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How Vanity Can Cause You to Lose Sight of the Purpose of a Headshot.

How Vanity Can Cause You to Lose Sight of the Purpose of a Headshot.

Apr 22, 2018

[Headshots Photography by Vanie] What exactly is the purpose of a headshot? I know it sounds silly to ask that question, but if you will, let’s deconstruct what happens to your headshot from start to finish–I promise I’m going somewhere with this....

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Save this for later!❤️ #actorheadshotsla #act Save this for later!❤️

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Questions? I got you! 👇 #actorheadshotsla #act Questions? I got you! 👇

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The secret to loving your headshots👇 Like actr The secret to loving your headshots👇

Like actress Scarlet Barreto does, is...

✅ Working with a headshot photographer who directs you and doesn’t just pose you. 

✅ Cuz you’re an actor, not a model. 

✅ You act in front of the camera, you don’t pose. 

If my approach to headshots resonates

✨Comment with the word “book” and I’ll DM you the link to book so you make 2025 your best year yet!

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How to avoid being asked to re-shoot!👇 🤯So How to avoid being asked to re-shoot!👇

🤯So many actors don’t get this.

✨Headshots are your business cards.

Their purpose is to let agents and managers know how to market you.

Your target market is based on your age range and the auditions you’d go out for in your age group.

👇Actress Marypat demonstrates this perfectly:

✅ Showcase specific looks based on your target market.

✅ Show your personality because YOU and your unique personality, are what differentiates you form other actors.

❌ It’s not about taking “just pretty” pictures.

❌ It’s not about wearing your favorite outfits because they make you look good.

❌ It’s about being intnetional with how you dress the character and what characters you’d like to audition for.

Save this for later!❤️

#actorheadshotsinla
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Did you know...👇 In order for acting headshots Did you know...👇

In order for acting headshots to be effective, you can’t JUST change outfits.

✨Your essence, your outfit choices, your lighting and backgrounds have to match the character you’re trying to sell. 

Like actress Lucy does here!

HERE’S WHAT I MEAN:

These are all real examples actors have shown me when they couldn’t make out why their headshots weren’t working.

1️⃣ When you want to target a procedural with a business look, you can’t be smiling against a dark background with moody lighting.

That sends a contradictory message to casting directors and subconsiously they won’t buy into the look.

Because with a dark background and moody lighting, in a business suit, you need to look like you’re in court or on the field doing detective work. Not smiling.

2️⃣ When you want to target commercials with the BBQ Mom look, you can’t cock your head and flirt with the camera.

That sends a contradictory message because you’re looking like you’re sexy and you seduce people but you’re doing this in a plaid shirt with your hair up in a messy bun.

Casting won’t buy it and they’ll pass on you.

Last example.

3️⃣ If you’re trying to sell the blue collar look for a drama like Ozark but you’re wearing makeup, your hair is perfect, and you’ve retouched your headshots so your face is also perfect...

You’re sending a contradictory message and your headshot won’t work.

Because while everything else might be spot on, blue collar people don’t go walking around with perfect hair, makeup and skin.

✨When headshots with contradicoty messaging don’t work, it’s not because casting directors consiously identify the issue, they don’t have time.

They just know something is not right.

🤷🏼‍♀️And they pass.

Tap follow to see more daily tips to get your headshots working for you!❤️

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Here’s where actors go wrong with headshots!👇 Here’s where actors go wrong with headshots!👇

🎉But first, give it up for this father and daughter duo headshot day with actors Sean and Elliot Murphey!

I recently had a consultation with an actor who LOVED my work.

✨She expressed how much she loves the personality in my shots.

Then she went on to say how much she loved the bright colors in my work. Blush?🤗

And then she showed me two sample photos that she wanted to emulate.

❌ Not only were these two sample headshots lacking personality, they looked nothing like my work.

⚡️They were of beautiful women, looking extremely sultry, in dark and moody settings, with dark and moody backgrounds.

💁🏼‍♀️ I respectfully told her I’m not the headshot photographer for her and referred her to another colleague I thought would best suit her needs.

HERE’S THE THING. She wanted something from me that is not in my wheelhouse, not my jam.

I think she liked ME and my personality from what she gathered on my website, and she liked my work, but in fact, my work isn’t on brand for her.

✅When you pick a photographer, make sure the work in their portfolio reflects the headshots you need to market yourself with.

❌ Don’t try to make an apple an orange.

✅ If you don’t see what you need in their portfolio, move on and find someone whose work is in line with your brand.

✅ And THEN make sure you like them.

✅ And THEN make sure they have good reviews from fellow actors.

But never the other way around.

⏬ Have you ever shot with the wrong photographer and realized afterward? 

“#laheadshots
#actingheadshots
#laheadshotphotographer
#laheadshot
#laheadshotphotography”
The key to your headshots working 👇 Get specif The key to your headshots working 👇

Get specific but more importantly...

✨Be YOU.✨

✅ Be YOUR version of the Secretary.

✅ Be YOUR version of the Edgy girl.

Just like actress Summer does here.

❌ She’s not selling anything but who she would be cast as.

If you’re quirky, or slightly different, lean into that in your acting headshots.

❌Don’t try to “fit” into what you think they want from you.

Work with headshot photographers who get YOU.

Agree?👇👇

#headshotsession
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Understanding this means more auditions👇 And t Understanding this means more auditions👇

And tell me if you’re an actor who’se been confused by this request before

❌Getting specific isn’t just about changing outfits.

✅ It has to do with auditions you’re right for in your age group.

✅And then conveying those characters you’d audition for, in your headshots.

Simple right?

🙅‍♀️Well not quite.

You have two tools to convey those characters in your acting headshots:

✨Your wardrobe

AND 

✨Your personality

So just as you would dress the part but also embody the essence of a character in an audition

✅You should dress and embody the essence of the character in your headshots

Hi,👋 I’m Vanie (Vah-nee), the Los Angeles headshot photographer for actors who DON’T like to pose.

I direct you in front of the camera by playing improv games so you act on camera and embody the essence of the character instead of just changing outfits.

➡️➡️Have a friend who hates getting headshots? Share this post with them!

#headshotla
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