In a theatrical headshot you need to convey emotion. If your headshot doesn’t connect at an emotional level with your audience, it hasn’t done its job. This is quite different from a commercial headshot which can be all sorts of positive vibes without making the same level of connection.

Consider what kind of roles you want. Does your headshot naturally fit within that persona. Is it a stretch to imagine your headshot as that role? You might want to ask the agency and/or agent what roles you seem to naturally fit in with – but be realistic. You might want to be a certain role but the truth is you’re not getting many opportunities or callbacks.

This one might require some outside help. Ask your agent/agency for help. Ask your photographer for advice. This goes back to roles (above) as well. Try to bring it all together.

There’s no harm in looking at what’s already out there and seeing what resonates. Run a few Google searches and see what comes up. Send them to your photographer as inspirational ideas. You can put your own personal twist on it of course, but ‘mood boards’ are a great way to set the tone for the session.