A headshot is a photograph of an actor that helps to show what type of character that actor could play. It is a piece of marketing, just like a flyer or a billboard. This means that the prettiest picture of you may not be the best headshot for you.
When a casting director gets your headshot, it should help them understand how you could be cast. This is communicated through:
- Clothing – Casual or Dressy
- Hair and Makeup – Natural or Highly Polished
- Color – Dramatic or Whimsical
- Expression – Giddy or Serious
It is helpful, therefore, to have several headshots, to be used depending upon the project. A commercial or comedy warrants a more colorful headshot with a happy expression, whereas it might be more appropriate to send a theatre or drama a headshot with more muted tones and a more straight-faced or serious expression.
In addition, it is important to consider your type, and style yourself accordingly. For example, if you tend to play a high-class type (i.e. the rich, snobby kid), then you’ll want to wear a more tailored look, very crisp and polished. Conversely, if you tend to play the lower-class type (i.e. the kid from the wrong side of the tracks), then you may choose to wear a denim shirt or t-shirt, or something a little more shabby or casual.
Once your photo session is over and you are choosing which shot to print and use as your main headshot, consider the question, “Does this look like the kind of character I usually play?” After you and your parents have narrowed down the choices to your top handful of photos, ask a trusted advisor – a teacher or director you’ve worked with – for their input. Once you decide on one good “this is me” look, maybe you select some other choices you can use for different projects. Fortunately, you can print very small runs of a headshot (as few as 25), so you can have a few on-hand. (Back “in the day,” we could only order in quantities of 300 or more!)
It’s good to update your headshot at least once a year, especially when you are young and still changing dramatically from one year to the next.
Do you need new headshots? I’m hosting a day of Quickshots, a series of 20-minute/1-look headshot sessions for $65, on February 28th. We will spend 20 minutes focused on your needs for a headshot, making sure we have at least one great look. You will receive all shots within 24 hours, and I will do light retouching on one photo, delivered within a week of our shoot. Go to http://claraharris.setmore.com/bookclass to reserve your spot today!