Your headshots must define your look, attitude and it must communicate in a positive fashion.

Actors headshot considerations

Role Appropriate

Casting directors, producers, writers and directors use your headshot to get a quick look at you to see if you have the right physical attributes for a given role.

Define your strengths

The pose in your headshot must exude your personality. You want the people looking at it to be able to discern the kind of actor/person you are simply by taking a glance at the photo. If you're a comic actor, make sure that your pose isn't dour, sad or angry (unless that's HOW you're funny). On the other side of that point, be sure you DON'T do some sort of zany pose that makes you look silly. The point is to make sure the photo shows who you are in "real life."

Don't disappoint

The important thing is that you LOOK LIKE THE PERSON IN THE PICTURE. You wouldn't believe the number of actors/actresses who come in with headshots that are 20+ years old trying to pull off that they still look like the person in the photo. Remember, the golden rule, the casting director is going to find out what you look like when they meet you, so don't disappoint them by providing them with something that sets up improper expectations.

Your calling card

Getting an acting gig starts by getting in the door of a casting directors office. Regardless of how great your acting skills are, if you don't have a headshot to use as your calling card, no one might ever know you exist. So, beg or borrow the money to get your headshots made by a PROFESSIONAL and let the world know you're ready for your close up.

 

Models considerations

Modeling Portfolios

Having a modeling portfolio is the first step to becoming a full-time fashion model and is not something that you can ignore. Of course, your modeling portfolio should be the best photos you have and should be representative of the skills and talents that you bring to the table.

Get your portfolio right

First of all is a "head-shot". This must show personality! This is your base point and from this photo you elaboate and show other "looks". We see portfolios all the time and they seem to be stuck on a formula that features casual, sporty, serious, etc. But that's WRONG! You are unique, you are one-of-a-kind. Show your STRENGTHS! Nothing else! You cannot be all things to all people. Don't even try. I don't want to see another 6ft tall skinny model (great for runway!) in a bathing suit because the agents say it is required.

Quality not Quantity

Use only your best photos in your portfolio. If you have two great pictures, then 10 not-so-great, the impression is that you are not able to get something great very often. But if you have only those two great photos, and they are great, the impression is only "GREAT" and you know what you're doing.

Here's how you select your best.

Put only your ten top pictures in front of you. Then, this is the criteria...if you had one picture to show Steven Spielberg, that's all he will accept for casting, pick that one from the bunch and set it aside. Then do this again with the remaining nine photos. Continue setting them aside till you hit a point where you say to yourself "I can't show him any of these", stop. You have your portfolio...only use the ones you have selected and set aside.

Again... LOOK LIKE THE PERSON IN THE PICTURE.

Forms for Models