subject: Five Steps to Great Headshots [print this page] Five Steps to Great Headshots Five Steps to Great Headshots
Five Steps to Great Headshots
Every actor needs a headshot. An actor without a headshot is like a Starbucks with no coffee, but picking a photographer is the least of your concerns. In this day and age of digital cameras, there are so many great photographers out there. If you don't do your prep work, and you stay present during the photo shoot, your headshots are not going to work for you. Here are a few steps on how to get fantastic headshots.
Step 1: Draw Character Parallels
Identify actors and performances that really resonate with you. Pick men, women, of any age, any ethnicity; just identify the performance. Then select an adjective to describe each performance.
Step 2: Nutshell Your List
Select two to three adjectives that represent the list as a whole. The interesting thing you will discover about your list is that even though this is a list of performances that resonate with you, this is also a list that describes you as an actor and the essence and quality you bring to every performance. It is a tricky way to get to the core of your essence without getting stuck in your head trying to figure out how others see you.
Step 3: Write Character Descriptions.
Now that you've selected your two to three nutshell adjectives, write three different character descriptions for roles that really represent those adjectives. Cast yourself in a dramatic role, in a comedic role and in what I like to call a character-driven role. A character-driven role can be a way to describe your dream role or a role that is a little more specific or exaggerated than the dramatic and comedic ones.
Step 4: Determine the Essence
After you have written three character descriptions, the next step is to think about a word or a phrase that represents the essence of each character. This is the word or phrase that you will keep in your mind when you're having your photos taken.
Step 5: Apply the Focus
By staying focused during the photo shoot on the words you created in Step 4, you won't be concerned if the photographer has the right angle or if you look good in your outfit. Instead, you'll be tapped into the essence of the characters you want to convey, which is what you do when you're acting.
This exercise helps you discover the thread that defines you as an actor by identifying performances that are riveting to you and creating roles for you to embody based on those descriptions. If you follow these steps, you will create exquisite headshots that really work.
