Yes; I actually used this pic as a headshot a long time ago.

It happens every time.
I’m an auditor at an audition.  As people hand in their resumes and headshots, I try not to look.  Because I know that someone is going to turn in a photo that was taken from their cell phone and printed on normal paper from their desktop printer. Or they’ll turn in a photo that was taken like… a decade ago.  Or a picture that their friend who’s learning photography has taken.  Quite naturally – as a photographer – I cringe.

Usually, one of the other auditors will say something. But I keep my mouth shut, because there is literally nothing I can do about it.

At least until now.

This is a contest. Its one where we get to all have a little bit of fun, and confess the worst shot that we’ve used as a headshot.  You e-mail me the image, and I’ll post it to a gallery like the one, below, and send you a link to it.  I’ll add other images to the gallery as I get them until the end of June.

Anyone can vote for the worst of the worst.  The person with the most votes for the “worst” image on July 1st gets a free headshot package from me.  Its that simple.
I feel like I’m setting the standard with the image, above.  I took that picture while I was attending college, as a self-portrait.  Years later, I needed a headshot.  I pulled that out of storage.  Beat that.

Now I know what you’re thinking:  what if someone cheats?  I am adding some safeguards.  I won’t tell you what they are.  I will say this, however; don’t take this too seriously, and please don’t cheat!  I have no problem with you lobbying your friends to vote for you.  But don’t hire your hacker-friend to do something nasty to my website… please!  This is just for fun!

One last caveat;  if you hire me to take your headshot before the contest ends, and you “win”, I’ll refund the cost of your headshot.  Yep… I’d do that.

So go dig in your filing cabinet and/or cell phone and find a copy of that picture that you used. It should be in digital form.  (If you need me to scan it… I can do that too.)

Just e-mail me your worst headshot, with a short description…

…And Win A Headshot.

*This only applies to people in the Chicago area.  I’m not traveling to Canada to fulfill this contest.  The value of a headshot package is $250.   But to someone who’s about to get a phone call from a casting agent?  Its priceless.