Oh, how we all dislike them – headshots! Am I right? They’re that crucial part of our job which limits our essence to appearance and a snapshot; a short moment in time that cannot possibly reflect all the epic characters hidden behind our facade. They seem superficial. It’s almost funny how afraid we are of this necessary tool that should simply portrait us. One reason is because it’s often hard to figure out which part of us makes us original. I sometimes look like two different people in one day, so trust me... if anyone can relate to your dilemma it’s me!
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| The wise guy |
The other reason is because a decent headshot has somehow developed into a myth... It's discouraging to hear that most headshots are bad! My friend Henning and I didn't want to believe that. We were determined to find the secrets to the perfect headshot and discovered amazing results - surprising, soothing and encouraging. Headshots should be an investment worth paying for and a fun experience. Not a traumatic event on the brink of a heart attack.
Most agents and actors aren’t happy with their headshots. What’s interesting though is that neither lighting nor camera seems to make a shot great (even though a nice look of a photo can add to its appeal of course) but the setting of the shooting. I heard horror stories from actors who felt bombarded by their photographer because he tried to shoot as many pictures as possible before the next client shows up. A nightmare! The circumstances the actors are faced with, how comfortable they are and how much they trust the photographer is crucial.
Most agents and actors aren’t happy with their headshots. What’s interesting though is that neither lighting nor camera seems to make a shot great (even though a nice look of a photo can add to its appeal of course) but the setting of the shooting. I heard horror stories from actors who felt bombarded by their photographer because he tried to shoot as many pictures as possible before the next client shows up. A nightmare! The circumstances the actors are faced with, how comfortable they are and how much they trust the photographer is crucial.
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| The free spirit |
Of course it’s not easy to open up in front of a bunch of strangers (photographer, stylist, assistant) but it can be, if you know what to focus on. A photographer that shows interest in his client before the shoot creates a relationship and makes the actor feel in a team- instead of feeling deserted and alone in front of that lens. Don't be afraid because the camera can be your friend if you know how to handle it!
Curious about what the industry has to say about the perfect headshot, Henning and me took workshops with other photographers and casting directors. We asked them about expectations, problems, and ideals. It was interesting that everyone agreed on what a great headshot is. Here’s what we heard: “It should show YOU in the picture; charismatic, confident, and on your best day. Stay away from too much make up, colorful clothes, distracting backdrops or fake posing. The simpler, the better. It’s important to see your individual strength that makes you the right choice for the role. You make our job much easier by showing us what character we could cast you in. Embrace that and own it in your headshot the way you would on set. When you think your character and we see that behind your eyes (instead of a blank stare) your photo will stand out!”
So the mission is clear: Act the character you can play best (or are anyway), keep it simple and be natural. But the matter of fact is that photo shootings can be overwhelming and relaxing while worrying about hair & make-up seems like an art form itself. The last thing on our list is keeping a character alive when every single muscle in our body decided to strike. Actors mentioned to me that the toughest part about finding a photographer is to find someone who understands and gives feedback during the shoot (unless you have $1,000 and up to get the best). Everyone is nervous taking pictures- especially because we've seen the way we looked at those last party pictures!
In my opinion, it’s just as important to ‘work’ with the content of the picture as being concerned about lighting and focus. Actors aren’t models that learned to show different looks or hold a pose for a picture. Performers live their character’s life and need a director or at least a scene partner to function right. If we could only have a coach by our side that supports us getting into character, helps us focus, and maybe even feeds us with images - I’d probably be the solution for our confusion. Actors on a higher level usually have help for that or are used to focus by themselves. Most actors are still struggling with the situation though and are under the mercy of the photographer’s instructions.
What’s important to know is that photography is like anything else: The more you’re in the moment and patiently wait for the good stuff, the better the results. It doesn’t hurt to breathe either. Many photographers that shoot humans don’t know that it’s hard to create a life in front of a blank wall. It’s actually no secret how much actors usually despise it, but unfortunately hardly any photographer got the call to pay more attention to the object yet. They probably hope to be able to ignore it, but I honestly think it’s because they often don’t know anything about an actor’s process. Maybe they think it’s not part of their job.
