Here is one of the headshots
from my most recent photo shoot a few weeks ago. I, like many actors, do not
even really enjoy this part of our job. Unlike models I hear who absolutely
love it! Maybe because they are getting paid. Actors hope to land a job as a
result of having good headshots. It is
probably the most important tool of the trade. At the very least it will get us
in the door.
I went through my closet and
pulled out a lot of different “looks”. You really only need to be concerned
with tops: shirts, blouses, jackets, sweaters, etc. since we only see the upper
part of your body for headshots. (I must note that the pink I am wearing in
this photo and the video is a dress). I was going for colors that look good on
me, bright and colorful for commercials and darker colors for the more dramatic
look for TV and film. The photographer helped me choose my wardrobe, he knew
exactly what backdrop to use for each look. He is also phenomenal at lighting
for Black actors which is important and not to be taken for granted.
Let’s talk about hair and make
up for a minute. For the men, if you are an actor, you should already be
familiar and comfortable wearing make up for the camera, so you might want to
put on a little powder to help keep down the shine. Ladies, I heard an amazing
tip recently. DO NOT hire a hair stylist and make up artist for your photo
shoot!! Why? Because you are the one who will be doing your own hair and make
up for every audition. The last thing you want to do is submit a photo that
doesn’t look like you when you walk into the audition room. You can definitely
style your hair differently in your photos and change up the make up for a
specific look if necessary. The more natural the better.
Get a good night’s rest, be
one time and be prepared…Camera Ready! I like to listen to music during the shoot,
it relaxes me and gets me into character. So load up that playlist on your
iPhone and have fun!!
