Henricus wrote:
"A head shot is supposed to represent your true face,"

Katie, where did you hear this?  I thought head shots were used to show your versitility.  The one actor I photographed, wants several head shots with different looks.  The first ones I took of him he wore a beard with long-ish hair.  He wants some with a mustache only, go-tee(sp?), fu manchu(sp?) and finally clean shaven.  IMHO, the more varity you have the more marketable you are.  My 2 cents.

.........from every casting/artistic director I've ever met.  (this is for live theatre).

They want a picture of the person who will show up at the audition.  It's a waste of time if they call you in based on your headshot and you look nothing like what they are going for.  Versatility is for your acting, not for your "look."  That's the costume/makeup/wig designer's job.

Angelus wrote:
Katie.....that is "almost" a great headshot. Don't use it.

1. Get rid of the eye lashes. It's not you and it puts too much attention around your eyes and not on your eyes.
2. The black background is a no. Unless you're doing theatre. Commercial headshots...get out of the studio...or get an interesting lifestyle backdrop. A living room, kitchen, bookstore, office, etc...
3. Your skin. NOOOO!!!!
That headshot would get tossed for that reason alone.
In this particular one, you can see the bluring done to your skin.

Important Note:
The only things you should ever do to a headshot...
1. Fixing temporary blemishes and scars.
2. Color-correction.
3. Lighting correction.

The things you shouldn't ever do to a headshot...
1. No skin smoothing. You will NEVER look like that on camera. The plastic look is a no-go. Just get a GOOD make-up artist.
2. (Future reference) No photographer's copyright logo. CDs do NOT care who took the photograph.
3. Do not use colors that are too similar or too different. Soft, mid-level colors are always recommended.
Contrasting colors give you a harsh image. Too hot.
Too similar of colors blends everything together. Too cold.
You look like little more than a head and nothing else.

Great post!

Nemi wrote:
Thank you again for all your responses..This shot is a clear miss....I will try again and be back with the results.

try one that shows more boobs...then share with us.

BCG wrote:

try one that shows more boobs...then share with us.

direct yourself to my port to see boobies.

Cynthia Leigh wrote:
As a side note:

I've been told before that if you wear glasses to NOT wear them in your headshot. 

(Which I've scene as a mixed blessing--My glasses almost got me a featured extra role.)

No clunkly jewelry.
No hats.
No complicated hairstyles.
No overly done make-up.

I do wear glasses in real life...big ol' thick purple glasses. But they are too " me" to ever use in a headshot. You would have trouble picturing me as a character with mah drew careys on.

Nemi wrote:

I do wear glasses in real life...big ol' thick purple glasses. But they are too " me" to ever use in a headshot. You would have trouble picturing me as a character with mah drew careys on.

I have black plastic "librarian" glasses.  They're great for me.  And good if I'm being casted as a nerd/professional, but bad if they want me for a party girl/younger role/etc. so I don't include them in my headshots.