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Getting Ghosted Because of Your Photography Prices? It’s Not Your Price, It’s Your Positioning

Getting Ghosted Because of Your Photography Prices? It’s Not Your Price, It’s Your Positioning

Apr 9, 2025

Last week, I had TWO makeup artists tell me that they raised their prices and after sending their new prices to DM inquiries, they mostly got ghosted. Ouch. Maybe you can relate.๐Ÿ™„ Here’s the thing. I believe it’s not their price, it’s their...

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Vanie Poyey Photography

where to find us

10636 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
323-856-6156
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The difference between commercial vs. theatrical h The difference between commercial vs. theatrical headshots...

โŒ First, stop asking if a headshot photographer shoots โ€œcommercialโ€ or โ€œtheatrical.โ€

Hereโ€™s the truth: The line has completely blurred.

Think about it:

โŒ Your โ€œโ€Suburban Momโ€โ€ look isnโ€™t just for commercials.

โœ… Youโ€™re also the โ€œโ€Suburban Momโ€โ€ in a one-hour drama.

โœ… The โ€œโ€Office Guyโ€โ€ in a sitcom is the same โ€œโ€typeโ€โ€ as the โ€œโ€Office Guyโ€โ€ in a procedural.

Most of your looks are crossovers.

So, what actually changes in an acting headshot?

Your ESSENCE.

โœจ The way actress Krystal Nova demonstrates so well here. 

Your headshot session shouldnโ€™t be about just โ€œโ€smiley vs. non-smiley.โ€โ€

โšก๏ธIt should be about capturing an emotional arc for each lookโ€”from a bright, commercial essence to a grounded, theatrical one.

๐Ÿ“ธYou donโ€™t need two different photographers.

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

โžก๏ธ Hey if you made it this far, share like this post with your favorite actor friend. 

Also, have you been confused by this distinction? Letโ€™s talk in the comments.๐Ÿ‘‡
Your acting headshot is not simply a nice picture Your acting headshot is not simply a nice picture of you.

๐Ÿšซ Thatโ€™s a trap most novice actors fall into.

โœ… Instead, your headshots need to 1๏ธโƒฃ, market you SPECIFICALLY for the type youโ€™re auditioning for and 2๏ธโƒฃ, bring out your personality.

โœจ Your type, or what I call a โ€œmarketing look,โ€ is based on your age range.

If your age range is 18 to 23, your marketing looks may include โ€œthe guy next doorโ€ or โ€œthe hipster.โ€

๐Ÿ‘‰ If you donโ€™t know what looks to choose, COMMENT with the word โ€œlooksโ€ and Iโ€™ll send you my look guide.

โœจ Your personality is whatโ€™s going to sell you for the role youโ€™re auditioning for. 

So itโ€™s really important you work with a photographer who can bring out authentic expressions.

๐Ÿ”ƒ Share this with your newbie friends and hit the heart if you learned something new!

๐Ÿ‘—Styled by @rayneparvis
If youโ€™re frustrated with only a few auditions a y If youโ€™re frustrated with only a few auditions a yearโ€ฆ

I know exactly how you feel because itโ€™s my story.

Iโ€™m Vanie Poyey, the headshot photographer ๐Ÿ“ธ for actors who donโ€™t like to pose.

I was an actor, trying to get auditions for years.

๐Ÿ’ธ I spent thousands on re-shooting headshots over and over again but never got the auditions to match.

๐Ÿ˜ซ I felt hopeless.

I was doing everything โ€œright,โ€ but nothing was working.

That exact cycle is a huge part of why I eventually quit acting.

Now, Iโ€™m the photographer I wish Iโ€™d had.

โœ… My clients are going out on MULTIPLE auditions in a week, not in a year.

โœจBecause my entire process is different.

โŒ We donโ€™t just take โ€œmoreโ€ headshots.

๐Ÿ’๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธWe create specific, personality-driven marketing looks designed to get you in the room.

Follow if youโ€™re done wasting time and money on headshots that donโ€™t work!
Hereโ€™s what to do instead.๐Ÿ‘‡ You watch TV, observe Hereโ€™s what to do instead.๐Ÿ‘‡

You watch TV, observe real life, and decide to bring wardrobe that emulates that โ€œauthenticity.โ€

โŒ In theory, that works. In reality, it fails.

