How to Pose for Actors Headshots: 9 Pro Tips from Michael Wharley

[@georgiaap]

Getting my first ever headshots done on Saturday! This helped a lot!

[@genmedel2646]

Have you gotten a acting job yet?

[@brandinshaeffer8970]

Best piece of advice here, imo, is to FEEL what you want to communicate instead of doing a face... and then don't 2nd guess yourself...trust that the photographer will tell you if it's not working. If the photographer isn't giving decent feedback, just ask to see the shots every 25 clicks of their camera. In other words, let the emotion be the guide, not the judgmental voice in the back of your head. Then, when you look through the pics on back of camera, turn on your editing and director's eye to make changes. You can't do those things simultaneously or the camera WILL pick up on the fact that you aren't fully present in the emotion.

[@therbertme]

I'm a photographer just making it up as I go along. This is so helpful! I've heard it said: the mark of a professional is contribution to their industry. Hats off to you.

[@michaelwharleyphotography5856]

Thanks Timothy; really appreciate that feedback. Do hope they're useful for 'togs as well as actors.

[@HenryBLeeNYC]

Yes, excellent advice. Thanks!

[@ccstopmotionproductions739]

I'm getting my first ever headshot this Saturday!!!! Wish me luck🙂

[@mimzyLassiter]

Same here and I’m shitting bricks right about now but preparing and hoping I’ll love the shots.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Michael, I do lots of headshots and had given thought to making a video explaining the process. Before doing that, I looked into possibly finding one that already covers the ground and here you are! Exactly what's necessary and I'll be linking this video to all of my future headshot clients. Thank you so much and I've subbed of course! Thumbs UP!

[@MichaelWharley]

Thanks Frederick! V pleased it's of use to you and yours. Have a clothing one coming up soon as well. Happy shooting. Cheers Michael

[@karenbasurto2353]

Me encantó. Mañana tengo una sesión de fotos, seguro esto me servirá mucho. ❤️

[@Anna-gh6gm]

Great video, thanks for posting.

[@terrycormier5221]

Thanks. Very helpful. Very well done. I’ll be getting a headshot today. I certainly remember posture and your advice about the lens

[@shivangdagar628]

thanks michael

[@thepatriciawhitechannel2135]

Thank you! I wish you were in NY!

[@Nunyaaa12345]

Thank you! As an actor that's new to all of this, this video really helped me!

[@MichaelWharley]

venuss3333 so pleased you found it helpful!

[@dsingh03]

Getting some new headshots taken later this week. This is very helpful to think of going into that!

[@bosolaful]

So pleased to hear it Danvir; sure you'll ace them!

[@glocat1963]

Thank you!!! That was helpful since I had my very first head-shot photography session this past Saturday.

[@johngrantthethird7361]

So very helpful, thank you

[@moSahl]

Thank you Michael. That was really helpful.

[@MichaelWharley]

Thanks Muhammad! Glad you found it useful. Good luck with your next shoot.

[@sophiesmekens7453]

This series is so helpful, thanks for posting!

[@MichaelWharley]

Thanks Sophia; so pleased you found it useful

[@Lewellah]

Brilliant. Thank you so much, that was what I needed

[@creativevoice7879]

thank you so much, I really enjoyed this.

[@f5mando]

Thanks, Michael. I am about to renew my HS. This is valuable, useful information, well imparted.

[@larrywarmsley2633]

Thank you much for sharing, good info and confident building.

[@b00i00d]

Great video - thanks!

[@barzinlotfabadi]

This is great! I'm sending this to my clients and friends 😁

[@veselinvasilev9362]

Thank you!

[@TheRealLexOG]

GOLD!!

[@JoaquimGonsalves]

I'm an Actor & a Photographer and this video is brilliant! It will really help me in both aspects.

[@jamilgotcher5456]

Great tips Michael! Subscribed!

[@dorbitan2935]

Great. Thank you for doing this.

[@MichaelWharley]

My pleasure Dor; glad you found it useful

[@georgiagraham9861]

Thank you so much for this video!

[@robynsnyder477]

Nice information! Thanks for sharing :)

[@sarahlelievre6391]

Great tips

[@JonathanSegevMusic]

Great tips - thank you for sharing!

[@TheGilbalfas]

This helped enormously

[@CloudSai]

This is a great video, thanks!

[@ferrarasabrina]

Thank you so much! I was in such a lack of confidence for my next headshot session but the tips helped me a lot PS: sorry for the broken english

[@MichaelWharley]

My pleasure; sure you'll do brilliantly!

[@lslx7120]

berrydoll i dnt see no broken

[@CKGoldiing]

great, wishing you continued growth-)

[@dharma_tour_]

Thank you

[@johnleighdesigns]

hi michael thanks for this video im a photographer looking at headshot techniques and one item I noticed was an LED panel you use in the background sometimes- are you combining this with flash by having a slow shutter to create a certain look

[@DiviPhotos]

Great video nice

[@NickDunning-audition-magician]

Nice one Michael - do you have a website?

