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If it's time to update your Facebook profile or send a sexy pic to that special someone, get ready to snap several head shots of yourself. Choose a day when your hair looks ultra cute and your make-up looks picture perfect. If you're smiling for the world to see, you wanna look hot! There's no need to spend your hard-earned cash at a studio for a simple headshot. Crank up the tunes, play dress-up in your favorite outfits, grab a friend and fire up that camera. It's time to work it, baby!
1.
Grab the camera and put in a fresh set of batteries, film or a digital media card. Have a friend assist with the camera button pushing -- since your gal pal will be there anyway to assist with any last minute beauty touch-ups.
2.
Scout out a location in your home to take the headshot. Look for plain backgrounds without distractions. Think plain walls, lush greenery outside or even a solid-colored shower curtain. This is not the time to showcase your (possible lack of) housekeeping skills by taking pictures in your messy bedroom. Consider sitting on a chair, lying on plain-colored carpet or leaning against a tree outside.
3.
Practice your posing, smiling, head tilts and expressions. Grab a handheld mirror and see what looks good. Ask your friend for advice. Depending on the primary use for the headshot, you may want to strike a pouty pose, flash a professional smile -- or erupt into laughter and show your wild side.
4.
Ask your friend to look through the camera's viewfinder, or size up the headshot by looking on the back of a digital camera. Frame the headshot as a close-up picture. Zoom or walk close enough to your friend so head and shoulders fill the camera's viewfinder. Turn the camera both vertically and horizontally for a variety of views.
5.
Press the shutter button lightly -- halfway down -- to activate the auto focus feature. Check the focusing points in the camera's viewfinder. Make sure they land on the face -- especially the eyes. You don't want a headshot that focuses on your neck, leaving your eyes blurry!
6.
Move the pictures to the computer and fix 'em up. Download digital files, or have film processed and put onto a CD for computer use. Use photo editing software to crop, rotate or turn the headshot into black and white. Choose your favorite pose and share your headshot!
Take a variety of pictures, and choose your favorites later. Editing through images during the shoot can become frustrating, and the emotions will show in the photos.