Why? Because headshots are not โ€œReal Life.โ€

โœจ On TV, thereโ€™s CONTEXT. You have a set, a location, other actors, music, and dialogue to tell us who the character is.

โœจ In an acting headshot, thereโ€™s NO CONTEXT. Itโ€™s just a close-up of your face and wardrobe. Thatโ€™s it.

If your headshot wardrobe is too subtle or โ€œrealistic,โ€ the Casting Director has to guess who you are. And a confused Casting Director passes on your headshot.

โœ… This is why you should embrace the STEREOTYPE.

Since we donโ€™t have a set, your clothes have to do the heavy lifting. You need to be โ€œOn-The-Nose.โ€

  The โ€œRealโ€ Gamer wears whatever they want.

 โœ… The Headshot Gamer wears a graphic tee.

  The โ€œRealโ€ Lawyer might wear a polo.

 โœ… The Headshot Lawyer wears a suit or sharp blazer like actress Meredith does here!

Donโ€™t dress for the reality. Dress for the Quick Read.

โค๏ธ Comment with the word โœจwardrobeโœจto get my Ultimate Wardrobe Guide ($4.97) with visual samples describing what to wear for each look in your category. $4.97 or free when you book a headshot session!
Getting this right means more auditions.๐Ÿ‘‡ โŒGettin Getting this right means more auditions.๐Ÿ‘‡

โŒGetting specific with your headshots isnโ€™t just about changing outfits.

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

โœจYour wardrobe

AND 

โœจYour personality

So just as you would dress the part AND emobdy the character at an audition

โœ… Same goes for your headshots

โœ… You need to dress the part but also embody the essence of the character

โœ… You need a photographer who directs you like an actor and doesnโ€™t just pose you like a model

If this resonates, share to other actors in your stories or repost!๐Ÿซถ
Hereโ€™s how to pick your own looks๐Ÿ‘‡ Comment with t Hereโ€™s how to pick your own looks๐Ÿ‘‡

Comment with the word โœจlooksโœจ and Iโ€™ll send The Ultimate Look Guide for Actors straight to your DM.

THEN...

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

โŒ Donโ€™t over complicate this process.

Ask yourself these two questions...

โœ… What roles can I believably play based on how I look?

AND

โœ… What roles can I believably play based on my essence?

Once you prepare the looks youโ€™ve picked out, the day of your headshot session, weโ€™ll have a mini clothing and look consult!

Thatโ€™s when Iโ€™ll help you figure out:โฌ‡๏ธ

โšก๏ธWhich looks will market you best.
โšก๏ธWhich looks will get you the most auditions.
โšก๏ธAnd which wardrobe best conveys those looks.

๐Ÿ”ƒ Share in your stories with friends who could use the look guide too!
If youโ€™re worried about how to pose... โŒ Youโ€™re w If youโ€™re worried about how to pose...

โŒ Youโ€™re working with the wrong headshot photographer.

Wanna try improv games on camera so that your authentic personality comes through as an actor without you having to think about what your face is doing?

Wanna create real looks instead of just oufit changes that has agents saying โ€œall your headshots look the same?โ€

Then itโ€™s time to try something different!

๐Ÿค— Hi, Iโ€™m Vanie (Vah-nee), the LA headshot photographer for actors who donโ€™t like to pose.

โœจFollow and hit that love button if I resonate with you!
If youโ€™re worried about how to pose... โŒ Youโ€™re w If youโ€™re worried about how to pose...

โŒ Youโ€™re working with the wrong headshot photographer.

Wanna try improv games on camera so that your authentic personality comes through as an actor without you having to think about what your face is doing?

Wanna create real looks instead of just oufit changes that has agents saying โ€œall your headshots look the same?โ€

Then itโ€™s time to try something different!

๐Ÿค— Hi, Iโ€™m Vanie (Vah-nee), the LA headshot photographer for actors who donโ€™t like to pose.

โœจFollow for daily tips so you nail your next headshot session!

ยฉ2025ย Vanie Poyey Photography, Inc. | search engine optimization by GO-SEO, my favorite SEO company.