In my opinion, it’s just as important to ‘work’ with the content of the picture as being concerned about lighting and focus. Actors aren’t models that learned to show different looks or hold a pose for a picture. Performers live their character’s life and need a director or at least a scene partner to function right. If we could only have a coach by our side that supports us getting into character, helps us focus, and maybe even feeds us with images - I’d probably be the solution for our confusion. Actors on a higher level usually have help for that or are used to focus by themselves. Most actors are still struggling with the situation though and are under the mercy of the photographer’s instructions.
What’s important to know is that photography is like anything else: The more you’re in the moment and patiently wait for the good stuff, the better the results. It doesn’t hurt to breathe either. Many photographers that shoot humans don’t know that it’s hard to create a life in front of a blank wall. It’s actually no secret how much actors usually despise it, but unfortunately hardly any photographer got the call to pay more attention to the object yet. They probably hope to be able to ignore it, but I honestly think it’s because they often don’t know anything about an actor’s process. Maybe they think it’s not part of their job.
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| The vamp |
My advice would be not to take too many workshops on this, too. I’ve seen actors that looked like a deer in headlights, filled up with all this information in their head and afraid to move at all. It’s valuable to think about the character you’d like to play or a possible scene you could be in, instead of your complicated marketing plan, your crooked nose or the horrible last pictures you took. Music does wonders for some people. Focussing on ‘the thought of being on set’ can also create that spark and joy behind your eyes while manifesting this wish in your subconscious mind. You gotta believe it to be it!
Other people (especially insecure photographers) assume our essence will automatically come out by shooting away and changing the angle a bit- while we, the actor, only have a single thought in our brain: What does he expect me to do right now? The results are stale, lifeless pictures and a collection of empty or insecure expressions. What we want though is a shot that radiates strength, evokes thoughts in the person looking at it - attracts attention!
Many agencies have a ‘best of’ list of their favourite photographers which often goes back to a long relationship. This list can be a fabulous group of talented photographers, but it can also be a ‘who is who’ of your agent’s golf buddies. Go with your guts, get recommendations from other actors or look at their page when picking your photographer. Henning and I, who both have been taking photos for a while, decided, it would actually be awesome to take headshots ourselves. We aren’t afraid of creating personal relationships, have the ability to take photos and understand actors. We called our company HPF Photography. We’re working on getting in some agency roosters right now too.
There’s no guarantee (with any photographer) you’ll always have a perfect shot from one session, but the chances are much higher with knowing what you want from your photos. The most important thing you can do is making sure you know who you are. The photographer won’t have time to investigate that on the day of shooting. If you have no idea what that means or aren’t sure who you are, ask people that are close to you: Family, friends, agents, partners, even neighbours. Ask them what kind of person they think you are or could be. What do they love about you? Do they like a certain outfit best? Create your own focus group! If you're a loner and don't have enough friends: Take workshops about marketing for actors. It’ll help you seeing yourself through others and will confirm or straighten out your own beliefs. Actors have to know their strength to be effective.
Below is a helpful list of archetypes where your focus group can mark the ones you fit into. The category you got the most votes for, is your strongest bet for being booked. A general audience is much smarter than you think. You can also add the category ‘lead or supporting?’ on the bottom. It’s a crucial question, but helpful! Many actors have made fabulous careers with playing side characters.
Professional (business), athletic, college, teacher, best friend, next door, parent, blue collar, nerd, rebel, cop, wise, lower class, beauty queen, bohemian, sophisticated, funny, homeless, young, evil, quirky, etc... There’re plenty of sub-categories of course, but this is a brief summary of types that are usually cast. Genres can be interesting too (period, horror, comedy, thriller, love story, drama, action, fantasy, etc.) and should be on your list if you’re a pure romantic etc. The more passion you bring the better. Please don’t come in with an outrageous list of epic film characters you would love to play. Especially not, if you’d be a fantastic sidekick but would never be cast for a leading role. We’re all born with our unique, individual strength that defines us. The sooner you accept what you got, the faster you’ll succeed.
