Actor vs. Corporate Headshots in NYC
If you use your theatrical headshot on LinkedIn, or hand a stiff corporate headshot to a Broadway casting director, you are telling NYC gatekeepers you missed the assignment. Your face is your main marketing asset, whether you are booking an audition at Pearl Studios or interviewing for a VP role in Hudson Yards. This is the look each industry expects.
Want to shoot at any of these with Dante's Models? Book a session or apply to be represented.
The Actor’s Commercial Look
Commercial casting directors in NYC want to see your spark: eyes lit with real warmth and a natural, open smile. They are imagining you selling detergent or tech apps, or playing the friendly neighbor on a sitcom. The lighting is bright, soft and shadow-free so your features are clear.
Think of a funny inside joke right before the shutter clicks to get real eye crinkles.
The Actor’s Dramatic Look
For Off-Broadway stages or gritty procedural dramas shot in Long Island City studios, your headshot needs quiet intensity. That is not a scowl. It is active listening caught on camera. Moodier light with sculpted shadows brings out structure and emotional depth.
Pick a specific inner monologue, a secret you are not telling the camera, to ground your eyes.
The Corporate Executive Look
Corporate decision-makers do not care about your emotional range. They want to know if you can handle a $10M budget or represent a firm to investors. The expression is a "smize": confident eyes with a composed, warm micro-smile that reads as leadership.
Angle your shoulders about 45 degrees to the camera to look engaging rather than defensive.
The Creative Professional Look
If you work in tech, advertising or media in DUMBO or Flatiron, a traditional bank-style headshot makes you look out of touch. Go for environmental depth, such as a softly blurred urban loft or a textured studio backdrop, with elevated casual styling.
Choose natural daylight or a hybrid studio setup. NYC studios like Dante's Models shoot this kind of session for a modern, non-stuffy look.
That's the inside look. Save this one for your next shoot.
And when you're ready to create something real in NYC, you know where to find us.
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