How do you make an honest portrait for your book cover?

Your name is going on the cover. Your photo might be too. You want to recognise yourself in it. So when I make a portrait for your book cover, I start with your book and with you. What have you written, and what do you want to show of yourself?

That photo introduces you as an author. It can build trust, support the story and encourage someone to pick up your book. Here, I’ll take you through the preparation, the session and choosing the final photo. There are examples and practical questions for your designer, so you know what to agree before supplying the photo.

Start with a clear idea of yourself

An honest portrait starts with being honest. That sounds rather solemn for a photograph. What I mean is: don’t try to play a writer you’re not. Which side of you belongs with this book?

Ask yourself a few questions. Is your story intimate, adventurous or raw? Would an open expression suit it, or would a more reserved portrait feel right? And do you mainly want to show who you are as a person, or who you are in your work?

You don’t need firm answers before we speak. These questions give us somewhere to start. Your posture and surroundings say something too. I’ve written about that in my article on why a portrait says more than your face alone.

Take the genre into account

For a specialist or business book, a calm, open expression can inspire trust. A personal story or memoir might call for a closer, more intimate portrait. With a novel or thriller, the lighting or background can reflect something of the book’s atmosphere.

I see these as starting points, not rules. Writing a thriller doesn’t oblige you to look gloomy. What matters is whether the photo feels believable alongside what you’ve written. The genre can help you choose without dictating your facial expression.

Work out why a portrait catches your attention

Browse book covers in your genre. Which portraits hold your attention? Notice the posture, but also the light and the space around the person. Perhaps a photo appeals to you because the background barely features. Or because you can see something of where that person works.

Collect examples on a mood board, perhaps on Pinterest. Feel free to invite me to your mood board. It gives me an idea of the style you like. Add a note about what appeals to you. Otherwise I might be admiring that lovely wall when you meant the expression.

Think about colour too. Black and white portraits can help you see how a cover works without the distraction of colour. If you’re unsure, read my article on choosing between black and white and colour and discuss it with your designer.

Ask what the designer needs before the session

A photo can work well on its own and still be difficult to fit into a cover design. That’s why I ask you to check what your publisher or designer needs beforehand. The requirements vary between publishers and designs.

• What file format and resolution do they need?
• Will the portrait appear on the front cover, the back cover or both? Does it need to be portrait or landscape?
• Where will the title and author’s name go? How much space needs to be left for them in the photo?
• Does the publisher want one portrait or a few photos to choose from?
• Who makes the final choice?

Pass those answers on to your photographer. If there’s already a draft cover design, bring it along. A headshot could work for the back cover or your author page. Discuss whether it suits the design and whether you want to use the same photo there.

Agree where you can use the photo

Discuss how you’ll use the photos beforehand too. Do you only want the portrait on the front and back cover, or on your website as well? Will you want to use it for announcements and supply it to the press?

Record what uses you’ve agreed with your photographer, and for how long. Ask your publisher how they intend to use the photo and include that in the agreement. It saves you having to check whether everyone meant the same thing when it’s time to supply the file.

Choose a background that adds something

A simple studio setting can give you a timeless photo. Working on location lets you show more context: your study, a street in your home town or a place that appears in your book. In an environmental portrait, I let the place tell part of the story.

Within reason. Your face still needs to hold the attention. A study can say something about you, but we don’t need every shelf of the bookcase in the photo.

Think about the space the design needs too. If there will be plenty of text around your portrait, a quiet background can help. A location from your book could work well, provided we can compose the photo so the title stays readable. So discuss the location and the design together.

Wear something that feels like you

Choose clothes that suit you and don’t distract from your face. Avoiding busy prints and large logos gives the designer less to work around. If the cover colours are already decided, see how your choice of clothing looks alongside them.

Bring an alternative to wear, so we have a choice. You don’t need to dress for a part. If wearing a jacket makes you feel as though you’re in costume, that’s worth discussing.

You can bring a notebook or an object from your book if it tells us something. Just ask yourself what it adds. Holding something simply to give your hands a job doesn’t strike me as a strong reason. There’s more practical advice in my article on preparing for a portrait session.

Talk first, then ease into the session

I start with a conversation about your book, your work and what prompted you to write. What did you want to write, and why? You don’t have to sit down and immediately produce your best author expression. Talking first gives us both something to work with.

Then we ease into taking photos. We look for a posture and expression that feel right for you. Often, the most natural moments come when you relax and briefly forget the camera is there.

I keep the cover in mind as we work. We pause to look at the photos: do you recognise yourself, does the mood fit, does the posture work? That lets us make adjustments during the session.

Let the light and space work with the design

Soft, natural light often gives a warm, approachable feel. Shadows can add tension or depth. I consider what suits you and the book. Every photo doesn’t have to look bright and friendly.

The composition needs the same attention. If the title sits at the top, I can leave extra space above your head. If your name goes beside you, I can place you slightly off-centre. I like to make those decisions during the session, with the design in front of us.

If the publisher hasn’t decided between portrait and landscape, discuss whether we should photograph both. Leaving enough space around you gives the designer room to try different crops. Agree beforehand where that space is needed, so we can plan for it.

Check the quality before supplying the photo

A portrait for print often needs to be pin-sharp and have enough resolution. I shoot high-quality photos. During the session, I keep an eye out for stray hairs or creases in your clothes, so there’s less retouching to do afterwards.

Ask your publisher, designer or printer for the file specifications and pass them on. Before supplying the chosen file, have it checked against those requirements, including at the crop the designer wants to use. Looking sharp on your screen isn’t the whole test.

Retouch the photo and keep your face recognisable

Small adjustments to light, colour and contrast can help a photo. Removing a distracting strand of hair or a crease can help too. But the expression around your eyes and your laughter lines belong to your face. I don’t want to treat them as though there’s something wrong with them.

Too much retouching can make a portrait feel distant and artificial. Discuss what you’d like adjusted, and consider what you want to keep. For me, the question is still whether you recognise yourself, even after looking at the photo for a while.

Judge the photo alongside the title

Don’t choose your portrait in isolation from the cover. Put the photo beside the title, or ask the designer to place it in the layout. Then you can see how the colours, lettering and proportions work together.

Perhaps the crop turns out to be too tight. Perhaps the background competes with the lettering. Discuss it together. Your portrait can draw the reader in while leaving enough room for the title and the subject of your book.

Look at the small version too

Next, view the design at a small size, as you would see it in an online shop or on a phone. Can you still read your expression? Is your face easy to make out? Check whether the title and your name have enough room too.

Then return to your first questions. Does the photo suit the mood of the book? Does it show what you wanted to show of yourself? Above all, does it feel like you? If it’s a lovely photo but you don’t feel much connection to it, I’d take another look at it alongside the alternatives.

A cover you recognise yourself on

The preparation gives us a direction. During the session, we work from there together, paying attention to the details that will appear on the cover. When your personality comes through in the photo, the cover looks better and feels more believable. That’s what I want to give you through my portrait photography: a photo you recognise yourself in.

Would you like a portrait that feels right for your book cover?

I’d be happy to help you make a photo that shows who you are, whatever stage you’re at as a writer.

Email: mail@michielheijmans.com
Phone: +31 6 263 26316