TEN TIPS FOR CHOOSING AN ACTOR HEADSHOT PHOTOGRAPHER
Choosing a headshot photographer can be tough. After all, the images they capture of you can be the difference between you getting invited to a casting, or your application ending up in the digital recycling bin.
At my last count there were over 100 actor headshot photographers in London. That’s a massive number to sift through without a clear rationale, and just because they don’t pop up on the first page of your search results, doesn’t mean they aren’t any good.
Obviously, I’d like you to book with me, but if you’re undecided, how do you make the decision on who to go with, and where do you start?
In this blog, I’ll dive into ten factors to consider.
1. Studio vs Outside
Both studio and outside headshots have their merits, so what are the considerations if choosing one over the other?
Benefits of outside
Dynamic images
When having your headshots taken outside, you’ll often come away with some cracking, well-lit images with a beautifully blurred and dynamic backgrounds.
Cost
Some headshot photographers will only shoot outside. For them, this is great. It requires the least amount of investment. No studio. Natural Light. Minimal overheads. All of which can be beneficial for you, as many who only shoot outside are very competitively priced.
There are however some caveats when it comes to having your headshots taken outside, which we’ll cover below.
Benefits of studio
Creative Use of lighting
You can do so much with lighting, from creating soft flattering images to headshots full of drama and atmosphere. In a studio shoot, the photographer can artfully vary the lighting to create images with a variety of moods tailored to your character.
Not being at the mercy of the weather
If your eyes are having to contend with bright daylight, it can result in you squinting. This can be managed by the photographer shooting in a shaded area, rather than in the middle of a field. Sheltered areas such as bridges are also useful when it comes to rainy days. However, something that’s near impossible to contend with is the wind. On a blustery day, whilst this can sometimes add a dramatic look to long hair, for people with short hair, it can often make you look like you’ve just rolled out of bed. Wind can also increase the amount that you blink, therefore reducing the amount of useable shots, along with causing your eyes to water and increasing redness. Then there is a seasonal thing called winter and during these months it’s not much fun standing trying to look cool, rather than cold.
Privacy
As outside headshots are usually done in a public place, with an outside only photographer, chances are you won’t have a private area to change.
Then there’s what you also find a lot of in public places. People. The sight of someone being photographed can draw some attention, which can be tricky for a subject who needs putting at their ease.
experience
Another small downside to outside headshots is that anyone can purchase a camera, start taking pictures outside and call themselves a headshot photographer. But do they really have the knowledge or experience to do so?
While not fail safe, if someone has invested in a studio set up to produce quality images, they are much more likely to have experience behind them.
Conclusion
Personally, I’d steer clear of someone who only shoots outside, because of the previously mentioned risks and instead choose a photographer who does in-studio, or one that offers both in-studio and outside options.
My ‘Performance’ package offers both in-studio and outside options. With a bridge setting minimising problems from squinting from excessive sun, or rain giving you a soggy bonce. We also have the reliability and consistency of the studio shots too. The locations are close by, enabling indoor outfit changes for the outside shoot. It really is the best of both worlds.
2. EDITING
Editing is also referred to as retouch. For actor headshots, the retouch should be kept to a minimum and you should look like the real you in the edited images.
If you have any scars or wrinkles, these should remain and your skin texture should look natural. If you are invited to an audition, they will not be impressed if you show up looking totally different, or years older than you do in your headshot.
Some photographers can get carried away with editing, smoothing your skin to the point of it looking like plastic and getting rid of details that are unique to you. Look at their portfolio, and if all their images appear to be a little unrealistic, chances are they’re overediting and should therefore be given a miss. Remember, headshots are for personality, not for glamour. It should be simple, clean and natural.
An additional side note, steer away from thinking you can do a better job of the editing or the temptation of adding your own artistic touch. An experienced headshot photographer will know how much editing your images need. Alongside this, most, if not all photographer’s copyright will prohibit any third party editing (unless you have purchased the copyright). If you are after something specific, don’t be afraid to raise that with the photographer when you select your images or at the time of your shoot.
3. EYES
Following on from editing, eyes are another important aspect of headshots.
For actor headshots, at least one of your eyes should be in focus. This should be the one closest to the camera, as it’s where the viewer’s attention is initially drawn. You can really notice when this isn’t nailed in poorer quality headshots.
This is not to say both eyes have to be in focus. If for example a shallow depth of field is used, in other words, where focus softens off away from the focal point, it’s likely only one eye will be in sharp focus. In a portrait, there may be a situation where the eyes aren’t in focus for creative reasons, but this is unlikely in a headshot.
