[Headshot Wardrobe Tips by Vanie]
Trends have changed in LA–
Used to be that headshots were in black and white.
Used to be that three quarter head shots were it.
Digital advancements in both cameras and printers have made it possible for the color headshot to be reproduced cheaply and led to the birth of online casting. There are hardly any more paper submissions. In fact, most auditions arrive via email these days.
Rachel Pollack: Hip Mom / Robert A. Lynch: Young Dad
Kevin May: Young Grad Student
Christopher Drew Carter: Detective / Chris Degner: Detective
SINCE ALL YOUR PHOTOS ARE SUBMITTED DIGITALLY, and since the thumbnails online become really small, the smartest thing to do is to shoot mainly close ups.
Makes sense, right? You don’t want your face getting lost in the thumbnail, which is the ONLY thing casting directors really see (unless they click on your headshot, but that’s a whole other topic of discussion).
The agents I work with want to see your face and not your body. The 90s are gone!
Whitney Harris: Student / Edgy CW
HAVING SAID THAT, stop bringing your shoe collection, all your skirts and all your pants to photo shoots! Start bringing the brightest most saturated colors you have in your closet. Your goal with color headshots online is to bring as much color into the headshot as possible so that you pop.
If your closet is full of browns, blacks and generally muted colors, go shopping and don’t take the tags off so you can return what you buy!
Below are some samples of great saturated colors that work with clients who actually took my advice on clothing.
Chiara Borghetti: Quirky Best Friend / Commercial Office
Sean McSweeney: Quirky Student / Guy Next Door
Jonathon Pastore: Office / Bailey Parks: Quirky Secretary
Also, bring accessories.
Bring the things that make you, YOU. Bring your hats, your jewelry, and whatever else makes you unique. Don’t pull clothes out of the closet you haven’t worn in years because you’re going to a photo shoot. Bring your FAVORITE CLOTHES.
After all, just as you’d put your best foot forward on a first date (and hopefully on the second one too), headshots are you on your best day!
Kelly Nienaltowski: Hip Girlfriend
DON’T SHOW UP TO YOUR HEADSHOT SESSION UNPREPARED, and always bring plenty of clothes based on the above mentioned guidelines so that your photographer can give you some ideas of what works best!
You can also sign up to receive detailed wardrobe tips by scrolling to the bottom of the page!
_____
DeMark G. Thompson: Business / Ben Mironer: Hip Professional
Theo Wilson: Savvy Business / Dad
UCSD Class of 2014
___
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!????????
Love what I see. Would have liked some explanation regarding the digital headshots in the previous group of pics.