Necklaces and earrings are great to help add a splash of colour.

I'm a great believer in less is more generally. Keeping it simple is more timeless, elegant and classic. It's still important to reflect your personality, just ensure that your jewelry doesn't take away from your face. If you are in a creative field, it would be great to showcase your work and wear it as well so keep that in mind.

Regarding earrings, this will really depend on your hair style on the day. Studs or smaller earrings work best with shorter hair in more formal professions but creatives can afford to go a little more adventurous. For anyone with longer hair, depending on how your hair is styled on the day your earrings might not even be visible. Feel free to bring along a few options on the day if you aren't sure.

If you are getting your hair cut/coloured before the shoot, do it a week in advance to allow it to settle and not look to severe. For anyone with longer hair, I recommend nice soft, sleek, loose waves in your hair. If you can, get a blow dry and hair styled. It adds a little bit of polish to your shots and is more flattering. Tell your hairdresser it's for a personal branding session so pay particularly attention to the front of your hair (around your face) as that's the part we will be capturing most in the shots (as opposed to the back). If your hair is shorter, just keep it in your normal style. Choose a style that highlights the natural curve and shape of your face.

Bring along your comb/brush/styling product and some hair spray / serum to the session. I'm happy to help you fine tune before we kick off.

Facial Hair - Prepare your facial hair in advance - if you know that your skin gets very red or irritated leave time between the shoot and work you get done. If you have beard, try and get it trimmed and smooth with some hot oil treatment for a more conditioned look.

If you use fake tan, please try and ensure it is properly applied to the hands - not to heavy or patchy. I tend to find that when I'm applying it if I exfoliate beforehand and use lots of moisturiser on my hands just before I apply the fake tan it works best. Also if you have an old, clean powder makeup brush you can then use it to apply a thin layer of tan to the hands works a treat!

Your hands may end up in some shots, so ensure that your nails are trimmed/tidy and without any chipped polish. For women, neutral colours are popular however if you are in a more creative industry then you may wish to be a bit more adventurous. For men, a clean trim is sufficient.

I would strongly recommend that you get your make-up professionally applied for your personal branding portrait session unless you are proficient at applying it yourself. It can make a real difference to how the end result turns out. It doesn't have to cost the earth and you don't have to end up looking like a clown with over-the-top make-up. I am happy to recommend a number of talented make-up artists who can give you a totally polished look whilst still allowing your natural beauty to shine through.

Some other general tips regarding make-up: -

Emphasize your eyes – they will be the main focus of your closer headshots. Avoid anything too heavy or overdone. PLEASE do not wear eyeshadow with glitter in it. It doesn't photograph well (for the purposes of this type of shoot) and can fall down on your face and clothing. Not a good look. Neutral colours are always good but you can ask your MUA for guidance on your colouring and eye colour.

Avoid too much shine - bring along some powder to the session if your skin tends to shine or sweat. Oil blotting pads are also useful to eradicate shine. You will probably be rushing about before the session and maybe stressing a little about getting your photos done so we want you looking your best.

Lip colour - mauves, browns & berry shades are good. You want some colour to your to brighten up your face but avoid lots of gloss. A more matte/sheer finish is good. I love Catrice Ultimate Colour in shade Maroon 020