MEN’S PREP GUIDE
As long as you show up, I've got the rest. That's the deal. I can't wait to make this easy for you.
-Judith
LET'S GET TO WORK.
I'm glad you're here. I tend to over-share with my clients so you know exactly how to prep and exactly what to expect, start to finish. Most men come to me for one of two reasons: you need brand images that make you look like the authority you already are, or you're here with your family. This guide covers both. Read it once, then come back to the parts you need.
Here's the truth about your brand: it's what people say about you when you're not in the room. Your image is how you steer that story before you ever open your mouth. Let's make it a good one.
It's thorough, so feel free to revisit as often as you need.
PLANNING
My personal branding sessions are about one thing: putting the most credible, confident version of you in front of the people you want to reach. Call it your brand, your reputation, or your legacy. Same thing. Your images are how you tell that story first.
Before your session, think about everywhere these images need to work for you: your website and LinkedIn, speaking decks and conference bios, press and trade publications, your company team page, podcast guesting, the about section nobody ever updates. Do you get interviewed? Do you speak? Do you lead a board? One strong session should cover a year or more of how you show up across all of it.
The question to sit with: what do you want people to feel when they see you? Approachable and easy to trust? Serious authority? Both? You don't have to answer that perfectly. Most people can't describe their own style, so I don't ask you to.
Here's what helps instead. Make a Pinterest board titled "(YOUR NAME) Photoshoot." Use your actual name so I don't end up with fifty boards called "MY PHOTOS" and no idea who's who. Then pin 25 or so images of men whose photos land for you: the lighting, the energy, the posture, the vibe. Don't overthink a single pin. I'm not copying anyone. I'm reading what you're drawn to so what I deliver actually feels like you, as long as it syncs with my style.
If you're not a Pinterest person, just email me 20 or so images you like. The board is easier, but either works.
STYLE OF IMAGES
CLEAN. CONFIDENT. A LITTLE BIT OF EDGE.
My standard branding style is clean and minimal, because you are the point, not the set. The goal is simple: when someone sees your photo, they feel your authority and they trust you on sight. Here are the looks we work with. Click any one to learn more.
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Simple. No props. Real expressions, captured on a solid or textured backdrop. This is about bringing out the essence of you with nothing in the way.
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The straightforward, polished shot that works everywhere: LinkedIn, team page, bio, press. We shoot these on black, charcoal, light gray, golden brown, or white depending on your brand.
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Less posed, more candid. You in motion, in your element, looking like you got caught mid-thought instead of mid-pose. Great for about pages and feature articles.
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More dramatic lighting and tone. Strong, cinematic, a little bit of edge. This is where we make you look like the cover, not the contributor.
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Open, clean, brighter feel. Often backlit or shot in soft natural light for an approachable, easy energy.
WARDROBE
Here's everything you need to know about what to bring. Don't let it stress you. My job is to make whatever you bring work, and I'm good at it.
The number one rule: don't bring anything you don't already feel good in. If you don't like yourself in it, you won't like the photo of yourself in it. Leave it home.
Bring 3 to 5 looks. We'll go through them together before we shoot and build the strongest options. Think about the real range of how you show up. For most men that's something like: a fitted tee or henley, jeans with a button-down, a button-down under a blazer, and a full suit with or without a tie. Pick the looks that match where your images actually need to live.
Below are colors, fits, and details that photograph well. Click any item to learn more. We'll also go over all of this at your Wardrobe and Design Consultation.
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A clean fitted tee, a henley, or a casual button-down with jeans or chinos. Approachable and real, the version of you people meet day to day.
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Business casual. A button-down or a fine-gauge sweater, maybe a blazer, no tie. This is the workhorse look most men end up using the most, so don't skip it.
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A well-fitted suit, or a blazer over a crisp shirt. If you wear a tie in real life, bring it. We can shoot the same look with and without, and with the jacket on and off, for range.
