How to Avoid Glare in Headshots When You Wear Glasses

If you wear glasses regularly, you’ve probably worried about this: should you wear them in your professional headshot? Will there be glare? Will they hide your eyes? I get asked about this constantly, and honestly, it’s one of those concerns that sounds bigger than it actually is. I think many glasses wearers actually think its better not to wear them when they are getting their photos taken. Here’s the thing: I photograph people with glasses all the time. It’s pretty routine at this point, and there are straightforward ways to make them look great in photos.

The Big Question: Should You Wear Your Glasses?

If you wear your glasses most of the time (or even just regularly throughout the day), you should probably wear them in your headshot. The reason is simple: people should recognize you. If someone meets you for a business meeting and you’re wearing glasses, but your LinkedIn photo shows you without them, that creates a weird disconnect (which is totally normal to want to avoid). I usually just ask my clients what percentage of the time they are wearing glasses. Will clients see them with our without? Colleagues? You get the point.

The exception? If you only wear reading glasses occasionally, you could leave them off. But for anyone who wears glasses as part of their everyday look, they should be in your headshot.

My favorite approach (and what I recommend to clients) is to get both options during your session. We’ll do some shots with glasses and some without. That way you have choices, and you’re not stuck wondering “what if” later on. Some people overthink this decision, honestly, when the answer is usually pretty straightforward.

Common Concerns About Glasses in Photos

Let’s talk about what people worry about (because these concerns come up in probably half my sessions with glasses-wearing clients).

Glare and reflections are the big one. This is what everyone stresses about, and I get it. But here’s the reality: if you are going to a professional photographer, they will have techniques to at least get most of the glare out of the glasses. Different lighting, or angles can all help make this happen. This is also one of the prime times photoshop can really help to remove some of the last bit showing in the frames.

Glasses hiding your eyes is another concern. With proper positioning, this isn’t really an issue. I’ll adjust the angle of your head slightly, and we’ll make sure the frames aren’t casting shadows on your eyes. You won’t even notice I’m doing this (most of the time), but it makes a huge difference in the final image. The easiest way to make sure they are positioned as best they can be is to push them as far “up” on your face as possible. This ensures the tops of the frames aren’t intersecting with your eyes in the photo.

Frames looking dated or distracting is a valid concern. If you’re getting new headshots, it’s worth thinking about your frames. Choose modern, professional styles that fit your face well. Avoid overly trendy frames that might look dated in a year or two (easy to mess up if you’re really into fashion-forward eyewear). Solid colors in the frames usually work better than busy patterns, which can be distracting. If you have multiple frames, bring in options to go through with your photographer.

Transition lenses deserve their own mention because they can be tricky. These lenses can tint in studio lighting (even when they’re not supposed to), which creates a weird look where your eyes are darkened. If possible, bring a non-transition backup pair to your session. If you only have transition lenses, there are certainly ways to help minimuze the effect (lowering the light levels), but it is an additional thing to think about.

Preparing for Your Session

There are a few things you can do before your session to make everything go smoothly (most of these are pretty obvious, but worth mentioning).

Clean your glasses thoroughly the morning of your shoot. Smudges and fingerprints show up way more in professional photos than you’d expect. Use a proper lens cloth, not your shirt. Some photographers keep micro fiber clothes in their studio so feel free to ask your photographer for a fresh one if your glasses get dirty while shooting.

Bring a backup pair if you have one. Having options is good, especially if your primary pair is new or you’re not sure how they’ll photograph. Some of my clients bring their old frames just in case.

Avoid transition lenses if possible. I mentioned this earlier, but it’s worth repeating. They can tint unexpectedly in studio lighting, and it’s hard to predict when it’ll happen.

Make sure your frames fit well. If your glasses are loose or tend to sit crooked, get them adjusted at your optician before your session (takes like five minutes and makes a real difference).

Consider anti-reflective coating if you’re getting new glasses anyway. It’s worth it beyond just photos (it helps with computer screens and driving at night too).

Don’t stress about it. This is something I handle regularly. A lot of my clients come in worried about their glasses, and by the end of the session, they’ve usually forgotten it was ever a concern.

The Bottom Line

Wearing glasses in your professional headshot is completely normal and professional. If you wear them regularly, they’re part of how people recognize you, so they should be in your photos. The glare and reflection issues that people worry about are things that professional photographers know how to handle (typically without you even noticing we’re doing it).

The key is working with someone who has experience photographing people with glasses. If you’re in the Philadelphia area and this is something you’re concerned about, it’s something I deal with all the time. Bring your glasses to your session, and we’ll make them look great!