Laughing will get you out of your head and snap you back into the present time. A good photographer will have a rapport with you that will make you feel comfortable whether you are laughing at a joke or laughing out loud at nothing. The end result is that your headshots will have life, energy and your personality stamped all over them:0)

When your headshot has active thoughts and energy, the casting director who is looking at your mug, will see exactly what you look like and who you are.

1. The casting director or producer might want to look at a high resolution photo rather than a digital print out.

2. If you have multiple looks, the casting director might want to see what else you can play.

3. You are well prepared.

4. Your headshot is your business card.

5. You are a professional.

The Photographer’s Portfolio

Is the actor’s personality captured in the photo? Even if that actor is playing a character in their headshot, the essence of who they are should be apparent.

Is the actor the main focus of the headshot? Make sure that the background is not distracting. A casting director’s eye should immediately look at the actor and not what is around them in the background.

Are there many examples to view? Look to see that the photographer knows how to shoot your specific type.

Are these photos fresh and current? The industry is constantly changing, so are headshot styles. Look to see that these examples are current with today and not from the 80’s.

Comfortability

When talking with a photographer, either in person or on the phone, make sure that you feel comfortable with them. You want to go into your headshot shoot with confidence, and in a relaxed frame of mind. You want to be uninhibited and not feel intimidated…be yourself!

Professionalism

Make sure that the photographer knows how to shoot headshots. Just because your cousin went out and bought a $5000 DSLR camera, doesn’t mean he knows how to use it. There is a lot of skill involved in knowing how to use the equipment and how to take a great portrait. Your cousin may be a cheaper option, but as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” Your headshot is one of the most important tools as an actor. Shoot your headshot with the person who knows what they are doing. Leave it to the professionals! It will save you time, angst, and yes, money:0)

-Are you getting in the door for auditions?

Your headshot is the first impression to a casting director. They need to get a sense of who you are. Your personality should “jump off” of the page…even if you are playing a character in your headshot.

-Do you look like the same person that is in your current shot?

If your photo was taken years ago, it is probably dated…styles and trends change. Your hair might be longer or shorter or even a different color! You may have gained or lost a few pounds. You might have a few more wrinkles. When the casting director is looking at your headshot, they want to know that if you walked into the room at that moment, they would be seeing double:0)

- Is your headshot high quality?

Your headshot is what gets you in the door. There is a high quality standard that is expected by casting directors and agents. Your headshots should be shot by a professional photographer, who not only has a great eye, but can also capture your personality and energy.

The hardcopies should be printed with a 300 dpi (dots per inch) resolution or higher by a professional photo lab.

-Do the roles that you go out for compliment your current headshot?

Know your casting. Take a look at my blog post Why It’s Important To Be Yourself. This will help you figure out if your headshot matches what roles you go out for.

1. This photo captures my personality.
2. I look like myself in this image.
3. There is an active energy throughout my face and body.
4. The background is not distracting.
5. My eyes have active thoughts.
6. My wardrobe helps to give the essence of what character’s I can play.
7. I look my correct age.
8. My wardrobe is not distracting.
9. The environment subtly complements me.
10. Both of my eyes are in focus.

In the headshot biz there always seems to be a “buzz issue” — Black and White or Color?, Digital or Film?, Vertical or Horizontal? These are choices we have to make every time we shoot, but the importance of certain choices seem to expand and contract with the times. I’ve seen the latest “buzz issue” on the horizon for a while, and now it seems like every client is asking the same question: Natural light or Studio light? Well…..let’s get into it :0)

When using studio lights, the light can be designed for whatever look or character that you are going for in your headshot shoot. When using natural light, you don’t have as much control over the mood, but the quality of the light is hard to reproduce in the studio. Some actors prefer studio lighting, while others prefer natural lighting…what is the difference?

Studio lighting: the lights are set up to provide the exact amount of light and shadows that will fall on your face. The photographer has complete control of the lights direction, intensity and contrast. For a commercial shot of a clean cut business man, the lights might be set up so that there are no shadows that fall on your face. For a serious detective shot, the lighting set up might allow a dark shadow to fall on one side of your face to create a mood. One more perk for studio lights, they can be used at any time of the day or night:0)

Natural lighting: sunlight is used to light your face. Natural light is flattering to every skin tone and it’s subtle qualities are difficult to reproduce in a studio without VERY expensive specialty lights. Also consider that with natural light comes a natural environment, so what you lose in versatility of the light you may gain in versatility of location. For the quirky, busy soccer mom, you might want to shoot early in the morning in a bright (but shady) park. The natural light will give a nice warm tone. For a seedy gangster, you might want to shoot in the middle of the day in a dark alley to allow a dangerous gritty feel. This allows the natural light to fall harsh on your face. Using the time of the day for your headshot shoot is a great way to convey who your character is.

So what’s the answer? Unfortunately, it’s like almost everything else in photography life…….it depends! Just take some of the considerations here, and apply them to the goals for your shoot. Personally, I shoot most clients inside and out of the studio, to get a variety of different looks.

You’re viewing your proof sheet, and OMG there are a ton of awesome photos to choose from! How in the blue blazes are you going to be able to narrow these down to “The Shot”?!

Here are a couple of tips to help you find “The Shot”

1. “PERSONALITY, PERSONALITY, PERSONALITY!!” – that’s what Bill Naoum an agent at Commercial Talent is looking for whenever I shoot his clients. It’s important for the casting director to be able to look at your headshot and get a sense of your who you are. Your headshot is the very first impression that they get. Make sure that they get to see YOU!!

2. The eyes are the window to the soul…are they in focus? As simple and ridiculous as that may sound, I’ve seen many headshots that the actor’s eyes were blurry. You want to make sure that both eyes are sharp and in focus so that your headshot communicates clearly to the casting director.