As I discussed in editing, crude, over-the-top editing can make an image look false and eyes can be an area that some photographers can get carried away with. Sometimes this can be making them too white, or excessively sharpening, and/or smoothing under the eyes in an effort to remove darkness, but also removing detail and definition in the process. Essentially enhancing to the point they no longer look natural.
4. Thumbnails
There’s not a massive amount to say about this as thumbnails are small.
The first glimpse a casting director might have of your headshot could be as a thumbnail. On Mandy.com for example, your profile thumbnail is 3x4cm. On Spotlight it’s a more reasonable 6x8cm, but is still quite small. N.B. Size may differ depending on monitor size and resolution.
So a question to ask yourself is; Will it stand out as a thumbnail?
Headshot should be just that. If you start including more of your body in the image, the less of the image will be taken up by your face.
5. Backgrounds & Portraits
Everyone loves a good portrait and of course, they can make really nice photos to have in your portfolio, but if you are in need of headshots, don’t get sucked into razzmatazz of portraits and pretty backgrounds.
A headshot is supposed to be of your head and shoulders and whilst the background can have some interest to it, it isn’t essential for making a good image of your face. Remember the sole focus of the image should be you and show the character you have to offer.
If you are looking for a range of shots, there is no harm in having some portraits thrown in the mix, especially if you’d like a lovely profile picture on IMDB.
My Showcase package allows time to create a great range of headshots and portraits. One or two portraits are also achievable within the Performance package, in addition to headshots, or if you’re solely looking for portraits check out my packages here. Alternatively as an add-on to the Standard package you can also get a single portrait alongside the headshots.
6. Portfolio
A photographers portfolio speaks volumes about their work. Not only does it show the quality and style of their images, but it can also give a sense of the emotional range they can achieve with the actors they work with and their ability to create an authentic look.
If their portfolio is full of shots with actors awkwardly twisting their necks nearly 360 decrees to look over their shoulder, along with facial expressions that you’ll only ever produce when someone shouts ‘BOO’ at you, then chances are the photoshoots are either rushed, or the photographer isn’t very good at building a repertoire with their clients.
It may also give you a sense if the photographer is someone you can get along with, which is an important factor to consider, because if you can’t, it’s unlikely they’ll get the best out of you.
Another thing to consider is the number of images in their portfolio. If it’s only a small number of multiple photos of the same person, chances are the photographer is relatively new to the game and is lacking the experience which is needed to get the best out of their subject to produce engaging headshots, full of character, and which make you want to know more about the actor.
7. Agency Recommended
Not much to say on this, but if a headshot photographer is agency recommended, this likely means they are recognised by other professionals in the industry as producing high quality work.
8. Reviews
Reviews are good, if they’re good. It’s definitely something worth checking a photographers reviews, as it may give you a better idea of what the photographer is like to work with, along with with the experience their subjects have during the photoshoot.
9. Availability
A busy headshot photographer is likely a popular one, which can give you confidence that other actors recognise their work as being of a good quality. The down side is that if they are popular, you may have to wait months before you can get a session, and their prices are likely to be higher due to their popularity, which leads us nicely into the final tip.
10. Price
This really is the last and least important factor. Or, at least it should be. How much money should you throw at getting your headshots?
If you are serious about your career, spending the extra £££ can be a worthwhile investment. That’s not to say you have to spend £1000+, or that if you do, you’ll definitely get cast in the next Christopher Nolan blockbuster.
So, what do headshots cost?
I mentioned in at the start of this that to date I had counted over 100 actor headshot photographers in London. Of those, prices per-edited image range from £15 to over £500 (taking into account the overall cost of the shoot), which is clearly a huge variance. The good news for you as an actor is that with so many to choose from you can shop around and might find a bargain. Like me. 😁
A number of factors will determine the amount a headshot photographer will charge.
Some photographers charge what they are worth because of the quality of their work. Others as mentioned above charge based on their popularity. The more popular they are, the more they charge and many perceive that if it costs more, it must be better.
Remember that getting your headshots is an Investment into your career, so it is not something that you should do on the cheap. Don’t fall into the old trap of buy cheap, but twice. You might have a limited budget, but buying cheap often results in having to get your headshots done again as cheaper photographers often lack the knowledge and experience to deliver a quality set of images. If you’re on a particulaly tight budget, all my packages are available with ‘Pay Monthly’ options to spread the cost.
All that said, price doesn’t guarantee quality. It is possible to find great quality affordable headshots and sub-standard expensive headshots.
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