Chi-Chi Onuah
ACTOR • MOVER • SINGER
I've had the pleasure of working with Dahlia Katz and Megan Fraser to create some of my favourite headshots to date! To me, the environment and prep work is just as crucial to the process as the final product. Dahlia and Megan create such a warm place to play and explore the different moods I want to bring out.
The prep work? That's done before I step into the studio.
Casting
First things first, I like to take inventory of my current headshots and make note of what headshots have helped me to get auditions/callbacks/roles, also ones that I am okay letting go of. It also helps to connect with Dahlia and together we compare notes on what sort of hits I already have in my toolkit as well as what can be added.
Character
I love discovering new dream roles I want to play and emulating that in my headshots! So, the next step in my prep work includes researching key photos of some of my favourite actors in character and creating a mood board or collage. This also reflects my current hairstyle, whether I'm rocking a rebellious red hue, or a badass buzz cut, my goal during research is to try and find photos that represent who I am now and the roles I could play right now.
Mood Style
I create a new mood board for each photoshoot, sometimes for each "character" I want to emulate. The most important factors to me are: essence (can I convey the essence of a character while working with the resources I currently have?), colour (what colour is this character?), and physicality (what are some of the key "poses" that evoke this character?) A personal playlist of mood-evoking music also helps (Beyonce is a playlist staple for me…)
There you have it! A guide on how to prep for your next headshot photoshoot, from my experience. It’s so much fun showing up at Dahlia’s studio with an idea in mind and at the same time a dash of the unknown as I watch Dahlia work their magic on camera! Of course, there's no one right way, as long as you are able to communicate and work together with your team on what you're aiming for, you'll be good to go.