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Guide to looking great in your headshots An expertly lit and posed headshot will help you stand out from the crowd.

Our guide is packed with great advice and will help you prepare for your headshots photoshoot.

What's in your headshots guide.

  • Introduction - Why are headshots important?
  • Your photoshoot, what to expect.
  • What makes a great headshot?
  • Posing for headshots.
WHY ARE HEADSHOTS IMPORTANT?
"Headshots are your headline, let us create yours"

Headshots are essential marketing tools, for many of today’s actors and corporate professionals. The headshot, is the single most important marketing tool for an actor or business professional and it’s amazing how many people go wrong, just to cut a few corners.

Actors - firstly, it provides casting directors with a true picture of you, not overly stylised and you on a good day. Secondly, it’s a promotional tool for you, or you as your brand; it’s a tool to attract producers and casting directors. It should help you stand out from the crowd. It should demonstrate a feeling of experience, of being a settled professional actor with confidence.

great headshots provide casting directors with a true picture of you, you on a good day

Business Professionals - its a promotional tool, that helps you stand out from the crowd, promoting you as your own brand. It’s a way of connecting personally with your clients, influencers and your next employers. Having confident and approachable headshots for your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter profiles are essential. nothing screams amateur more, than a poor headshot profile photo.

having confident and approachable headshots for your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter profiles are essential
YOUR PHOTOSHOOT WHAT TO EXPECT
"We are know for our ability to help even the most nervous clients, relax in front of our camera and actually enjoy the experience"
youdeservethis headshots - air conditioned studio - makeup prep and styling

At the start of your headshots session, we will take a few minutes to discuss what you need your headshots to do for you. Usually, we will have chatted via email, on the phone or video chat and already have a good brief from you already.

youdeservethis headshots - behind the scenes look - natural light and studio lights used together

We may use a mixture of natural light and studio strobes or continuous lighting during your headshots session. It all depends on the style of the headshots, you need us to create for you.

it's a great chance to get some valuable feedback live on screen

We will show you your unedited headshots on a 27inch screen, if we are in the studio; or on the back of camera, if we are outside. It's a great chance to get some valuable feedback.

Around 24 hours after your shoot, we will send you a link to a private gallery, to view all your images and select your favourites to be retouched. You can share this with your agent or anyone that you would like to help you decide on your final images to be retouched.

youdeservethis photography studio, seating area in Tadley, near Basingstoke Hampshire

You will email us with your choices of images to be retouched; the number depends on the package you selected when you booked online. You can always add extras to be retouched at £20.00 each.

Seating and TV area plus makeup mirror for those all important touch up's in our studio
Our different coloured walls give us lots of options

Around 2 to 3 days after you have emailed your request for retouching, we will send you the links to download your final retouched images. If you require 24 hour turnaround, we will invoice an additional £50.00

WHAT MAKES A GREAT HEADSHOT?
"It’s important that your eyes are looking at the viewer and have a sparkle with great catchlights"

A great headshot is all about the eyes. It’s important that your eyes are looking at the viewer or casting director. Look for the sparkle, you should have great catch lights in the eyes. Catch lights make you look like you have an active thought going on and you're not looking ‘vague or ‘out to lunch’. Don't worry, we will direct you, to achieve this but being aware of it beforehand, really helps.

Spend time looking at yourself in the mirror, at home, yes really. A little time spent practicing, seeing how you look with different expressions, can really help you become aware of your expressions. Notice how tiny changes in where your nose points, left or right, up or down, can change your look completely - try it, it's worth a few minutes of your time. Notice how tiny changes in where your nose points, left or right, up or down, can change your look completely - try it, it's worth a few minutes of your time

Casting directors look at thousands of headshots, so make sure your headshots have good contrast and colour, not to soft and dreamy, so they pop and catch the directors eye.

It’s vitally important that you find a photographer that can show something behind the eyes; that shows something going on in your head

It’s vitally important that you find a photographer that can show something behind the eyes; that shows something going on in your head. You can always spot when the eyes are just not believable.

POSING FOR HEADSHOTS
"Before your photoshoot, think about how you want to be perceived through your headshots and who's eye you're trying to catch"

Actors - "Be honest with yourself and think about your type, who do you get cast as? What roles do you want to be cast for? Once you know this, you can talk to your photographer about how you want to be photographed and what roles you're applying for."

Business professionals, it's the same for you. You need to have a clear idea of who's eye your trying to catch and what you want your headshots to say about you. It's no surprise, that we often get asked by business professionals, for headshots similar to actors. Why? Well it's got something to do with wanting your personality to really come through.

Your Doing it all Wrong? - There is no right or wrong way to pose for headshots. You will see many of the ‘rock star’ photographers, trying to sell their training videos/courses, all claiming they have the secret to great headshots. It’s rubbish, everyone is different. What suits one face may not suit another. We will pose and direct you to get natural looking shots, that express subtle differences in emotion.

Know How Your Face Looks. - Ever wondered why seasoned pro’s never seem to have a bad shot taken of them? Well there is a reason for that, they practice and practice in a mirror, till their face have the muscle memory and its comes naturally. Now, we are not suggesting you spend hours and hours in front of your mirror at home but a little time spent practicing, seeing how you look with different expressions can really help achieve the results you want.

Bring Your Energy to The Shoot. - It doesn't matter who is photographing your headshots, if you don’t ‘turn up’ on the day, no amount of beautiful lighting or skillful posing will make you look great. It’s important to be connected with the camera and the person who ultimately views your headshots. See it as a small performance that you are going to give, to casting directors and producers or clients and employers.

Stay Relaxed, Stay Loose. - It’s important to relax yourself and move, even a little between shots. If your photographer, is adjusting lighting, that’s a good time to roll your shoulders, move your feet, stretch your back and neck, blow your lips, stretch your jaw and reset your eyes by closing them and taking some slow relaxed deep breaths. We will remind you to do all this but if you have this in mind, it really will help you.

Posture. - Your photographer will pose and direct you and sometimes put you in positions, that you think cannot possibly look good. Don't worry, this is normal. Its all about what looks good to the camera, the area around your shoulders and head are the focus. Contrary to Vogue and other glossy magazines, rounded/curves shoulders and back never look great. A good headshots photographer will help you with this but keep it in mind, it will help.

Where do you want me to look? - We get asked this questions at almost every shoot. It’s simple, just look straight in to the lens, you may see a light grey circle at the back of the lens, look straight through this. By doing this we make sure the person viewing your headshots, feels a connection with you. After all, how do respond to someone that gives you good eye contact?

Expressive eyes are the secret sauce that can take a good headshot and make it a great one.

Feel the emotion. - Rather than trying to use your whole face to show an emotion or feeling, try actually feeling that emotion inside; It will register in your eyes, the moment you feel it inside. Your photographer will look for subtle changes in your eyes and coach you throughout. Ask any casting director or producer about their selection process; they will attribute an emotion or feeling they get from each face they look at. For example, the headshot could indicate a “warm, best friend, trustworthy” or “I got your back, has gravity” or “great smile, playful” or mystery lady with dark past, damsel in distress” or “Clark Kent. Navy Seal, Man of action. Superhero look” etc.

Feedback and Review. - When you get a chance to look at the back of camera or on a screen, review your images, use this opportunity, to gain valuable feedback. It will help as your shoot progresses and also afterwards for any future shoots, casting calls or interactions with clients or employers.

Most Importantly, relax, have fun and enjoy the experience. We will direct you throughout, you're in safe hands.

Created By
Charlie Silverlock
Appreciate

Credits:

YouDeserveThis Headshots, Makeover and Photoshoot Studio

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