Actors: the headshot is the thing. Headshots make your first impression for you. They represent you as amateur or professional, confident or unsure, ready or unready. A picture does speak a thousand words, and as you build your career, nothing should be more important than seizing control of what your headshot says about you.
If you're like most actors, your budget is tight for every expense, from rent to take-out Thai. But this isn't the moment to be frugal. If you have the choice between having a friend take shots for you this weekend or saving up for four months and using a professional, go with the latter option. Agents, managers, casting directors and even student film directors are used to seeing professionally-taken photographs.
And professional photographers are like directors (at least, the good ones are). They bring out something special in you, a performance captured in a single snap of the shutter. You want to do more than have a flattering photo taken, though of course that won't hurt. Casting professionals look at pictures of very attractive people all day long. In order to stand out, you want your photo to haunt the viewer. The most eye-catching shots give a sense you're looking at a real person with something actively on their mind.
How do you find the right photographer? Start with personal referrals. Ask all your actor buddies to show you their headshots and take note of any you really love. With personal referrals in hand, go to Reproductions in Hollywood and pick up a headshot book (they're free) that will show you sample headshots from some of the best photographers in the city. Compare indoor, studio shots to those taken in natural light and decide which you prefer. Then start making choices. Weed out any photographers whose work is not technically perfect. (Focus should be sharp, especially the eyes.)
The next step? Meet with three to five photographers, minimum. Most will have you meet them at their studio, where you can see more headshots, learn about where they like to shoot and get a sense of what it's like to spend time with them. Choosing a photographer should feel like choosing an audition monologue-you want to be shown off at your best and most natural. Spending time with them shouldn't feel like work. What if you love someone's photos, but your rapport with them feels awkward? Thank that photographer for his or her time and move on.
Going with a professional photographer usually comes with the added bonus of a great makeup artist. Good makeup makes the photographers' work look better, so they're likely to have a small number they recommend and trust. (This is another expense, yes, but listen well and often to this advice, actors: cut back on drinks at the bar before you cut back on your headshot fund.) Makeup in general should look natural, not heavy. Advice for actresses in particular: if you like a photographer but think the makeup in sample photos looks a little too "night," ask if he or she can recommend someone whose work is more "day."
If you're like most actors, your budget is tight for every expense, from rent to take-out Thai. But this isn't the moment to be frugal. If you have the choice between having a friend take shots for you this weekend or saving up for four months and using a professional, go with the latter option. Agents, managers, casting directors and even student film directors are used to seeing professionally-taken photographs.
And professional photographers are like directors (at least, the good ones are). They bring out something special in you, a performance captured in a single snap of the shutter. You want to do more than have a flattering photo taken, though of course that won't hurt. Casting professionals look at pictures of very attractive people all day long. In order to stand out, you want your photo to haunt the viewer. The most eye-catching shots give a sense you're looking at a real person with something actively on their mind.
How do you find the right photographer? Start with personal referrals. Ask all your actor buddies to show you their headshots and take note of any you really love. With personal referrals in hand, go to Reproductions in Hollywood and pick up a headshot book (they're free) that will show you sample headshots from some of the best photographers in the city. Compare indoor, studio shots to those taken in natural light and decide which you prefer. Then start making choices. Weed out any photographers whose work is not technically perfect. (Focus should be sharp, especially the eyes.)
The next step? Meet with three to five photographers, minimum. Most will have you meet them at their studio, where you can see more headshots, learn about where they like to shoot and get a sense of what it's like to spend time with them. Choosing a photographer should feel like choosing an audition monologue-you want to be shown off at your best and most natural. Spending time with them shouldn't feel like work. What if you love someone's photos, but your rapport with them feels awkward? Thank that photographer for his or her time and move on.
Going with a professional photographer usually comes with the added bonus of a great makeup artist. Good makeup makes the photographers' work look better, so they're likely to have a small number they recommend and trust. (This is another expense, yes, but listen well and often to this advice, actors: cut back on drinks at the bar before you cut back on your headshot fund.) Makeup in general should look natural, not heavy. Advice for actresses in particular: if you like a photographer but think the makeup in sample photos looks a little too "night," ask if he or she can recommend someone whose work is more "day."
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