Seems like a silly question, right? But I'm completely serious. Now, I don't mean do you look like yourself in person. Of course you do. I mean, if you work in an industry that requires you to have a headshot, does that photograph look like you? When you walk into an audition room, do you look like the person they are expecting to see from your photo? If the answer is no, it may be time for a new headshot. And if you are young and growing like a weed, it becomes even more important!
I find that kids change faster than we realize. My son is a professional child actor in Chicago. He's 15 now, but performed in his first show when he was 10. He has had several rounds of heashots with me (a perk of having a photographer mom). Often times, we've done new ones simply because he wants to and enjoys being in front of the camera. (Yay! How did I get so lucky?!). It wasn't until we did his most recent ones and compared them to the ones from the year prior that I realized just how much of a dramatic change he'd had in his face. Truth be told, we'd been way past time to take new headshots. His bone structure had changed and his face had matured quite a bit. That sweet 13 year old face was definitely not the same one that his agency had on file or that auditioners were expecting when he walked into a room. See for yourself!
This first set of headshots with this sweet girl compared to the most recent ones we did, also show what a big change can happen in just a year or two.
(As a side note, it's also great for me to see improvement in my own headshot photography skills!)
Headshots are more than just taking a pretty picture.
They have to look like you, first and foremost.
They need to capture your personality.
Eyes are key! All the focus begins on your eyes. They must have light.
And they should be FUN!
Having your photo taken can also be stressful and intimidating. While I truly love my job, that part of the process is not lost on me. It's my job to make you feel comfortable, to make you laugh, get a variety of expressions and to have you enjoy the process! We might even capture a few silly moments in between!
And while I love capturing headshots in Chicago, driving into the city can be intimidating as well. Many of my heashots are done out here in the Western suburbs. So, what's stopping you now?
Let's hang out, have some fun and capture new headshots that lead to more auditions and more jobs!
2 Comments
Jul 20, 2019, 10:22:38 PM
Bari Baskin - Thank you so much! You were an absolute joy to photograph!
Jul 20, 2019, 7:40:28 PM
Lindsay Chan - You are truly the best of the best my friend! My headshots that you did are my favorite photos of me. You made the whole experience amazing!