You’ll hear it a lot from us photographers - that the most important element behind connecting with the viewer of your headshot lies within the energy of the eyes.
That’s why I use a little trick I call ‘boy/girl banding’. Sounds silly, and perhaps feels it a little at first, but it gives the actor the opportunity to take their eyes away from camera, reset, take a breath and fuel themselves with whatever energy we might be playing with at the time - then pop their eyes back to camera for that wonderful 90s-style key-change moment.
Okay, so perhaps the images you see here aren’t strictly headshots since we need to see your eyes, but these are all moments where the actors are taking a quick moment to themselves that make for a great portrait. You can almost tell what kind of attitude they’re about to bring and you can guarantee that when their eyes catch the lens of the camera again, the headshot taken is refreshed, natural, and charged with energy.
It takes the intensity and stress out of staring at a camera for a whole session. It’s not really a normal thing to do is it?! This little technique gives you a real sense of empowerment and destroys any rigidity or tension we might be holding on to as actors for a killer shot and I encourage it through my sessions. If anything, it’s a good bit of fun!
About Michael Carlo
Web address: www.michaelcarlo.co.uk
Twitter: @mcarlophoto
Insta: @michaelcarlophotography
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MichaelCarloPhotography
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