Goals are great. Discovery is better.
Mackinley is another AMDA student that came to me for her first professional headshots here in Los Angeles, and boy oh boy did we crank out the keepers during her session! I usually talk about how important it is for an actor to know their “type” and what niche they can fill and offer casting directors. However, what do you do if, as an actor, you’re still in school or you’re just starting out, or you think you know your type but never get cast as that type you have in mind for yourself? In Mackinley’s case, she is still studying her craft and though she has an idea of who she is an artist and what she has to offer, she’s in a unique position to explore and find aspects of her type that she may not have embraced or even seen before!
As you can see in these first two shots, she has the range and capacity to be the “girl next door” as well as the mysterious leading lady. Deep down, I’m convinced that Mackinley knew she could pull this smolder/smirk out but just needed a little freedom to play with the intention behind the expression and coaching on her micro-expressions. This shot is both approachable yet assertive and confident. Ambiguity isn’t always a bad thing in your headshots; if we can walk the line between a couple different intentions in one shot, it plays as mysterious. And a little mystery, keeping the viewer engaged, is always a good thing.
Now we get to what I call “The Disarm.” What I mean by that is an intention that can be multi-layered, but at its core is 100% approachable. Ironically, to achieve a really good “disarm”, you have to have an abundance of confidence. You have to be so in control that no matter what happens, you know you’ll come out on top. Instead of using that mentality to intimidate, we flip it upside down and use that power to create a sense of ease. Mackinley’s expression and body language would make it easy for anyone to approach her in a social setting or in a one-on-one conversation. These looks lend themselves to great commercial shots because of the trust and confidence that can be seen while looking like your best friend!
So yes, it is important to know the direction you want your headshot session to go. However, as shown with Mackinley’s session, being open to trying new characters, types, or expressions, can make for some really great images. Like all things in life, goals are great. But if you’re too focused on the destination, you could miss some really great views on the road trip to that destination! Thanks for such a fun shoot, Mackinley! Now get out there and break some legs!