What to Wear for Your Corporate Headshot: Advice from a Sacramento Photographer
The most common question I get before a session isn't about location or timing. It's "what are others doing?" — or some version of "do you have any clothing recommendations?"
After photographing executives, attorneys, medical professionals, and corporate teams across Sacramento and Northern California for years, I've heard it enough times that it seemed worth writing down.
Avoid white and black if you can. White photographs very bright and black photographs very dark. Neither does you any favors against most backgrounds. You don't need to eliminate them entirely, but if you have a choice between a white shirt and a light blue one, go with the blue. Same logic applies on the dark end — navy and charcoal read much better on camera than true black.
Stay away from heavy patterns and logos. A bold stripe or a busy plaid pulls attention away from your face, which is the whole point of a headshot. Logos do the same thing — they become a distraction. Solid colors and subtle textures almost always work better.
Iron everything before you arrive. This one sounds obvious but it gets skipped more than you'd think. Wrinkles that look minor in person photograph clearly. Take five minutes the night before and go through everything you're planning to bring. You'll thank yourself when you see the images.
Bring more than you think you need. More options is always better than fewer. Bring the jacket and the no-jacket version. Bring the blazer and the softer option. Different looks photograph differently depending on the background and lighting, and having choices on set means we can make decisions in the moment rather than working with whatever you showed up in. Nobody has ever complained about having too many options.
What Sacramento executives are wearing right now. For men, navy and gray are the current standard — open collar or a tie depending on your industry. Law firms and financial services can still pull off a tie naturally. Most other Sacramento-area professionals read better without one. For women, blazers and structured necklines are consistently strong. Solid colors in the quiet luxury range — camel, slate, burgundy, forest green — are photographing particularly well right now.
The bottom line. Wear something that feels like you at your best. Not a costume, not something you'd never actually wear to work. The goal is a photo that looks like a polished version of yourself — not a different person entirely.
If you're preparing for an executive headshot session in Sacramento and want to talk through what to bring, reach out before your session. That's what I'm here for.