Portraits and headshots

Andy has been photographing people ever since he picked up a camera. People, who they are, what they do and where they do this has always been his focus. From documenting his experiences, through the people around him, in the British Army to his editorial work when he started his photography career portraits and headshots have been a staple of Andy’s work. So it was no surprise that Andy decided to specialise in portraiture. Taking over 200 portraits the first year into this decision Andy’s biggest take away was the key to a good portrait was the relationship with the person in front of his camera. Without a relationship, there is little foundation for trust, and without trust, you are not going to capture emotional honesty.

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Portrait of man in black leather jacket double exposure by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Black and white studio portrait of British rapper and singer Tinie Tempah in glasses and a jacket looking at the camera lit by one light on camera right by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait of a pensive woman wearing colourful shirt in front of a black background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait of a man in a suit a tie putting on a pair of glasses in front of a white background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait and headshot photographer

Andy’s portraits and headshots combine his lighting skills with his interpersonal ones. Every session starts with a conversation to establish a rapport and build a relationship with this portrait sitters. This also gives him the chance to gauge facial and micro expressions which allow him to give direction during a portrait session to achieve the session’s aims.

Portrait of a woman with long hair in overcoat and white shirt with a bow in front of a white background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait of a man with stubble in a grey turtleneck tee in front of a black background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait of a black man in white t-shirt with one hand holding his black leather jacket in front of a black background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait of a young woman in black jumper and hands in beige linen trouser pockets in front of a black background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portrait of black man with green hair, hands on his heads, in unbuttoned denim shirt showing his abs in front of a white background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

Portraits and headshots

In a landscape dominated by content, a portrait or headshot is your calling card to introduce yourself online, to put a face to your name and show others what you look like. This helps build trust that you are an actual person, not a bot, and to document what you look like. Portraits and headshots help reveal your mood or personal story through expression, posture, lighting, and setting. My portrait and headshot session guidelines, for my studio in Cheltenham, by the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, can be found here.

A LinkedIn headshot acts as your digital handshake, making your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by other users and significantly increasing trust with recruiters.

Authors

An author headshot is a key marketing and branding tool that puts a face to your name, and lets fans feel a personal bond with the mind behind the stories.

Actors

An actor headshot is a primary visual CV and the single most important marketing tool used by casting directors, agents, and producers to decide whether to call you in for a role.

Consultants

As a consultant, you are your brand—clients aren’t just buying a service, they are hiring you, your expertise, and your trust.

Portrait of a man with cropped hair with hands behind his head in front of a white background by portrait photographer Andy Barnham

How to look better in a portrait session

HOWAndy's portrait sessions, at his home studio in Cheltenham, by the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, last 1 hour and cost £120. The first 20mins per session is spent in conversation to get on the same wavelength and to confirm the aims of the portraits and headshots. This also gives him the opportunity to learn your facial expressions which helps his direction as the shoot progresses. During the shoot you will have the opportunity to view the images so you can make immediate changes if necessary. At the end, choose your favourites and Andy will email them to you so you can check them with fresh eyes and take your time before choosing your top 5. Andy will edit and fine tune this selection before sending you the high (printable to A4) and lo (for screen use). More details as to his portrait and headshots sessions are here.