Pro headshots? I'll just use my phone.
The technology in our pockets is incredible. Notably the cameras that are on our phones. With a mix of awesome lenses, increased sensor size and fancy AI, our phones arguably are better than the cameras pros used back in the day. Right?
So why would anyone want to pay for a professional headshot when we can simply use our phones?
Good point! so I thought I would take some time to offer 5 reasons why having a professional take your headshots is still better than using your phones. And in the interest of balance and fair play, I’ll also give some tips on taking a good shot using your phone.
1: First Impressions Count
This is exactly what a headshot is. A first impression. Be it for casting or for business, we often ‘meet’ people for the first time digitally. This could be on a spotlight profile or on a social media platform. Having a professional headshot already puts you ahead of those without one. It’s akin to going to an interview having not taken any time on your appearance.
2: It’s more than just a picture of your face
It’s a connection to the person hiring you. When your image passes the desk of a director, not only are they meeting you for the first time but your image may also be used in other ways. If a production wants to have images of their team for marketing material, then they are more likely to opt with an already professional image. It also shows that you’re taking your craft seriously.
3: A good photographer knows what they are doing.
This means that you can relax a little safe in the knowledge that through great posing, excellent lighting and composition, you will end up with a series of images that are flattering to you and complimentary to the industry you’re in. It might be that your casting range is broad and you need a series of images to reflect that. Maybe you’re in business and you want people to connect with an image of you looking at your best.
A good photographer will make you come across as professional, approachable, present and employable!
4: The images will just be better!
It’s true. Our phones have incredible cameras… for phones. But a professional (and good) photographer will have a better camera, with a bigger sensor and a better lens. Add this to the experience of working in the industry and investing in professional lighting, backgrounds, post processing and delivery. Then a phone can’t even compete.
5: It’s a part of being an actor
Sad but true. Acting can be a brutal albeit incredibly rewarding industry to work in. When the APHP interviewed casting directors, 97 percent of them agreed that a headshot is important when drawing up audition lists. If it’s that important to the people giving out the work, then surely it must be important for those who wish to get said work?
Ok, Ok. Just tell me how to use my phone…
Until you are in a position to get professional headshots, some people may accept an image taken on your phone. So do your best to make it the best image that your phone can take…
-Use natural light. Not too bright, not too dim. A lightly overcast day can work. Too dark and it’ll hide features. Too bright and you’ll be squinting
-Get someone else to take it! No selfies please. Get a friend to take LOTS of images and be brutal when choosing. If they take 50 photos, choose two images or so.
-Have a neutral expression. A massive grin may be as off putting as a grimace. Find a neutral expression and work around that.
-Use the highest possible resolution.
-DON’T USE A FILTER! It’s not Tik-Tok. People want to see the version of you that you sent them when you walk into the room. If you turn up looking different then they will feel lied to.
-Embrace your face. It’s hard to do some times. But that feature that you don’t like about yourself? Often nobody cares about it as much as you do and ultimately it’s your USP. I was asked to photoshop someone’s missing tooth in. I refused, they embraced it and was then cast in a Netflix show in which their character had to be missing a tooth!
So, use your phone if you must, but don’t keep that shot forever. Good headshot photographers will treat every individual person that walks through their door as a new project and will capture your individuality and persona like no one else can.