BWW Blog: Picture Perfect

As a senior BFA student, there is a lot to look forward to. Milestones of various kinds all lead up to that graduation day. One of the biggest milestones for any graduating senior pursuing acting or musical theatre is that infamous senior headshot session. Some dread it and some love it. The first time getting in front of a camera and trying to act like your natural self sounds easy, right? Well, it can be!

Here are some tips for finding the right fit and preparing to ace the shoot when the time comes:

Narrow Down Where You Want to Work

Knowing what coast, or general city that you want to work at is important information to know when looking at getting your headshots done. One is not better than the other one, they just have different looks; in other words, industry standards within each city. One of the biggest differences between each coast is the how they like to use light. New York headshots tend to be a little darker in tone, use studio lighting, and are generally chest and up in length. Meanwhile, in LA it ends up being the complete opposite with natural lighting, more vibrant, eccentric colors, and tends to capture more of your body within the shot. And we can't forget Chicago, the sweet middle ground. Chicago photographers are becoming a hybrid of both coasts. Which makes sense with Chicago producing constant work in theatre, film, and commercial. Once you decide where you might end up working professionally, your options for photographers is a little less overwhelming!

Finding the Right Photographer and Makeup Artist

If only finding the right photographer was as easy as swiping right on an app. Nevertheless, it can be just as easy. Nowadays many photographers have websites where you can look at their galleries online or even on social media. One of the things that you need to be aware of is that the makeup artist and the photographer might not come in the same package. Most of the time photographers have recommended makeup artist that they can suggest to you. Creating a list can only help you in figuring out what each photographer offers: price range, how many looks, how many edits. Then narrowing down your search for the right photographer. Ask your potential photographer any questions or concerns you have, you want to find someone you feel totally compatible with.

Knowing What to Wear

We all have asked someone that we, hopefully, trust: "What should I wear?!" This question crosses our mind while we are getting ready for an audition, a trip to the grocery store, and especially something so monumental like your first professional headshot session. You read about it everywhere: solid colors, subtle layers, simple designed clothing, flattering lines. We found it to be very helpful to think about what features we wanted to stand out. We both have baby blue eyes and light skin, so we chose tops that would enhance that. Wear what will make you comfortable. Don't get overwhelmed by the "rules", be YOU. If you think a bold choice would represent you perfectly, then go for it.

Breaking the Ice

The photographer will most likely be able to accommodate you and will want you to feel comfortable in the room. There is a great deal of preparation that comes before getting in front of the camera, so you'll have plenty of time to get to know each other. Creating a playlist of your favorite music can be fun to give them a sense of what type of person you are. Also, giving them some of your favorite roles you would like to play or have played can be very helpful. The photographer will have some tricks of their own to help get the right shot, they may be uncomfortable at first, laugh it off and embrace the craziness!

Picking Your Edits

Congrats! You finished your first headshot session, felt like a STAR, did a little waiting and now you have your gallery. Now is the time to look at 500 different raw photos of your face, and your face alone. This is everyone's favorite part. (If only that were true!) This can actually be very intimidating and overwhelming. Our best advice? Take it slowly, in sections, and don't limit yourself to one glance. This process can take a long time and that's okay! Find all of the positives in your favorite shots. Ask someone that you sincerely trust for some input, but remember that these are YOUR photos. This is your branding as an actor, choose how you want to represent yourself. If you find a shot that depicts exactly how you want to be viewed in the audition room, you have a winner.

Headshot season can be very daunting, but embrace the joy of it. This is your chance to be treated like an absolute professional for a couple of hours. Feel glamorous, enjoy every moment, and be proud of who you are in front of that camera!

Special thanks to Curtis & Cort Photography for making our first headshot session a memorable one! Check them out! http://curtisandcort.com/

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