Head Shots for Actors – Tutorial

As an Actor or Actress you know how truly important your head shots are and if you don’t you should. Your head shots are your calling card, they’re what keep you in the mind of the casting director which hardest part of the business. With that being said you should never settle for dull, boring, or poor quality head shots. In this tutorial we will go over the steps you should take to ensure you get the best results when having your head shots taken.

Step 1 – Finding the Photographer

When looking for a photographer you should ask yourself 4 questions.

1. Is this photographer up to date with the modern trends of ACTOR head shot photography?

If the photographer isn’t up to date with modern trends then you would be wasting your money for their services. (For example: most casting directors do not require BW portrait style headshots anymore, most of them will probably overlook it. Now a days a casting director is more interested in horizontal full color photos because they give the illusion of the modern-day television picture.)

2. Will I receive a CD with my full resolution photos?

A lot of photographers now will give you your high-resolution photos on a CD and this is ideal for actors who can’t afford to print a hundred head shots at a time. Some photographers make you purchase photos individually and this can be very costly for a starving artist. So even though the photographer’s head shot price is a low $60 for one look you may find yourself paying up to $20 an image. A lot of times though, photographers will specify if they charge per image but sometimes they don’t so be sure to ask.

3. Do I have the print rights to my photos?

With out the print rights to your photos the images on your CD are pretty much impossible to print. So make sure you get the print rights to your images before agreeing to pay for the photographers services.

 4. Does this photographer edit photos?

With actor head shots being so close up and the cameras of today being so detailed  it is important to make sure the photographer is willing and capable of removing blemishes and smoothing out skin if necessary. Trust me when I say that your competition for the most part has had their photos touched up.

Step 2 – Finding Your Story

What will your head shots say about you? Will they say you’re a villain? Or maybe a lover? No matter what they should say something to ensure that they will stand out above the rest. Before you do this it is very important that you are true to yourself. If you want to be the villain but you have a face of an angel you should probably stick with your look and let the casting director decide where to place you.  I find a great way to do this is to take time before the shoot and prepare up to 4 key expressions. I like to think of it as 4 different characters who are telling 4 different stories. I find it best to practice these looks in front of a mirror. Doing this will insure that you get the best results when it comes to shoot day.

Step 3 – What to Wear

What you wear is very important. You want to avoid any brands or logos on shirts and heavy patterns. Pretty much anything that takes away from you is bad. I suggest dressing according to the over all look you have chosen to convey to the casting directors. So if your over all look is that of a villain I would say stick with dark colors.

Step 4 – Shoot Day

It’s finally time to get your photos done and the most important thing to do now is to just relax and know that the photographer you have chosen is going to give you the best quality head shots money can buy. Keep in mind the looks you have chosen and commit to them 100% and you will be surprised of the outcome! I find as a photographer that the best head shots I have ever taken happen between looks and this is only possible because the subjects I photograph are completely relaxed and confident in their own skin.

I hope this helped and I just wanted to let you all know that 12 North Photography has actor head shot specials for only $100. You will receive all of your images along with print rights on a cd to print where ever you choose and yes I do edit your photos I would also like to say that most of my information about head shots comes from conversations I have had with casting directors both in Los Angeles and the Phoenix area; conversations I have had for the sole purpose that I want my head shots to get you cast! I hope to work with you soon!

To book a shoot with me please email me at larryalanphotography@yahoo.com and feel free to visit my official website www.12north.com for more photos and all of my pricing information. I hope to work with you soon!

Photography Tip: Using What You’ve Got

The other day I was in a creative mood and wanted to take some creative portraits but I had two pretty large problems. I had no budget and no location. These are two very important ingredients for a great creative shot. So I decided to search through my room and discovered a few old “Rollingstone” magazines. From there I tore out each page and found a nice corner wall where I taped them all up creating a collage. Once it was done I framed my model so that it appeared to be a full covered back drop when in reality an inch or two below the frame was a regular white wall and brown carpet.

In the end I was very happy with the finale result and it cost me absolutely nothing to take. So never let a creative mood pass you by because of a lack of materials. Use what you’ve got lying around the house and you will find that any photograph can be an amazing one.

Tutorial: Having Your Portrait Taken

Hello out there the following tutorial is going to explain how to have the best/most flattering portrait taken of yourself. I hope you enjoy!

STEP 1:

The first thing you need to know about having a great portrait taken is that photographs tell a story and a portrait in particular tells a story about you. So when wanting a portrait taken you must ask yourself, What do I want to tell the world about me? Once you have reached a strong answer keep that as your “main idea” for your portrait session. This will make all the other steps 10 times easier.

 (Tip: The key principle in every great portrait is to be honest, don’t get caught up in trying to be something you’re not. The camera will never lie and if you yourself are lieing then  you will find that your finale image will look  posed and fake.)

STEP 2:

Now it’s time to find the perfect Photographer (and it doesn’t have to be me) who you believe can help you achieve your “main idea”  when you think you found the one for you be sure to fill them in on what you are wanting to convey to the viewers. If he or she sounds confident and up to the challenge then set your date.

STEP 3:

You have a photographer now it’s time for you alone or with your photog to pick out the perfect outfit that you think will help push your “main idea” in the image. For example if you want to show the world your dramatic side choose darker colors just as you would choose bright colors to show your brighter side… but this is all up to interpretation and there is no wrong way.

STEP 4:

The wardrobe is set and it’s now time to find the location. Just as you did with your outfit find that location that is going to help you get your “main idea” across. Try and find a place that makes you feel something emotionally, match the emotion with your “main idea” and it will make your life easier come shoot day.

STEP 5:

It’s now time to shoot and your nervous but don’t be. Nerves are the photo killer! So relax don’t worry about your hair or what you look like, that’s the photographers job. Despite popular believe everyone is capable of having  a great photograph taken of themselves. (Example: do you ever notice that the people who say they’re not photogenic always look the best in candid photos? This is because when they are having pictures done they are constantly bashing themselves and becoming more and more nervous and it shows. But in the candid photo, they were just being themselves and they had no idea the photographer was taking the picture. Like I said before a photo wont lie.) So take a deep breath, relax, have fun and focus on that “main idea” and I promise that you will take an absolutely breath-taking portrait.