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For men, this is the whole game. Tailored beats expensive every single time. Clothes should follow your shape, not hang off you or strain across you. If a jacket gaps at the button or sleeves swallow your hands, the camera catches it. When in doubt, get it tailored ahead of time or bring a backup size.
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Solid colors photograph the cleanest and keep the focus on you. Skip busy plaids. A subtle texture is great. Loud logos are not.
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Layers give us three shots out of one outfit. Blazer on or off, sleeves down or rolled, collar open or buttoned. Bring pieces that let us shift the energy without a full change.
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Bring at least one light option (white, soft gray, light blue, cream) and one dark option (navy, charcoal, black, deep green). Both photograph beautifully and cover almost any brand palette.
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Wrinkles are the one thing that's a pain to fix later. Press or steam your shirts and jackets the night before, or bring them on hangers and we'll touch them up at the studio. And cut the tags off anything brand new.
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If we shoot you seated or full-length, your shoes show. Bring a pair to match each look, plus dark socks with no surprise pattern. Match your belt to your shoes and you're set.
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A good watch or a wedding band reads as a sharp finishing detail. Keep it to a piece or two. And empty your pockets before we shoot so there's no phone or keys bulge in the photos.
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Most men show up camera-ready and need nothing at all. If you'd like a little help on the day (shine control so you're not glossy under the lights, a quick beard tidy, a touch of concealer on a blemish), just ask me in advance and I'll arrange it. Completely optional, no pressure either way.
GET YOUR REST. SERIOUSLY. THE CAMERA SEES TIRED.
PLAN AHEAD Nothing kills the vibe like feeling rushed. Plan for traffic and aim to arrive about 5 minutes before your start time.
GET YOUR HAIRCUT EARLY, NOT LATE If you're getting a cut for this, do it one to two weeks out, not the day before. You want it settled in so it looks like you, not like you just left the chair. Same with a beard trim: shape it a few days ahead so it's clean but not raw.
HYDRATE AND ACTUALLY SLEEP Drink water the day before, get real sleep, and go easy on salt and alcohol the night before so you're not puffy. A rough night shows up on camera more than you'd think.
HANDS AND NAILS If we shoot any hand or arm detail, clean trimmed nails matter. Give them a quick once-over the night before.
BRING YOUR OPTIONS Bring all 3-5 looks even if you're not sure about some of them. I'll often style something you weren't planning on and it turns into your favorite shot.
MAKE A PLAYLIST Music helps you loosen up and get out of your head. Bring something that matches the energy you want. We've got a Bluetooth speaker at the studio, plus a few solid playlists of our own if you'd rather I run it.
TRUST ME I won't put you in anything that makes you look bad. I've been doing this a long time, and I know exactly how to light, angle, and direct a man so he looks approachable, has authority, and like himself. I've got you.
THE PART YOU'RE ACTUALLY WORRIED ABOUT
Let me get ahead of the thing running in your head. Most men who book a session are quietly thinking one of these. Here's the truth on each.
I FEEL STIFF AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY HANDS Nobody does, and that's the whole reason I exist. I direct every second of this. I'll get into the pose myself, you mirror me, and I adjust from there. You will never be standing there guessing. The men whose photos you admire weren't naturals either. They just had someone telling them where to put their chin.
I'M NOT PHOTOGENIC Photogenic just means comfortable on camera, and comfort is something I build for you with direction, lighting, and angles. In all my years doing this, I've never had a client I couldn't shoot well. Not one. That includes you.
THIS FEELS A LITTLE VAIN Good images are a business tool, plain and simple. A strong, current photo of you builds trust before you walk in a room and quietly works for your brand every day you're not thinking about it. Showing up as your best self on camera is one of the smartest, lowest-effort professional moves you can make. Full stop.
RETOUCHING POLICY I retouch to keep you looking like you, on a good day. Basic cleanup: a stray hair, a blemish, some shine, tired eyes. I can soften lines and wrinkles if you want them softened, or leave them be. A lot of men want them left in, and I respect that completely. You tell me how light or how thorough you want it.
