I’ve talked about getting headshots done on here before. I personally find having headshots done fun and I don’t stress out about them too much. I’ve had some really bad photo shoots (and sometimes really horrible reshoots after those bad shoots), so I don’t have a fear of bad photos. If I don’t get a photo out of a shoot that I want, I can always ask for a reshoot or just not use the new photos. I don’t want to waste money on photos so I’m choosey on who my photographers are, but I also know that it isn’t the end of the world if I don’t love all my photos.
I had a shoot recently with Adam Emperor Southard (I’ve known him socially for a while) and I had a great time! We did a 2 look shoot and I know what colors look good on me and what types I typically go in for so I can make sure my shoots reflect what I need.
But I also had set a word of the year on my personal blog this year. I wanted my word to be “bold”. And by doing what I always do in my photo shoots isn’t really being bold.
So before I started my shoot with Adam, I mentioned that I’d love to do a mini-shoot with a 3rd look. I recently got a tank top with a message I love (it says: Go Ahead, Underestimate Me) and I wanted some fun photos with that tank top on to use for my personal blog or maybe social media. Adam agreed but we wanted to do the “normal” shoot first.
I got some great photos that I love and I’m glad that my agents love them too.
These are the photos that they expect from me and that I believe casting directors like to see. They look like me and they are a good representation of who I am.
After those 2 looks, I changed into my tank top and I had the makeup artist there change up my hair and my makeup. She asked me what I wanted, and I told her I wanted a bold look and that I would leave it up to her judgment on what that would mean (this was our 3rd shoot together where she did my hair and makeup so I trust her). I didn’t look in a mirror once my look was done because I didn’t want to judge myself, so I went straight in front of the camera and did some crazy photos.
These photos are more like what I would take when I’m out and about with my friends or at a party. They have a lot of personality and I loved how they came out. I knew I’d be using them on my personal blog as soon as I work on my blog layout.
On a whim, I sent the crazy photos to my agents when I sent them my selects. I told them that I knew that they weren’t what I usually would use and that I wasn’t expecting to use them as headshots since they are a little out there for me, but I wanted them to see them just in case.
And I was shocked when they sent their selects back and 2 of the 3rd look were included! They loved that I took a risk and got some photos that are unexpected from me (and actors in my category). They wanted them up on the online casting sites as soon as they were retouched.
I never would have guessed when I took those photos that my agents would like them. I did them for me and not for anybody else. But it proved that being bold and taking risks help me forward my career and others in the industry like when I do that.
It always feels like I’m too over-the-top when I do crazy things like that, but maybe I need to stop judging myself, and just go for it. If it’s too much, I can tone it down. And I’m sure you’ve all heard how it’s better to have someone ask an actor to bring it down instead of adding more to a scene/audition/performance.
With 2015 coming to an end soon, I’m staring to think about what I want my word for 2016 to be. I want it to be in the same vein as “bold” since that has worked well for me. I’m happy to take suggestions from you all if you’d like to share them in the comments!