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Vanie Poyey Photography

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10636 Burbank Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601
323-856-6156
info@poyeyphotos.com
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What makes actor headshots effective?👇 Getting sp What makes actor headshots effective?👇

Getting specific.

And If specific looks didn’t work for you...

It’s because you changed outfits but didn’t embody the essence of the character.

❌ Specific headshot looks DOESN’T mean changing outfits and giving the same face in each one!

✅ For headshots to be effective, you need to embody the essence of the character like comedian 👉 Ocean Glapion does here.

✅ You need to act the part and not just look the part.

That’s why you need an LA headshot photographer who directs you like and actor and not one who poses you like a model.

Comment the word ✨sample✨ to see more examples of specific, personality based, acting headshots that sell REAL actors instead of outfit changes!

🔃 Share with an actor in Los Angeles who doesn’t have specific headshots yet.
Most looks are cross-over👇 What’s the difference Most looks are cross-over👇

What’s the difference between commercial headshots vs. theatrical?

The context. Your essence. That’s it.

MOST of your headshot looks ARE cross-over looks.

But first...

➡️ If you need help figuring out the looks that are right for you in your age group, comment with the work ✨LOOKS✨ and I’ll send you my Ultimate Look Guide!

Here’s the deal: You want to target the same look in both markets. Because the roles you play don’t change. The context does.

❌ Your “Suburban Dad” look isn’t just for commercials.

✅ You’re also the “Suburban Dad” in a one-hour drama.

✅ The “Office Guy” in a sitcom is the same “look” as the “Office Guy” in a procedural.

So, what actually changes when a headshot photographer creates looks to convey commercial vs. theatrical?

Mainly your ESSENCE.

✨ The “friend” in a Target commercial has a different feeling, a different story, than the “friend” in Severence.

Your headshot session shouldn’t be about just “smiley vs. non-smiley.”

⚡️It should be about capturing an emotional arc for EACH look—from a bright, commercial essence to a grounded, theatrical one.

📸 You don’t need two different photographers.

You need one photographer who directs you like an ACTOR, not a model, to show you can do both.

🔃 Share to help an actor ready for the right marekting looks. Not just “theatrical or commercial.”
How to get effective headshots 👇 This is the mind How to get effective headshots 👇

This is the mindset shift you need as an actor.

❌ Headshots are not just “nice” pictures of you.

✅ Headshots are about giving your agents the marketing tools they need to get you auditions.

So what makes a headshot effective?

An effective headshot showcases the specific roles you’d auditon for AND your personality. 

But stop taking shortcuts!

✨ Invest in a pro headshot photographer who understands industry standards and can guide you with your looks. 

Hi 👋 I’m Vanie, the headshot photographer for actors who don’t like to pose. 

🔃 Share with an actor whose headshots are not working right now. Let’s fix that!
All you need to know about acting headshot rules👇 All you need to know about acting headshot rules👇

Rules are created because somebody somewhere messed up.

We’ve heard it all!

⚡️Don’t wear jewelry in headshots

⚡️No scarfs

⚡️No graphics

⚡️No patterns

⚡️No red lipstic

⚡️No hands

The list is long.

BUT no casting director ever said, “Don’t bring that actor in because they’re wearing jewelry in their headshots.””

In fact, no agent or manager ever asked my actors for a re-shoot because we “broke the rules.”

Why?

Because rules don’t matter.

The only thing that matters is that you EFFECTIVELY convey the character you’re going for in your headshot. That’s it.

This is where newbie photographers don’t know how to guide you and make costly mistakes.

Ask yourself this ONE quesion and you’ll be able to decide if you should do something or if you shouldn’t.

💁🏼‍♀️Does this help clarify my look?

✅ If the answer is yes, then go for it.

If the answer is “I don’t know but I really want to wear it” then you’re doing something to satisfy your own desires and not to clarify the character.

❌ In that case, the answer is no, don’t do it.

Let me know if you’ve every had a re-shoot request because of one of these rules. ⏬
Here’s how to pick your specific looks👇 Comment w Here’s how to pick your specific looks👇

Comment with the word ✨looks✨ and I’ll send The Ultimate Look Guide for Actors straight to your DM.

THEN...

✨ Simply pick out the headshot looks that resonate with you as an actor.

❌ Don’t over complicate this process.

Ask yourself these two questions...

✅ What roles can I believably play based on how I look?

AND

✅ What roles can I believably play based on my essence?

🔃 Share this with actor friends who could use the look guide too!

Featured here: Actress Alexa Rose 🎬
💄Makeup by: @makeupbyjuliehirji
Wanna know the looks in your age group?👇 ⚡️Commen Wanna know the looks in your age group?👇

⚡️Comment with the word ✨looks✨ and I’ll send you my Ultimate Look Guide for the most popular headshot looks for actors in your age group.

You’ll learn:

✅ The categories and sub-categories in your age group.

✅ The specific headshot looks in those categories agents and managers are asking for right now!

🔃 If you found this helpful share it with another actor in your stories or on your feed!

Featured here, the lovely Renee Pietrangelo
💄by  @makeupbyjuliehirji
“Perfect” headshots don’t book acting jobs.🚫 ✅ Ch “Perfect” headshots don’t book acting jobs.🚫

✅ Character does.

So many actors try to hide the very things that make them unique and castable.

But what you might see as a “flaw” is what an agent and casting director sees as your unique differentiation.

Like this post if it helped you with more acceptance!🫶
❌ In theory, that works. In reality, it fails. Wh ❌ In theory, that works. In reality, it fails.

Why? Because headshots are not “Real Life.”

✨ On TV, there’s CONTEXT. You have a set, a location, other actors, music, and dialogue to tell us who the character is.

✨ In an acting headshot, there’s NO CONTEXT. It’s just a close-up of your face and wardrobe. That’s it.

If your headshot wardrobe is too subtle or “realistic,” the Casting Director has to guess who you are.

And a confused mind says no. 

✅ This is why you should embrace the STEREOTYPE.

Since we don’t have a set, your clothes have to do the heavy lifting. You need to be “On-The-Nose.”

  The “Real” Gamer wears whatever they want.

 ✅ The Headshot Gamer wears a graphic tee.

  The “Real” Lawyer might wear a polo.

 ✅ The Headshot Lawyer wears a suit or sharp blazer.

Don’t dress for the reality. Dress for the Quick Read.

❤️ Comment with the word ✨wardrobe✨to get my Ultimate Wardrobe Guide ($4.97) with visual samples describing what to wear for each look in your category. $4.97 or complimentary when you book a headshot session!

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