Headshot Photographer Los Angeles

Headshot Photographer Los Angeles

You need new acting headshots and you don’t want to screw it up.

After reading this you'll be ready to go for your acting headshot session

You might have started by searching for headshot photographers in Los Angeles. You’re getting ready to make your appointment and you want to get it right.  There’s lots of Headshot photographers in Los Angeles. Are you picking the right one? Did you do headshots 9 months ago and now you're updating and you want to make sure you’re getting the headshots that are going to get you called in.  It’s big puzzle that you need to solve.

Keep reading and I’ll tell you how to get great headshots.

The shots that get you called in. Some actors just call up a headshot photographer and make an appointment. Then the day of their headshot appointment the go to their closet, grab a few shirts, jump in the car and then it’s off to their appointment. You don’t want to be that guy/girl. Is that the level of professionalism you want to have for the most important part of the audition process. I don’t think so. You need to take this seriously.

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Plan out your Headshot Session.

You’ve decided to do 3 Looks. What are those looks? What wardrobe best defines those looks. Do I need to go shopping or is it in my closet. If it’s in my closet is that piece of clothing in photoshoot shape? Is it faded, has a few stains or a few little holes in it? Then it’s probably not ready for a photoshoot.

Good lighting for Acting Headshots what is it?

You absolutely must have great lighting for your headshots.  This is the difference between looking like a professional actor and looking like an amateur actor.  In order to be a professional actor you must present yourself as a professional actor. You acting headshots are your first step in looking professional.

So what is great lighting? Great lighting just makes you look good. It's as simple as that.   sometimes it's a soft even light with no shadows on your face. Other times it's a slight Shadow on one side of your face that gives you an edgy look.  Here are some samples of photos with great lighting.

Am I bring the right wardrobe?

This is the place you yourself have the most impact on how good your headshots look.  You really want to spend a lot of time putting together great wardrobe for each of your looks.  You should have already researched your character types and have them well defined. For example let's say you're doing a nerd look.  Obviously, you want to wear glasses. Find a cheap pair and pop out the lenses so there's no reflections. Then maybe a colorful T-shirt with a cardigan sweater over it.  That's a great example of a nerd wardrobe. Or, you're the leading man type. You could wear a dark T-shirt with a black leather jacket. That's going to come across as strong and dramatic.  As you can see from these two types you couldn't wear a cardigan sweater and glasses and expect to come across as strong and dramatic. On the other hand you couldn't wear a black leather jacket and come across as a nerd.   You can see your clothing selection is very important to the outcome of the final product of your headshots. Put a lot of effort into this. It’s the place you can have the greatest impact on the success of your headshots.

Are you nervous? How to stay calm.

We all get nervous when we think about doing our head shots.  One way to stop being nervous is to be very prepared. Get your character's together. Get your wardrobe together.  Get everything you need together to do great photos. If you know you're prepared you'll be less nervous. When you show up at the photography studio it's okay to feel a little nervous.  Remember you'll be taking a lot of photos and you only need one good one so you can screw up a lot and it's okay. The headshot photographer should be showing you pictures as you go. You can see what's working and what's not working.  This is a great way for you to get feedback and make changes if you need to.

How to choose the right acting headshot photographer?

You can start by asking all your fellow actor friends.  They’ve had headshots taken many times and I'm sure they'll give you great recommendations.  You can always do a Google search for headshot photographers in Los Angeles. You'll find countless websites where you can research their style and see what you like.  Weigh all your options from what your friends say and your own research and decide who is the best acting headshot photographer for you.

How to prepare for my Acting Headshot Session

How to Prepare for my Acting Headshots

Is your hair ready?

Is your hair ready?  Do you need to get a haircut?  Do you need to color your roots?  Are your bangs too long? All of these are things you don't think about until you're in the process of actually getting your headshots taken.  Then you'll be like, “Oh I wish I would have got my bangs trimmed, or I wish I would have colored my roots, or I wish I would have got a haircut.”  Don't be that person. Get your hair looking the way it should look. In addition, if you need different hairstyles, for your different characters, you should plan those out.

Put together your outfits

Of course getting the right outfits together is a big part of getting your headshots. I wrote a full blog post on this be sure to check it out Here.

Is it weird to practice my expressions?

OK, now that you’ve done your research, and got your characters together, it's time to practice your expressions in the mirror.  I know this may feel awkward, but it's a good idea to do it. I'd start with practicing expression that best fit the characters you discovered in your initial research.  Maybe do a little Google search on these characters to see common expressions that they would use. Now of course for headshots the expressions need to fit in that headshot box. As a photographer I'll help guide you in that direction.

My trick to Getting a good night's sleep.

