The first step on the road to booking work is getting headshots that do their job – but this doesn’t mean you need to shoot every year for no other reason than the calendar said so. Here are five good reasons to shoot new headshots:
We’ve all done the backyard photoshoot with a friend when starting out, and these can sometimes work for a little while, but it’s important to recognize when your shots need to be upgraded to reflect your professionalism. If you’re looking for an agent, there’s no better way to show them that you’re serious and ready to work than by having a great set of headshots ready to go upon signing that contract.
Pro Tip: If you have no idea how to brand or market yourself, don’t book the longest most expensive session. Ask for the photographer’s guidance on what an actor at your stage should cover, book the shortest session that makes sense for you, and then go back to build that portfolio up once you have a better idea of your branding or you’ve signed with new rep.
When you sign with a new agent or manager it means they see something in you that works for their roster, but your shots may not reflect their plans for you. In this case, they might ask you to reshoot. Try not to be annoyed – even if you just got new shots. They aren’t testing you or trying to be mean, they just need something specific, especially if you’re a newer actor. Giving your reps the tools they request is the best way to start off this professional relationship.*
When you have an established relationship with your reps and they request new headshots, it’s usually for a good reason. They’re not going to request new shots if everything is working beautifully. If they don’t have the materials they need to pitch and submit you, enthusiasm can wane.
*Be aware of kickback situations: If a new agent or manager is telling you to shoot with one particular photographer only without giving you reasons, guidance, or specifics, there could be something shady afoot.
Pretty obvious, I know. If you’ve got good representation but everyone around you is auditioning and you’re not, the culprit could be your headshots. Take a critical look at them – are they varying in expression, wardrobe, and style or are they all kind of…samey? Are you trying to audition for co-star roles using shots that are too glam or too cool? Are you at the Guest Star level using shots that aren’t quite glam or cool enough?
Talk to your reps, ask for opinions from teachers or colleagues whom you respect, and then try something different. This could mean working with a different photographer, or if you love a particular photographer and want to work with them again, let them know you want to take a different approach this time. Then – and this part is key – be willing to try a different approach. We’ve worked with actors who say they want to try something new, but then show up with the same wardrobe, hair/makeup, and background requests as their previous session. Don’t get stuck. Stay open to new ideas and consider getting help with your plan if you need to. We offer a full consultation service, as do many other stylists and branding coaches around town.
For most auditions, casting brings an actor in based on their look. So if you don’t look like you look in your headshot, you’re doing a disservice to everyone. Maybe you cut your hair, dyed your hair, grew a wizard beard, shaved your wizard beard, got a face lift, gained weight, lost weight, or got Kumail-level jacked. If your appearance has changed since your last session, a new shoot is in order.
Whatever the change may be, embracing it fully for your headshot session will help you capture an authentic energy that will help you get in the room (ahem, on the tape?), and once there, prevent the negativity that can come along with “surprising” casting.
Pro tip: If your physical change is temporary, book a shorter session.
This is not a good reason in and of itself, but paired with one of the situations above, it’s possibly the best reason to shoot. Actors often wait until the business is buzzing to schedule a session, and by this point they want to shoot ASAP! because they’re missing out on all the auditions. But the process takes time. You can’t always get in with your preferred photographer right away, then once you do shoot, you need to wait for your shots, select favorites (or wait for your reps to select favorites), order and wait for your retouches and then get the shiny new shots up on your casting site profiles. Slow times are a great time to get this done without stressing.
Photo credit: Tandem Photo
Subject: Actor and Comedian Peter Murphy
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