Los Angeles Senior Portraits vs. Headshots

One of the biggest differences in LA Senior Pictures & LA Headshots is where the subject is looking.  Are they looking into camera?  Are they looking away?  For headshots, it’s pretty much an unspoken rule that the subject (the actor) should be looking into the camera.  It helps to capture the essence, the personality, the vibe of the actor.  It helps to establish the actor’ level of intensity, or their ability to make us laugh with just a casual smirk..  Sometimes an agent or manager will choose an image where the actor is looking off-camera…but it’s pretty rare.  Mostly, you’d see this with a character type that typically looks away….like a super quirky character type, or a super shy character type.  I’ve also seen a “looking away” shot be chosen by a talent rep for actors whose direct stare is a bit overly intimidating.  It’s never good to scare the casting director, right??  hheheeee…

Well, the opposite is true of HS Senior Portraits.  There is no goal to shoot a certain character type.  We’re not trying to gauge intensity or the kinds of roles that the subject plays.  We’re simply capturing the emotions & feelings & essence of the subject for that moment in time.    Because that’s really what senior pics are : a capsule in time to remember that special phase of going from being a kid…in your parents care…and part of their responsibility….to being an adult.  making your own decisions…or at least most of them!    Senior Pictures are the very last of the baby pictures.  Your parents started when you were a newborn.  They continued documenting your growth at every grade level.  Now, it’s the last of the last – your Sr. Year – and these photos mark the last time your parents officially document your age, development & growth.  It’s not something to be taken lightly…and it’s not something to be taken too seriously.  It’s something to just have fun doing, and leave the rest to us