The most important thing to convey in your headshot.

[LA Headshot Photography by Vanie]

I was asked to contribute to a Backstage West column

called “Ask A Photographer”.

Halley Bondy, one of the news reporters from Backstage West, asked me to answer this question with 200 words or less. Oh Boy! Well here goes!

Dana-DeLorenzo: Sassy New Yorker

Dana DeLorenzo: Fun Hip / Creative Professional

The most important thing to convey in a headshot is specific marketing!

The biggest mistake most actors make is taking a pretty picture that says nothing about them. EVERYONE CAN TAKE A PRETTY PICTURE, but a picture that is directly targeting specific age ranges and specific casting calls, such as “business man”, “young Mom”, “victim” or “girl next door”, is the picture that will get attention.

Lisa Costanza: Military / Sonia Sanchez: Edgy

Eli Kramer: Detective / Jarrett Worley: CW Hip

Maggie Slack: Quirky Office / Andrew Dominic: Dad

IF YOU PRESENT YOUR AGENTS with the marketing tools they need to get you in the door, you’re already one step ahead of the game. If you don’t have an agent, and you submit a variety of photos with marketing range, the chances of being called in are greater, since you’ve eliminated the guesswork as to what market you fall into!

Lindsay Weisberg: Hipster / Victim

You can figure out your market by narrowing down your age range, and by doing a little research observing where “you” are cast on TV.

There are also many workshops, such as at Sam Christensen Studios, that focus on just that!

KayDee Kersten: Quirky & Girl Next Door

KayDee Kersten: Edgy Hip

REMEMBER, this is a business, and your headshot is like a big business card. If the business card doesn’t tell us what market you fall into, the chances of getting called in for auditions are slimmer.

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Edlin Chavez: Urban / Maggie Brooks: Mom

Jerry Terhorst: Quirky Office

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I love helping you by putting out this free information (often written on weekends and evenings) so please help me spread the word by commenting and or sharing this post on your social feed!????????