Other people (especially insecure photographers) assume our essence will automatically come out by shooting away and changing the angle a bit- while we, the actor, only have a single thought in our brain: What does he expect me to do right now? The results are stale, lifeless pictures and a collection of empty or insecure expressions. What we want though is a shot that radiates strength, evokes thoughts in the person looking at it - attracts attention!
Many agencies have a ‘best of’ list of their favourite photographers which often goes back to a long relationship. This list can be a fabulous group of talented photographers, but it can also be a ‘who is who’ of your agent’s golf buddies. Go with your guts, get recommendations from other actors or look at their page when picking your photographer. Henning and I, who both have been taking photos for a while, decided, it would actually be awesome to take headshots ourselves. We aren’t afraid of creating personal relationships, have the ability to take photos and understand actors. We called our company HPF Photography. We’re working on getting in some agency roosters right now too.
There’s no guarantee (with any photographer) you’ll always have a perfect shot from one session, but the chances are much higher with knowing what you want from your photos. The most important thing you can do is making sure you know who you are. The photographer won’t have time to investigate that on the day of shooting. If you have no idea what that means or aren’t sure who you are, ask people that are close to you: Family, friends, agents, partners, even neighbours. Ask them what kind of person they think you are or could be. What do they love about you? Do they like a certain outfit best? Create your own focus group! If you're a loner and don't have enough friends: Take workshops about marketing for actors. It’ll help you seeing yourself through others and will confirm or straighten out your own beliefs. Actors have to know their strength to be effective.
Below is a helpful list of archetypes where your focus group can mark the ones you fit into. The category you got the most votes for, is your strongest bet for being booked. A general audience is much smarter than you think. You can also add the category ‘lead or supporting?’ on the bottom. It’s a crucial question, but helpful! Many actors have made fabulous careers with playing side characters.
Professional (business), athletic, college, teacher, best friend, next door, parent, blue collar, nerd, rebel, cop, wise, lower class, beauty queen, bohemian, sophisticated, funny, homeless, young, evil, quirky, etc... There’re plenty of sub-categories of course, but this is a brief summary of types that are usually cast. Genres can be interesting too (period, horror, comedy, thriller, love story, drama, action, fantasy, etc.) and should be on your list if you’re a pure romantic etc. The more passion you bring the better. Please don’t come in with an outrageous list of epic film characters you would love to play. Especially not, if you’d be a fantastic sidekick but would never be cast for a leading role. We’re all born with our unique, individual strength that defines us. The sooner you accept what you got, the faster you’ll succeed.
A few other, practical tips can improve your photos too. Some examples from the HPF photography bag of tricks: Lower your chin (looks more flattering), straighten up your spine (shows confidence) and breathe consciously (relaxes and grounds the energy). A small step for actors, a big one for headshots!
What I would like to stress out is that this industry, especially with all its glamour and glory, often seems to want us a certain way. But what filmmakers actually want are normal, down to earth, interesting, hard working, dedicated and relaxed human beings that act naturally. Keep this in mind and you’ll be surprised how much easier it actually is! Realize that we all love those actors that are comfortable being themselves, without acting or trying to be someone they are not. The ones that struggle with it usually stop being cast.
Our photography business can now be found at:
www.hpfphotography.com
We already have a first portfolio which shows you what we do. We work in a team to focus on the technical aspects and guide you at the same time (so you get double the power). A few actors already got representation through our pictures, booked auditions and reported back from happy agents. You can email us at hpfphotography@gmail.com or call (213) 986-8048 if you want to book a session.
We love headshots now.
Your HeadshotNista.
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