The Importance of Expression in Head Shots

I’d like to take a few minutes to talk about head shots from my point of view.  I’ve been reading a lot of discussion from actors recently regarding head shots and how they can better prepare and perform for the photographer when getting their head shots done. 

The advice is all over the place, but there are some consistencies.  For example, the photographer should be working with a makeup artist that’s experienced with makeup for film and photography applications.  I totally agree with that, but I’ll add to it.  The makeup artist should also be familiar with the type of lighting the photographer is using, whether it’s natural light, strobe light, tungsten or florescent light. 

Another common piece of advice people give is to ‘be yourself’ in front of the camera.  Again, I completely agree, but I’ll add something else.. what types of roles are you looking for?  Do you want a diverse head shot catalog showing enough range to go after a wide variety of characters?  If so, I believe you need to play more characters than just yourself.  A good photographer will engage you and coach you into different looks and expressions to help achieve and surpass your goals for the shoot.

Your head shots are a tool and expression is everything.  If there's only one thing I've learned over the last few years about head shots, it's that your expression should convey confidence with approachability.  Think of it this way, if someone pointed a camera at you and asked you to give them a look that conveys confidence with approachability, could you do it on your own?  What does that look like in your mind?  Can you deliver that look without checking the mirror?  What if they asked you to look like you have something up your sleeve?  What does that look like?  One more thing to add, your face looks different when someone asks you to smile vs. when someone makes you smile.

I believe it’s the responsibility (yes, responsibility) of the photographer to coach you into different, commercially viable expressions to make sure your face is doing what you think it’s doing.  This takes a special photographer that’s willing to do the extra work and knows how to do it.

I also believe that if you’ve ever had a bad head shot, it’s not your fault.  Let me say it again, it’s not your fault.  It’s the job and the responsibility of the photographer to get marketable expressions out of you.  In my world, the only few things I need from my clients is to be on time, and be willing to play.  What I mean by that is, I can lead you to the edge of the cliff with a parachute, but you must be willing to jump.

Let’s talk about micro-expression for a minute. 

Below are a few examples of expressions that work, and expressions that don’t work in my opinion, and the differences are subtle.

Let’s start with Stijn.  These images were taken a few seconds apart.  The image on the left is a nice shot, but I wanted him to look more approachable, so I worked on engaging the mouth slightly, which also engaged the eyes.  The guy on the left looks blank and vacant, but the guy on the right has his act together.  Do you see the difference?  Since he can’t see his face, it’s my job to work on the expression to get the shot.  It’s non-stop coaching throughout the entire shoot.  Click for a larger size.

Next is Jennifer.  These were taken 3 images apart.  Once I had her in position, I asked her to engage the brow, and then worked on the mouth to give her more approachability.  

Next is Robert.  These images were shot back-to-back.  Both are nice images and he got both in the final edit, but pay close attention to the mouth and how it changes the expression.  It’s so subtle, but it makes a huge overall difference.

Last up is Trisha.  This one is a little more obvious, but since she can’t see her face, it’s my job as the photographer to coach her into an expression that works.  I can’t let her leave the studio with the expression on the left and blame her for not doing a better job.  It's my job to get the expression.

I could go on about the importance of head shots almost all day long because it’s not only about actors.  Real estate agents, business owners, job-seekers and the on-line dating community are just as important.  Whoever you choose as your head shot photographer, make sure you like their work and the expressions on the faces they show on their web site.  If you see blank, vacant expressions, that's a pretty good indication of what you'll be getting. 

:)