3. Captivate your audience. Look for “The Shot” that will engage the casting director. Your headshot should stand out amongst the thousands of photos that they are looking at. Along with wardrobe and environment, think about the attitude or personality that you are displaying. Your shot should catch their eye and make them want to call you in to meet with you.

When viewing your proof sheet, look at each photo to see if it catches your distinct personality. Make sure that you have clear eye contact, just as you would if you were standing person to person. Look for the headshot that gives off the energy that makes the casting director have to meet with you. These tips will definitely lead you to find “The Shot.”

QUALITY

If you were to do a photo test challenge comparing a high quality film photo to a high quality digital photo, do you think that you could tell the difference? Back in the 90’s, the difference would have been ginormous! Today, however, there is no noticeable difference…zero…zip…nada!! The sensors on digital cameras today are extremely sensitive. The data that is collected from a digital sensor, is comparable to the amount of light organically collected onto film. Same amount of data – same quality!

The quality of a photo also has to survive retouching! When/if your digital headshot needs to be retouched, the original pixels (data) are getting moved around, which means that none of the data is lost. The quality stays the same and can even be “untouched” if need be. A film photo has to be developed from a negative, printed to a large hardcopy 8 x 10, scanned in for the retouching, and then printed again. That’s too many steps for the quality to remain true to the negative.

Lastly, it’s important to consider that ultimately what most casting directors are looking at these days are digital files. Most submissions come from Actor’s Access and LA Casting. With one click, agents can submit your headshot to multiple casting directors. Actually, hardly any hardcopy submissions are even accepted anymore. Having the highest quality digital copy of your headshot is extremely important. Your digital photo is the original file, it’s never been scanned, the quality has never changed — whereas a great scan of an 8 x 10 is hard to come by.

When comparing a digital photo to a film photo, there is no difference in the quality of the print. The difference is in the versatility of the process and the quality of the post-processed image. Digital photos are the perfect fit for the way that the entertainment industry is moving today:0)

There is no doubt that film has its place in photography, but the question of the day is: is digital better than film in the world of headshots? Back in the day, the only way to get your headshots taken was on film. Digital SLR cameras were introduced in the 90’s, but they didn’t have the resolution to produce the quality that film cameras could deliver… That is not the case anymore:0) Digital cameras offer as much quality, if not more than, the film cameras of yester-year:0) Headshots that are taken digitally are more versatile and the quality remains outstanding. In this 2-part post we will first look at the speed and versatility of the digital process. The entertainment industry of 2010 is all about speed, which is precisely why digital headshots are the way to go:0)

SPEED AND VERSATILITY

Headshots that are taken digitally make the entire process extremely fast and more efficient. Let’s take a look at how digital photography helps us through the headshot process from start to finish:

1. Digital photos can be viewed during the shoot, either by tethering a camera to a computer or viewing previews on the LCD screen on the back of the camera. With film, you won’t know if you get “The Shot” until your film is processed and you look at the contact sheet (through a loup…lol). With digital photos, you can throw out what’s not working during the shoot:0)

2. The number of exposures that can be taken with a digital camera is almost unlimited. In an hour shoot you could very easily take a couple hundred photos giving you the opportunity to try many different looks and expressions and just PLAY:0) A roll of film has 36 exposures on it. You normally pay by the roll, so the number of exposures can become very limiting and expensive.

3. After the shoot, a link to an online proof sheet can be emailed right away to your agents, friends, and family instead of waiting for multiple contact sheets to be made and distributed by hand.

4. The quality of a digital file is not affected when passed from stage to stage of post-processing. The quality of a film photo is much harder to manage as scans and rescans can degrade an image. (More about this in Quality)

5. Digital files can be emailed to a photo lab when making your hardcopies. With a film photo, the lab needs a master print which you will need to physically deliver.

In part 2 we will look at the quality differences between digital and film…stay tuned!!!!

It’s the day of your shoot. You’re excited and OMG…the butterflies are fluttering! There’s too much to think about. My hair. My make-up. My wardrobe. My smile. My zit! How can I be myself when I can’t even think straight?

You need to stop worrying! You need to “Get Out of You Head” and get into the shoot! It’s not that hard if you know how to do it. Here are a few tips that help my clients focus and be themselves on the day of the shoot:

Bring some music.

Make a playlist that’s going to help you be yourself. Add all different types of music. Maybe certain songs for certain looks. Music always has a way of bringing different emotions out. It can definitely set the mood and send you to a place where you don’t think so much. I’m always playing something when I’m shooting (both as an actor and photographer). Whether I bring my music on set or just listen to it while I’m getting ready – it helps to calm my nerves, and I become more focused.

Bring someone with you to your shoot.

Maybe your best friend, your boyfriend/girlfriend, mom, dad, etc… Having another person with you at your shoot can be an awesome way for the photographer to capture honest moments. But be careful, choose wisely who you bring with you. Sometimes that person may not be the best candidate for the job. Do they allow you to be a fool? Or do they make you self-conscious? Is it someone that knows you and loves you? Or is it someone you’re trying to impress? Who you bring will affect the emotions that the camera sees – so choose wisely who you want on set – but definitely use this tool to “get you out of your head.”

Get into character.

If you know what your casting is, and know what shows you are right for, then why not try a little acting! Get out of your head and into character. Treat the photo session like you were preparing for a role. This will allow you to think active thoughts that the photographer will capture. There’s no need to worry about your personal quirks when you’re in character. Just play the part and the photographer will follow. Trust me!

On the day of your shoot, the most important thing to remember is don’t get in your own way. Whether you use one of these tools or a trick from your own arsenal….Relax. Have a blast! And the photographer will do the rest:0)

What do you do to “Get out of your head” before a shoot? Leave your comments below: