, lighting tests, adjustments, review and wrap. The first few frames often help someone settle into the process; they need not be the final choice. If you want portraits of multiple people, build a schedule with a clear order and a little space between them. The organiser should tell everyone when to arrive and who will confirm that the images meet the brief.

Studio A at Patmos has a two-hour minimum and is listed from £30 per hour. That gives a practical baseline for a headshot session in Leicester, but the right booking length depends on the number of people, looks and final uses. A larger team or several distinct setups may need longer. Confirm the intended scope with your photographer before choosing the duration.

Use the studio setting with intention

A controlled studio setting helps the team make considered choices about light and background. Studio A is a flexible, light-controlled photography space with professional lighting, a backdrop system and a changing and preparation area. These are confirmed features, but they do not replace a brief or guarantee a particular look without planning. Discuss the visual direction and anything your production must bring before the date.

During the session, ask to see a few frames at agreed checkpoints. Look at expression, posture, background and space for the intended crop, not only whether the picture looks flattering on a small screen. Give feedback in terms of use: perhaps the website image needs more room on one side, or a speaker portrait should feel more direct. That makes adjustments specific and quick.

Leave with a clear selection plan

Before the final setup is cleared, check that each required use has at least one promising option. Record who will select images, who will edit them and what file sizes or crops are needed. Those services and delivery terms depend on your arrangement with your photographer; do not assume they are included in studio hire. A short note at wrap prevents different people making conflicting selections later.

If you are planning a Leicester headshot session, begin with the output list and book enough time for preparation as well as the portraits. Review the Studio A page to see the confirmed room features and contact Patmos if you need to clarify a practical requirement before reserving the space.