DON’T YOU DARE
GET A FRESH HAIRCUT THE DAY BEFORE I'll say it twice because men do this constantly. A same-day or next-day cut reads as too sharp and not quite you. Give it a week or two to settle.
SHOW UP PUFFY Hold off on the alcohol the night before. Puffy and tired both photograph, and neither is the look we're going for. Save the celebration for after you see your images.
EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW LOOK This is not the session to debut a brand-new style, a beard shape you've never worn, or a color that isn't you yet. Show up as the sharpest version of who you already are. I've watched clients not love their photos simply because they weren't used to seeing themselves that way.
TALK SMACK ABOUT YOURSELF This is a studio that boost confidence and celebrates lives. No negative self takl is allowed. If there's one thing you're genuinely self-conscious about, tell me straight: "I like my X, but I'm self-conscious about my Y." I'll light, angle, and pose around it, and then I'll make it my mission to get you a shot of that exact thing that you actually like.
FORGET TO LOOSEN UP A few of these poses feel less natural than they look. Take two minutes the morning of to stretch your shoulders, neck, and back. Staying loose reads on camera as confidence.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE YOUR SHOOT, you'll get a confirmation from me making sure we're on the same page about your start time, end time, and location. I'll also check if you have any last questions.
ON THE DAY OF YOUR SHOOT, show up with your hair styled the way you normally wear it and your beard already shaped how you like it. If you asked for grooming, we'll handle shine and any quick touch-ups when you arrive. While you settle in, I'll look through your wardrobe and start building looks so we hit the ground running.
ONCE WE START, expect a lot of direction and a lot of encouragement. I won't expect you to know how to model. I'll show you exactly what to do and let you improvise once you're comfortable. I'll also crack a few jokes to get you out of your own head, so be ready for that (or don't, it works better that way).
YOUR SHOOT TIME will fly by, which is exactly what you want. That means it wasn't awkward or boring.
AT THE END OF YOUR SHOOT, we'll help you pack up, get your photo reveal appointment booked so you know exactly when you'll see your images.
WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS of your shoot, you'll have your reveal and ordering appointment with me, where you'll see your full collection and order anything you'd like. Plan to place your full order that day.
AT YOUR PHOTO REVEAL, we'll relax up in the loft, run a slideshow of your images, then go through your full collection of 50+ images. These appointments are genuinely fun. I can't wait to show you.
HERE WITH YOUR FAMILY?
If this is a family session, a few things keep it smooth:
Coordinate, don't match. Aim for the same color family and tone, not identical outfits. Think a shared palette of a few neutrals with one accent color woven through. Matchy-matchy reads dated; coordinated reads timeless.
Decide the vibe up front. Casual, dressy, or one of each. With a group we get fewer total looks, usually 2 to 3 depending on how many people, so we choose them on purpose.
You get more than the group shot. We always grab individual images of everyone plus all the different groupings, so you walk away with a real range, not just one big family photo.
How the day flows. If the women and older kids are doing hair and makeup, they come in first and make a morning of it. Dad and the little ones come in for the last hour for the family photo, and while you're already here and dressed, we'll grab an updated headshot for you too.
HOMEWORK
Homework is optional but it does help.
CREATE A VIBE BOARD Head to Pinterest and make a secret board called "(YOUR NAME) Photoshoot." Follow me, then invite me to the board, and spend a little time pinning images that speak to you. Don't overthink it. I just want a feel for the aesthetic you're drawn to.
No Pinterest and don't want it? Just email me 20 or so images you've found online that you like. This is not meant to mimic anything. This part is just to understand the vibe you are going for so that we are on the same page.
ANY QUESTIONS? Don't hesitate to ask. I'm here to help. If you want more guidance, book a call below.
OUR LOCATION JHP Studios in Marathon Village, 1310 Clinton Street, Nashville, TN 37203. The space is built for photos: gorgeous natural light and clean, simple sets, centrally located just west of downtown near the north Gulch.
