Dance headshots vs. senior pictures don’t have to be an either/or choice. It’s that time of year when I receive a lot of requests for dance headshots. Here’s what you need to know about dance headshots and how to get the most from them.

I work with a lot dancers

I’ve worked with a lot of dancers. Morgan is a dancer, on my Senior Squad and I’ve been photographing her over the years. Just recently we had her senior photoshoot and beforehand she asked if I could please take some headshot pictures for Dance Nationals coming up. I smiled to myself, knowing how this was going to work out and said, “Sure”!

Photoshoot Experience

We took a few headshots and then moved onto the photoshoot. I’m repeating myself just about every time I write about the senior photoshoot experience – it’s an EXPERIENCE. Having senior pictures done with me is about looking your best on your best day (pro hair and makeup, styling) and more importantly feeling like you’re on top of the world, that anything is possible. Anyone in front of my camera is going to completely lose track of time and get lost in the moment.

The images they always choose

Back to Morgan…we cycled through outfits and locations having an amazing afternoon. When she and her mom came into view their gallery I knew they’d need a headshot to go away with that day. Guess what? They selected 2 images that weren’t the headshots. I’ve done this over and over again and was fairly certain this is what would happen. To sit in front of a camera for a “quick headshot” will NOT give you the images that show who you really are.

Rethinking how headshots are taken

We took the two selected images from her senior photoshoot and within a couple of minutes I had cropped them to headshot size. There was no retouching needed because when you view a gallery with me every image is ready to print.

Moral of the story, the next time you’re thinking of dance headshots give it another thought and consider a broader experience – a photoshoot. Given the space and time the photoshoot images will be so much more worthy of your daughter’s personality. And isn’t that what dance is all about – emotion?

P.S. Morgan said she’s going to have the best headshot for the second year in a row! LOL.