QUESTION:
Should I Shoot My Own Headshots?
(By Carmichael Phillips)
(Photo: Min An | Pexels)
QUESTION:
Should I Shoot My Own Headshots?
ANSWER:
No! Do not shoot your own headshots. Leave the photography to the people who know what they are doing.
Here’s why:
1) Your headshots are your calling card. They speak on your behalf – before, during and after your audition. You want them to speak well for you. You want them to say that you’re a professional actor who knows what they are doing.
2) Whatever money you save by taking the headshots yourself, will almost certainly cost you even more in the long run. How many opportunities do you think you’ll miss out on, when you use uncompetitive headshots?
If money is an issue, there are ways to get a quality headshot on the cheap. You could:
1) Connect with a photography student and arrange a mutually beneficial deal. They take photos of you for their portfolio in exchange for taking your headshots for you.
2) Contact a photographer on Craigslist, or a similar site, who is offering inexpensive headshots. But be careful and do your due diligence. Ask the photographer for examples of headshots they’ve taken in the past.
3) Connect with a photographer on Instagram or Facebook who might be willing to do your headshots at an affordable price.
Headshots are not a DYI project. They have a profound impact on your success as an actor. It is well worth making a proper investment to get some good ones. But if your money is funny, there are plenty of inexpensive ways to get professional-looking headshots. Doing them yourself is probably not one of them.
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