Resources and information for acting and modeling headshots
When a casting director is pouring through a thick stack of actor's headshots, what's it going to take to get yours noticed and get you an audition or a booking? It helps to have all your important bases covered so that your headshot is conveying the right information.
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In this video, headshot photographer Peter Hurley shares some of his advice on what it takes to get a great actor's headshot: |
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-This information goes for everybody. Even if you decide not to book with me I hope you take it to heart when choosing a photographer and preparing for your session!
1. Pick a photographer whose work you love. Kind of obvious, but important!
2. Be sure you like your photographer. Meet with him/her, talk on the phone, make sure your personalities mesh and you will enjoy working with them to get a great headshot.
3. Be coachable. Getting a bunch of amazing headshots is the result of a combined effort between you and the photographer. If you're already awesome in front of the camera, that's great; it's our job as photographers to take it a step further and make you look even better. If you don't know what to do in front of a camera, it's our job to teach you how to take great pictures, from here on out! Life skills...
4. Get in shape or accept where you are at right now. This is a tough one, as we're almost never happy with what we see in the mirror. Plan ahead on this, but be careful: don't wait too long to be in "perfect shape." Chances are that it won't be worth the extra wait. You can also get another session in later.
5. Practice in the mirror, work on your expression like crazy. The goal is to bring out a broad range of expressions, emotions, and your personality in our headshot session. The greater range you can show, the more bookable you'll be!
1. Pick a photographer whose work you love. Kind of obvious, but important!
2. Be sure you like your photographer. Meet with him/her, talk on the phone, make sure your personalities mesh and you will enjoy working with them to get a great headshot.
3. Be coachable. Getting a bunch of amazing headshots is the result of a combined effort between you and the photographer. If you're already awesome in front of the camera, that's great; it's our job as photographers to take it a step further and make you look even better. If you don't know what to do in front of a camera, it's our job to teach you how to take great pictures, from here on out! Life skills...
4. Get in shape or accept where you are at right now. This is a tough one, as we're almost never happy with what we see in the mirror. Plan ahead on this, but be careful: don't wait too long to be in "perfect shape." Chances are that it won't be worth the extra wait. You can also get another session in later.
5. Practice in the mirror, work on your expression like crazy. The goal is to bring out a broad range of expressions, emotions, and your personality in our headshot session. The greater range you can show, the more bookable you'll be!
Some more info:
What do I wear?
I always say bring clothes that make you feel good and that you like. You want to feel good about the way you look during your session. Bring some of your favorite outfits, try to avoid crazy patterns, it's best to keep it simple for headshots.
What about makeup?
It's important to get your skin looking healthy, so I recommend that you moisturize your skin before the shoot. Use a base that isn't powdery. We want to start off with as little makeup as possible for a truly natural look. You want to look like you do every day in your headshot, so it's best not to worry about getting fancy with anything you wouldn't do on a daily basis. My advice would be to come in with light, natural-looking makeup already done by someone, or done by yourself, and we can always add makeup during the session for a greater range of looks. Also, keep in mind that any blemishes that rear their ugly head on the day can be retouched later in photoshop.
Why do I shoot horizontally?
Our eyes see horizontally first. And I think it looks better. Ultimately, it's up to you, but many of the top professionals in the industry have been shooting horizontally for years and getting their clients more work because of it. If you strongly feel that you need vertical shots or more of your torso in the photo, let me know and I will make it happen during our shoot.
©Chris Amos Photography, LLC 2004-2013. All rights reserved.
What do I wear?
I always say bring clothes that make you feel good and that you like. You want to feel good about the way you look during your session. Bring some of your favorite outfits, try to avoid crazy patterns, it's best to keep it simple for headshots.
What about makeup?
It's important to get your skin looking healthy, so I recommend that you moisturize your skin before the shoot. Use a base that isn't powdery. We want to start off with as little makeup as possible for a truly natural look. You want to look like you do every day in your headshot, so it's best not to worry about getting fancy with anything you wouldn't do on a daily basis. My advice would be to come in with light, natural-looking makeup already done by someone, or done by yourself, and we can always add makeup during the session for a greater range of looks. Also, keep in mind that any blemishes that rear their ugly head on the day can be retouched later in photoshop.
Why do I shoot horizontally?
Our eyes see horizontally first. And I think it looks better. Ultimately, it's up to you, but many of the top professionals in the industry have been shooting horizontally for years and getting their clients more work because of it. If you strongly feel that you need vertical shots or more of your torso in the photo, let me know and I will make it happen during our shoot.
©Chris Amos Photography, LLC 2004-2013. All rights reserved.