When I realized I wanted to be an actress, the first thing that needed to happen was to find an agent. I was incredibly lucky, because I was in a musical for our university earlier that year and all of us got a free head shot done for the musical programme by a photographer who knew what they were doing.
I used that same head shot when I applied to different agencies, to be honest, I never even thought of getting it done professionally before that. I got into one of the best agencies and got my first film audition (and role) in that same week. My agent was very blunt about the fact that if she gets applications with bad photos, she doesn't even consider them. And my photo got me the interview and got me hired.
Head shots are not just for actors or creatives, any professional uses them for their Linkedin profiles, CVs, corporate profiles etc. A professional head shot just puts you that much more ahead of the game.
So after being on both sides of the camera, here are 5 tips to get the best head shots:
1. Hire a great photographer
Like, seriously. You can look amazing on the day of your photo shoot, but if your photographer does not know what they're doing, it could all be for nothing. How do you find a great photographer? Look at head shots that you like of friends or people in your industry and find out who the photographer is. If you like their style, contact them.
2. Hire a make-up artist
I never knew this, but a no-make-up make-up look does not mean you have a smaller amount of make-up on. It's a thing. And an art. And if done correctly, translates beautifully on a camera. It's really not about making you look like someone you are not, it's about enhancing your natural features.
The camera can sometimes pick the smallest things to emphasize like a shiny forehead, slightly bigger pores or an untimely blemish etc. So gents, you are not excluded from this - you'll need a little powder etc. to compensate for oily/shiny skin.
3. Wardrobe, wardrobe, wardrobe!
Neutrals, pastels or earthy tones work the best. Avoid wearing black (it makes a photo too dark) or white (it makes a photo too bright). You can read this blog post that goes a bit more into details on what to wear.
4. Work your angles!
What does this even mean? Go and look through old photos and pick the ones where you like how you look. Investigate a little further - how were you standing, did you look to a certain side, where were your arms? These are your angles! Try and recreate these looks in a mirror. You can even find some inspiration on Pinterest or on the internet of poses that you like and then you can practise them in the mirror! Your photographer should definitely be helping you out every step of the way in posing, but it's so great if you can try a few different things!
5. Drink loads of water and get enough sleep
This may sound a bit silly but remember that if you don't drink enough water, the signs of dehydration shows on your skin. And if you don't get enough sleep before your photo shoot, it causes dark circles under your eyes and tired, dull-looking skin. I want you to look radiant! This little tip really makes a massive difference.
Are you ready to have amazing head shots?