Do you need a new headshot?  Amy brings over 18 years of experience in the San Francisco Bay Area as a professional headshot photographer.  Whether you are looking to update your LinkedIn profile a new business headshot, submit a headshot for an audition or need a variety of personal branding images for your social media and website, we are here for you!

headshots & personal branding

SERVICES BY SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Headshots & Personal Branding PHOTOGRAPHER AMY DRAKE PHOTOGRAPHY

Amy made me feel so comfortable and at ease. Not only did she take time to get to know me and what I was looking for in our session, she never made me feel rushed and we played with many different visions. Her studio is clean and professional and her communication is impeccable. I have high expectations for experiences like this and I can absolutely say they were far exceeded! 

-Shannon Bynum

Ordered images are retouched with absolute detail and care.  I am so excited for you to receive images that you and generations to come will cherish forever.

your finished portraits

It's show time!  We will schedule a reveal session so you can see your beautiful images and choose which of our products will make up your final order, whether that's one of our stunning portrait boxes or a creative wall display.  My goal is for you to want them all, but you only buy what you absolutely love! 

ordering session

Once you're done with hair and makeup, we begin the photoshoot. We will create the most beautiful images that you have ever seen of yourself.  Not a model?  No worries!  I guide you through expressions and poses that allow your true personality to shine through.  This is my favorite part - making people feel relaxed and natural in front of the camera!  

Photoshoot

On shoot day, you simply show up and one of my hair and makeup artists will take it from there! We can go for a natural look with light makeup or go full glam like you're walking the red carpet. The choice is entirely up to you - we just ensure you are photo ready!

hair and makeup

You will receive tips for wardrobe & styling to make sure that your vision becomes a reality. I love to explore your personal colors and style so your portraits reflect an authentic version of you. I am always available to my clients via text or email so they are confident with their look on shoot day!

planning

This photoshoot is all about YOU!  I’m excited to hear how you want to be photographed and your vision for the shoot. You can ask all the questions you’d like. This step makes my clients feel so much more comfortable once they step in front of the camera. We cover all of the details to ensure you have a flawless session!

zoom Consultation

The Process

Yes! We do lots of sessions for business professionals who need a professional headshot or business identity shot for their business website, their LinkedIn profile, or a publication or book jacket. We’ll talk to you about the type of work you do and why you need the photo, in order to create the best look that will properly represent you, your personality, and your industry.

DO YOU TAKE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS, LIKE REALTORS, LAWYERS, ETC.?

DO YOU TAKE HEADSHOTS FOR ACTORS, MUSICIANS, AND ENTERTAINERS?

We suggest you plan four to six outfits.  Think about choosing clothes that repeat your eye color, especially a long sleeve shirt or sweater. We often recommend clothing that has texture, such as knitting, embroidery, dark faded denim, buttons, & ruffles. This type of clothing tends to photograph well and adds a lot of visual interest.  Don’t forget jackets, scarves, fur hoods, etc. We live in California and often forget about jackets, but they add variety and texture to your images. Girls, if you have a great prom, bridesmaid, or other formal dress, bring it! Shorter dresses limit our poses, so try to think of fuller, longer dresses you might have stashed away. Then add your favorite pair of jeans, tee and cool hat. Guys, pack a dress shirt and a tie in addition to your jeans and cool t-shirts. You get the idea!  Feel free to send us images of your clothing prior to your session and we’ll help you choose! 

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY SESSION?

Every session, like every client, is unique. Prior to your session, we’ll have an in-person or phone consultation to discuss expectations, clothing, props, hair and make-up, and other ideas you might have for your session. We make an effort to get to know you so that we can capture and highlight your personal style as best possible. Give serious thought to the type of image that will best fit your style, career goals and personality. What would you like to show off that would make someone choose you?

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR FOR THE PHOTOSHOOT?


Choose clothing that represents your desired image and flattering colors that complement your hair and skin tones. How do you want to come across? A suit jacket gives you a professional, tailored look. Avoid busy prints, logos and bright white as they distract from the face. Avoid a white shirt under a suit jacket - go for a color instead. Consider necklines that work with your body shape and hairstyle. Fitted, tailored clothing will look better that more loose clothing. If you choose to wear a button-down shirt, we suggest layering a jacket or sweater on top as a button-down alone can look wrinkled and boxy. Men, wear v-neck undershirts or no undershirt at all so it does not show. Ladies, if you don’t love your arms in pictures, avoid wearing sleeveless shirts! Executive headshots tend to look better without bare arms. The general rule of thumb is not to wear anything that would distract from your face!

WHAT ABOUT HAIR AND MAKE-UP?

Ladies, it’s totally up to you, but we can tell you from experience that a good make-up artist can make all the difference! The goal is not to make you look like you’re going out to a nightclub (unless that’s what you want), but to highlight your best features - “camera ready”. Men, we can take care of most facial blemishes in retouching, so no need to wear makeup. We have recommendations for local hair & make-up artists who are familiar with our shooting style and make-up preferences. We don’t recommend going to a make-up counter at a department store or mall. With regard to hair, don’t get your hair cut within the week or two leading up to your session.

WHAT IS A TYPICAL SESSION LIKE?

Believe it or not, your session will be a fun experience! We know it can feel awkward to be in front of a camera, and we are very good at working with our clients to put them at ease. Take a second and read our testimonials and reviews - many people speak to this and we take great pride in making our clients feel comfortable during their session. For some people a 15 minute session is enough and for others it might take an hour and a bit. We will shoot until we are both happy!

Can I have digital files of all of my images?

We do offer the high resolution image files for sale during your order appointment.  We also provide you with web-ready logo images of any images your purchase in printed format to share on social media, smart phones, etc.  We encourage our clients to order printed products in addition to image files as so many image files wind up trapped on computers and hard drives.  Printed products allow you and your family to enjoy your images every day!