In the cut-throat, dog-eat-dog world of acting, you want to make sure you do not sabotage yourself from the very start with a poorly conceived headshot. A good picture will give people a favorable impression; a poor one will make no impression at all, or worse yet, a negative opinion. Therefore, take great care in preparing for your headshot, and use a photographer who has been personally recommended to you from a satisfied customer.
The first thing to decide is what to wear. Your choice of color and style is crucial to making a statement. Most times, a white shirt or blouse will just wash out your face, adding nothing to your “look”. A nice medium or dark color will draw attention to your face in a pleasing way. You can stand in front of a mirror with different colored shirts to see which colors go best with you complexion. If you want a clean, all-American look, try bright medium tones. For a sexier, smoldering escort look, you’ll want to dress in darker clothing with subtle patterns. However, for the environmentally conscious, you can wear earth tone colors or silvery solar energy colors.
“Men may choose to wear a jacket or vest, depending on the persona they want to project”, said NYC Dana Hammond. “A leather jacket and tussled hair will present you as a leading-man type, especially useful for soap-opera work.” Women might consider a layered look, with a beautiful sweater/blouse combination set off with just a little tasteful jewelry – not too much because you don’t want to look “cheap”.
If you are an actor who does commercials, keep it casual and fresh, choosing solid light colors and open collars. Stay away from hats unless you have an ugly baldness problem. If you want to go “upscale”, try wearing a nicely-fitting suit or dress that has classic lines and a vintage style. Men can also choose a blazer/pants combination to their advantage. If you wear glasses in real life, then by all means wear them in your headshot. But you should really consider Lasik surgery if possible. If you have dental problems, you will want to consider capping your teeth. Until then, master the closed-mouth smile.
Women competing for soap-opera jobs want to appear sexy but not TOO sexy. A low neckline is OK if you make sure not to show too much cleavage – leave it to the imagination of the viewer. You should already have worked out a flattering hair style and make-up routine, and don’t forget to have a fresh manicure if you are getting a full-body shot as well.
Remember, relax and be yourself when being photographed – tension is easily perceived by viewers. The photographer is your friend, listen to him or her and trust that the results will be fabulous. Use your headshot to market yourself on the Internet. Two learn more about search engine optimization and how it can help your marketing campaign, visit sites like SEO Online Services.