Everyone talks about head shots, but as someone who teaches modeling for a talent agency and directs fashion shows and shoots for publications, I have a lot of models who ask me why they didn't make the cut for this or that project.  While the actual audition is important, it's your head shot (or comp card) that the cast directors hold onto and often times go back and review and compare when making their decisions.  Designers do this too for fashion shows.  It happens all the time that there is a very talented model, but she or he doesn't get the gig because of head shots or portfolio images that are either poor in quality or not the proper background/look.  For example, I recently had a wonderful new model who submitted for one of my fashion shows, but no designers chose her and when looking at her images, they were shot by very amateur, unskilled photographers.  When you put those images next to a model that had an experienced model photographer shoot them, there is a stark difference.  In addition to directing, I also still work as a model/actress.  Just this week I booked a Ruby Tuesday commercial and the director told me it was because he loved my head shot.

So how to nail a head shot that will land you a gig?
1.  Work with an experienced photographer who is skilled in shooting head shots and model portfolios.  Even if you have to pay the person.  It is an imvestment in your career.
2.  Make sure the hairstyling and makeup is done by a professional.  Attention to detail is important.  If your hair looks limp and stringy and you makeup doesn't show off your features, the overall photo may not look the best.  And you want to look your best!
3.  Keep the hair and makeup simple.  They want to see what YOU look like.  Not what you look like with a avant garde hairstyle and pile of caked on smokey eye makeup.
4.  Think about what you are wearing.  You want an outfit that won't distract from your face.  So leopard print is a bad idea, for instance.  Keep the jewelry to a minimum.  Don't wear skin colors like beige or white or black.  Solid jewel tones tend to look best.  However, make sure the color works with your skin tone.  I know from experience that yellow and orange are bad colors for me!
5.  Please skip the spray tan.  You will look orange, even if it's a great spray tan and doesn't appear to be Orange in the mirror.
6.  Variety:  it's good to have both a smiling head shot and one without a smile.  Use the smiling one for gigs where you know they want a beautiful smile, and the non-smiling for more serious roles or high fashion.
7.  No photographer water mark!  It's distracting.  This is where paying a photographer is helpful, they can provide non-water marked images as part of the price. 
8.  Over-editing.  A good photographer will not make you look plastic.  Again, they want to see what YOU look like.  Some editing is fine, just no plastic doll look. 
9.  Background.  I see so many head shots that have a ton going on in the background.  Either shoot it in a studio with a simple backdrop, or if shot outside, have the background out of focus.  Personally, I think a studio is best.
10.  Think about things like:  are my roots showing?  Is my hair in dire need of a trim?  If your nails show in the shot, are they in need of manicuring.  Is your skin dry, is your face oily.  These things matter. 

I know that models do not typically like paying for photos.  But this is just one of these things where a small investment can help you in the long run.  Some people are lucky and happen to be friends with a stellar portrait or model photographer or can do it as a trade shoot.  But if that opportunity has not arrived, I hope you'll consider this advice.  15 years ago when I started in modeling, I paid for my first photos for this reason and that portfolio helped me book my first jobs in the industry.  It would certainly make my job when casting fashion shows a lot easier if every model had a high quality head shot and full body shot.

Also, just to note--the same should be true for photographers.  If you as a photographer want stellar portfolio images, pay to work with the best models.  It goes both ways But this post is specifically offering some advice on model head shots.

this would make a nice submission to https://www.modelmayhem.com/education/