The Headshot Photography Session for Actors and Businesses: How It Works
Working with beginners and people who feel uncomfortable or insecure in front of the camera is sort of my specialty. As a headshot photographer, I want to make sure my clients feel relaxed and confident. And, after shooting literally thousands of headshot sessions, I’ve picked up a few tricks and techniques along the way that will help you to loosen up and feel your best.
Casting directors and agents want to see the "real you" in your headshot. To be honest, that’s what I think any headshot should capture — whether you’re an actor, an attorney, or a life coach. The best way to make sure we get that authentic headshot is to shoot a lot of photos. I need at least an hour with you to warm up, get into a flow, and finally nail that perfect shot. It takes focus and experimentation. The more things we try, the more comfortable you become and the more the real you starts to shine through.
Every headshot session begins with finding the best lighting and angles for your particular face. No single lighting set-up is going to suit all faces. Even after all these years, I’m still amazed by how different people can appear depending on which way you’re facing, which direction the light is coming from, and where I’m positioned. I take care to explore a variety of combinations so we can pinpoint not just your most attractive angles and lighting but which ones look and feel the most like you.
The beauty of shooting headshots digitally is we get to check the images while we’re working. It’s instant feedback. It’s great for me. And it’s great for you. We can make sure we’re getting the shots you need and, if need be, correct course. Even more importantly, it allows you to see how your expressions are reading on camera so you can fine-tune the mood and character you’re hoping to capture.
My headshot sessions are very collaborative. I want to hear what you’re hoping to achieve, what you like, and what you don’t like. It’s important to me that you feel you have agency over your headshot experience and that you leave the session feeling excited about your new shots. However, if you’re completely new to photo shoots and looking for direction, I’m also more than happy to guide you through the process every step of the way. Using proven techniques, I’ll help you to relax and look your best.
After Your Headshot Session: Turnaround Time and Image Delivery
To produce the finest quality headshots possible I shoot in RAW format. RAW files need to be processed and converted to JPEG format so you can open them on your computers and share them with people. In other words, after your shoot, I need about 2-3 business days to edit and process all of the files.
Unlike some photographers, I believe in letting you keep all of the headshots from your session — not just the ones you have retouched or the ones that I think are the best. It’s an important learning experience, especially for actors, to review your complete session, even the “bad” headshots, and you might really like one that doesn’t stand out to me for some reason. So, after I’ve processed the files, I email you a link to a gallery on Dropbox with all of the headshots from your session in high-resolution format.
You’ll have access to the gallery for 30 days and are free to share the link with agents, mentors and friends to help choose your favorites. Please download all of the files or copy them to your own Dropbox account before the link expires because, after that, the files get deleted from my account to make room for other jobs. Please note there’s a $35 fee to re-output and re-upload your headshot session.
Retouching Headshots
Once you decide which headshots you want to have retouched, just send me an email with the original image numbers and I'll email the retouched shots back to you, usually within 3 business days. (If you place a large retouching order, it may take longer). Depending on which headshot package you choose, you get anywhere from 2 to 8 images retouched free of charge. (If you need more, you can always pay á la carte for additional images. The fee is $35 per image). I urge you to take advantage of the complementary retouching that comes with your package. Even if you don’t think your skin needs retouching, every headshot needs some fine-tuning and individual attention to give it that professional finish.
My retouching style is pretty natural. All of us can benefit from a little skin retouching to erase pimples, stray hairs, and brighten up under the eyes. But your headshot should remain as true to your appearance as possible. It’s important to look like yourself, wrinkles and all. When you remove all of your crows feet, you run the risk of removing all of your personality in the process. So, try to embrace your “imperfections”. Casting directors are not just looking for ingenues and leading ladies. There’s a much better chance of getting character roles so show them what you’ve got!
If you need help selecting your favorites, I’m happy to make recommendations. I also encourage you to get feedback from agents, mentors and peers. Let the professionals help you decide. After all, the best headshot may not be the one that your mother wants to get framed. An actor’s headshot is a marketing tool and not everyone knows how to pick them. That said, don’t lose sleep over the selection process. You can always change your mind later. I’ve had clients reach out to me months — even years — later to retouch a different image. Try out one headshot first and see what kind of response you get. If you want to experiment with a different headshot later on, no problem!