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Wonderful advice. Everyone who does any kind of portrait work should view it. :-)

[@MichaelWharley]

thanks Terry

[@JRABFILMS]

I've never done this before. Do you reuse the head shots for every audition or do you make new ones for each role? Also, what emotion should i portray?

[@JRABFILMS]

@@kshtjmlk Thanks! :)

[@DiviPhotos]

Cool video

[@user-zl3jf3ek6q]

Needed this!

[@noahjay8370]

I think I’m taking one next week I’m nervous but excited so I can find an agent to be on a movie

[@MichaelWharley]

Good luck! Breathe deeply and look right down the lens - you'll be fine!

[@noahjay8370]

Michael Wharley thank you

[@noahjay8370]

Michael Wharley thank you my headshots turned out amazing

[@amitsharma2919]

splendid

[@marcusguimaraes4889]

I am getting my headshots for my Nickelodeon audition in March

[@carltonw2350]

same

[@renata6504]

Does someone know how to get auditions?

[@myfipink]

interesting the photographer i worked with used to tell me to totally forget he was there often shooting from the other side of the studio and slightly closer for close ups but the resaults were brillant but only with that photographer the trust between us became verry strong in fact he asked me one day in year 11photo day did i want to do a photo shoot at the studio because he thought i was so beautifull and he wanted to take photos of me not in school uniform the resaults were incredable for a first photo shoot i worked with the same photographer for 16 years the the photos allways came out exactly as i wanted this was before digital photography digital photograpy was a huge improvement in being able to see the photos cut the time down by half in fact one of my photo shoots was one of the first digital ones he ever did

[@AnandaGarden]

Very helpful. I gave it a like, but I did find it disturbing that you're looking off-camera part of the time, as if you've decided to talk to someone else in midstream and it's okay to ignore us - seems to violate the notion that we should look into the lens because it creates a contact with the viewer. Just a suggestion - I learned from the video.

[@MichaelWharley]

runbei thanks for the feedback. I guess we were trying to keep it casual and conversational, but that's good feedback to have. I'm not the most natural presenter!

[@Tayearimoro]

Hi, Michael Wharley. I need to ask for your permission to share this video on my Facebook page.. May I please?

[@MichaelWharley]

Please do!

[@mgoodman7635]

I don’t have the money for a professional headshot but I know someone with a camera😔

[@StorybookApothecary]

thanks for these tips! You remind me of a really polished Ed Sheeran! Just saying :)

[@bosolaful]

haha. I'll try to take that as a compliment Tianna! Glad you found it useful.

[@StorybookApothecary]

I think it is one! haha :) thanks again!

[@mediaflmcreation]

I had a headshot session with a lady who literally had the mindset of "being the ugly woman in the room" amongst her referral that sent her. She said she felt like that because of me.. I was like UM NO, YOU were the one throughout your whole session not liking yourself, don't blame me for you not liking yourself lol. Like every frame she had an excuse about herself and why she don't like it(based on her personal factors). Yes I agree, if you DO NOT put that section in your agreement about being passive and low self-esteem ... DO NOT come for your shoot.

[@kimmills3937]

getting my shots on saturday. is it normal to laugh??? becuase im not even doing it yet and i look and then laugh or smile, im scared. :(((

[@MichaelWharley]

Totally normal. It's just another way that nerves show. Take a few deep breaths a look right down the barrel of the lens and commit to your acting thought. It's just tiny acting basically!

[@kimmills3937]

@@MichaelWharley Thank you! this helped

[@kimmills3937]

@@MichaelWharley just done them amazing photos i done what u said and it helped heaps thank you! :)

[@jenniferbird7940]

Great information, but for me- the in between music was too loud & distracting

[@isharkjawz5668]

first time doing big headshots tmro

[@MichaelWharley]

Good luck. Sure you'll ace it

[@briannahahn5851]

Getting my first headshots tomorrow and I'm so scared

[@MichaelWharley]

You'll be brilliant. Just Remember to breathe deeply and reset yourself physically and in performance terms throughout the shoot

[@briannahahn5851]

@@MichaelWharley thank you for that :)

[@vteconly]

To be honest, i love your demeanor and attitude a lot more than Peter Hurley. Peter Hurley is so full of himself.

[@JasperKenneth06]

shadeeeeee lol

[@Comedianmsanita]

I don't see the purpose of this loud guitar and the audio is recorded too low I like the info on your videos when I'm listening at night that music does not fit in makes me want to change it LOL

[@desmondsunstrum6260]

Yikes. Why the awful and unnecessary loud music. It was overpowering your speaking voice and taking away from your content. I had to stop watching.

[@freddyl777]

Wonderful tips! Thank you! 😃

[@manuelmiranda7001]

This was invaluable! Thank you!