It's that time of year again when I update my headshots. Conventional wisdom and advice from the experts has it that actors should stick to simple clothes in solid colors, wear minimal makeup and jewelry, and leave the background blank or very soft. I have generally followed that advice for the past three years while I was trying to figure out what my "type" was, but I find it too limiting. For one thing, sticking to "rules" tends to homogenize actors into a bland sameness. The idea is to stand out in that auditor's stack of headshots, not blend in. For another, with me at least, it often makes me look like a soccer mom, and that's too young and not my type.
This year I went to Ken Arnold over in Baltimore. Ken is a talented and busy actor who does headshots and demo reels on the side. He didn't pose me (which makes me tense) and he let me wear whatever I felt was right for me and that I felt comfortable in. My "type," as I'm finally figuring out, is a classic and often elegant older woman. I can play senators, judges, attorneys, and socialites, or I can downscale with no makeup to working-class immigrants. But I miss that wholesome, suburban, middle ground.
So I broke a few rules and kept a few others. I wore a solid color sweater, but in bright blue. I wore jewelry. I wore coats, gloves, and patterned scarves. I wore my usual makeup, which I did myself. My thought is that an actor's headshot should match whatever he or she looks like when they walk in the door to audition. For me, this is indeed what I look like.
Ken gave me more than 250 proofs, which I winnowed down to 73, then to 20, and then to these 8. I need a comedy shot, and general or placeholder shot, and a character shot. I may go back to the 250 and have one more look, because I'm wondering if I need at least one with more of a toothy smile. But this is a good start. I like the pearls. I like the black & white scarves and red gloves. These things are part of what is uniquely me. This is the way I dress. And I very much like the backgrounds. They give the shots context.
Now I have to choose. I'll be looking for those that convey something in the eyes - a laugh, a thought. And then we'll see how they play over the next year. So far, photo #4 is my favorite, maybe because it looks like it could have been taken on set.
This year I went to Ken Arnold over in Baltimore. Ken is a talented and busy actor who does headshots and demo reels on the side. He didn't pose me (which makes me tense) and he let me wear whatever I felt was right for me and that I felt comfortable in. My "type," as I'm finally figuring out, is a classic and often elegant older woman. I can play senators, judges, attorneys, and socialites, or I can downscale with no makeup to working-class immigrants. But I miss that wholesome, suburban, middle ground.
So I broke a few rules and kept a few others. I wore a solid color sweater, but in bright blue. I wore jewelry. I wore coats, gloves, and patterned scarves. I wore my usual makeup, which I did myself. My thought is that an actor's headshot should match whatever he or she looks like when they walk in the door to audition. For me, this is indeed what I look like.
Ken gave me more than 250 proofs, which I winnowed down to 73, then to 20, and then to these 8. I need a comedy shot, and general or placeholder shot, and a character shot. I may go back to the 250 and have one more look, because I'm wondering if I need at least one with more of a toothy smile. But this is a good start. I like the pearls. I like the black & white scarves and red gloves. These things are part of what is uniquely me. This is the way I dress. And I very much like the backgrounds. They give the shots context.
Now I have to choose. I'll be looking for those that convey something in the eyes - a laugh, a thought. And then we'll see how they play over the next year. So far, photo #4 is my favorite, maybe because it looks like it could have been taken on set.
I like the one 3rd down from top with the denim jacket and black and white scarf. The look on your face makes me think you know something I don't know. And the dark around your face stands out. But they are all good and certainly give you a different look for directors etc. to look for. Break a leg.
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