Headshots With Glasses: What to Bring and What to Check
TL;DR: If glasses are part of your everyday look, bring them. When you shoot with Match, you don't need to tell us in advance that you'll be wearing glasses or think about reflections. Our photographers and retouching team take care of them. Bring your familiar pair and focus on feeling comfortable and choosing an expression you like.
Should you wear glasses in your headshot?
Yes, if they're part of how you normally look at work. My recommendation is to arrive in the pair you reach for every day. Start with the version of yourself that colleagues and clients would recognize, rather than changing your appearance because you're worried about a reflection.
If you regularly switch between glasses and no glasses, choose the version that feels most like you for a company biography, a speaker page or a LinkedIn profile photo. With Match, there's no need to decide or explain your glasses choice in advance. You don't need to buy new frames or switch to contact lenses for a headshot.
| Your usual look | Choosing your look |
|---|---|
| You wear glasses throughout the working day | Start with your everyday pair. |
| You usually work without glasses | Start without them; bring them if you also want that look. |
| Both versions feel familiar | Choose the appearance you prefer for where you'll use the picture. |
How Match handles glasses reflections
When you shoot with Match, reflections in your glasses are our responsibility. You don't need to warn us that you'll be wearing glasses, monitor the lights, check every frame for glare or worry about fixing it yourself. Our photographers and retouching team take care of reflections, while you focus on your expression and feeling comfortable. Our photographers guide you through lighting, framing and posture; the selected final images then receive natural retouching.
Here's what that means for your session:
- Before the session: come in the glasses you normally wear. No advance notice or special arrangements for reflections are needed.
- During the session: follow your photographer's direction and tell us if a position feels uncomfortable. We handle the lighting and reflections.
- Before final selection: choose the expression you like. You can share a personal preference about how your glasses look, but you don't need to inspect each lens for glare.
You don't need to arrive knowing how to tilt your head or where the lights should go. If a suggested position feels awkward, say so. I'd rather you ask for another comfortable option than concentrate on holding an unfamiliar pose while trying to smile.
What should you bring to the session?
Bring your everyday glasses, their case and a clean cloth suitable for your lenses. If you already own another pair you enjoy wearing, bring it as an option. I wouldn't make buying a special pair part of your headshot preparation: start with what feels familiar and comfortable.
Before leaving home, check the lenses using the care instructions for your particular glasses. Bring any lens-compatible cleaning supplies you normally use. If your glasses feel uncomfortable during the session, you're welcome to say so. Personal comfort is separate from reflections, which our team handles.
Use these different frame styles to think about the look you prefer. Keep the glasses decision focused on your face and your usual appearance. For the rest of your preparation, the what to wear for headshots guide covers clothing and accessories in more detail.
What should you check in a test photo?
If you're looking at a test photo, focus on whether your glasses sit as you normally wear them and whether your expression feels like you. At Match, you don't need to check for glare: our photography and retouching team handles reflections. The examples below explain what a photographer can review, if you're curious.
In the portrait above, you can see colored reflections and still make out the eyes. The table below explains the differences. It isn't a list of checks you need to carry out at a Match session: we take care of reflections, so you can choose the expression you like.
| What you see | What your photographer can review |
|---|---|
| A small reflection, with both eyes clearly visible | Whether the highlight distracts from the expression. |
| A bright reflection covering part of an eye | The reflection and eye visibility in the frame. |
| A frame edge crossing an eye or sitting lower than usual | The position of the frames and how you normally wear them. |
| Clear eyes, but an uncomfortable expression | Your posture, comfort and expression. |
The useful question for you is whether you like your expression and recognize yourself in the portrait. At Match, you can leave the reflections to our team and concentrate on choosing your favorite image.
What should you flag before retouching?
You can share personal preferences, such as how high you normally wear your frames or which expression feels most like you, but this is optional. You don't need to flag or make a list of reflections for us to fix. Our photography and retouching team handles those; your part is to choose a portrait you like.
For an individual session, you'll review color-corrected selects before choosing the images for final retouching. If you love an expression, you don't need to reject it because of a reflection. Our team can review that frame and handle the glasses reflections in retouching.
If you want to share a personal preference, a simple note is enough: “I like this expression and the way my glasses sit. Please keep their shape and appearance natural.” Our headshot retouching guide explains the broader aim: a polished portrait that still looks like you.
Your glasses checklist for headshot day
Bring the glasses you want to be photographed in and wear them as you normally do. There is no need to send Match a message about them beforehand. Handling reflections belongs with our photography and retouching team; you can focus on feeling comfortable and choosing an expression you like.
- Bring your usual glasses and their case.
- Pack a lens-compatible cleaning cloth and your usual suitable cleaning supplies.
- Bring a familiar alternative only if you already have one and want the option.
- Choose the look you normally wear at work.
- Wear your frames in their usual, comfortable position.
- Choose an expression you like; leave reflections to our photography and retouching team.
If you're booking with another photographer, I recommend mentioning that you'll wear glasses and asking how they handle reflections, including any retouching limits. When reviewing your images with them, check that your eyes are visible and discuss any reflections you want addressed. None of that advance coordination is needed for a Match session.
If you're planning a session with Match, explore our professional headshots. Come as you normally look; we'll take care of the reflections.