Of course you need a good night sleep before your headshot. I'll share with you my trick to get a good night sleep before an event like headshots.

What most people do the day before their headshots is get everything ready the evening before their headshot session.  This usually leads late into the evening and part of the night. Then what happens while they're trying to sleep their mind is racing, thinking about all the things they were getting ready for their headshot session.  This, of course, leads to not getting a good night's sleep.

What I suggest you do is start getting things ready your clothes and such a few days before.  Plan on having everything completely Ready by 4pm the day before your headshots. now spend the rest of the evening just relaxing at home. Maybe watch a movie, read a book, or whatever it takes to get you to fall asleep for a good night's rest.

I hope this little post helped you prepare for your next headshot session. Have a great shoot!

Headshot Photographer for the Newbie Actor

Headshot Photographer for the Newbie Actor

So you're about to get your first headshots

This easy-to-follow guide will tell you everything you need to know.

Did you move all the way to LA to be an actor?

You saved up your money and moved to Los Angeles and you want to be an actor. The very first step to being an actor in Los Angeles is getting your acting headshots taken by a professional headshot photographer.

Ok how do I even get started?

The first thing you need to do is select a headshot photographer.  Start doing your research using Google,  Actors Access,  LA Casting, and ask your acting friends if they know a headshot photographer that they recommend. However, select the photographer that’s the best fit for you.

Am I Ready?

After you've selected your headshot photographer now it's time to get yourself ready to take your headshots.  The first thing you need to do is get your outfits together (also known as looks). This is an important step. The clothes you wear follow a specific formula for acting headshots. I've written the complete post about what to wear for acting headshots here.

Should you get a makeup artist?

Getting a makeup artist for your first acting headshot is always a good idea. I know you’re a starving actor and you're trying to save money. If you think you can do it yourself go for it.  The main thing is you want your makeup to look nice, but natural, don't overdo it with heavy eye makeup or fake eyelashes.  Also don't want to wear red lipstick. Natural colors work much better.

Now it's time to prepare yourself.

You've picked a photographer, you got your looks together, decided on a makeup artist, now it's time to prepare for the actual day of your headshots.

You need to be completely prepared the day of your headshots.  Have your hair cut if it needs to be.  Be sure to have all your clothes cleaned and pressed.  Get a good night's sleep the night before your headshots.  that means no late-night partying! Also try not to be too nervous and worried about getting everything ready the night before your headshots.  this is a common mistake. People stay up late getting all the clothes ready and all that stuff and then their mind is racing when they try to go to sleep. They can't sleep and wake up really tired.  I recommend having everything together before 6 p.m. the day before your headshots.  Then spend the rest of the night relaxing and watch some Netflix. Or whatever.

Now when you show up to your headshot appointment be sure to tell the photographer this is your first time doing headshots.  I always like to tell newbies what to expect during their headshot session.  I’ll give them little tips and tricks so I can get the most out of their expressions.  If you have any questions be sure to ask the photographer. I’m always more than happy to help. If you feel a little nervous say so. Then I can make that extra effort to make t you feel more at ease and comfortable. Now we’re going to get some great photos.

Is that it? …Nope

After the shoot I need to select the headshots that you’ll be send out for castings. You'll have lots of pictures so you need to go through them with the eye of selecting headshots not of selecting a photo that you like.   Be sure to ask your acting friends to give their input on your choices for your selected headshots.

Yeah! It’s time to book your First Acting Gig.

After you have your photos selected you need to post your headshots and your profile on LA Casting and Actors Access.  This is a great place to get started with your acting career.  You can submit yourself for acting jobs and submit yourself to agents.

What do I Wear for My Acting Headshots

What do I Wear for My Acting Headshots

Acting Headshot Wardrobe

Need Help Selecting What to Wear for you Headshot Session?

Your wardrobe for you headshot photography session is very important. You want to be prepared.  Putting together the right outfits for your session is a big part of a successful Headshot Photoshoot. Read on to get super prepared for your next headshot session.

Here's how you pick the right clothes

It all starts with research. Have an idea of the characters you would play.  If you’re not sure, ask your agent or manager.

Think of it as type casting yourself.  Who would you play on TV or in a Movie?

Here's an Excellent way to get Character Ideas!!!

Go over your past audition from the last year.  What Character types got you the most attention or interest from casting directors? Now focus on these.

Another GREAT form of research!

Look at the breakdowns and see what characters are the casting directors looking for?

Fresh girl next door,  Bad ass tough chick, Lovable nerd, New York detective, Street thug.  Handsome leading man. You get the idea.  

Now put together outfits that ARE those characters. Give them some personality. If you’re wearing that outfit in a photo and you cover up your face, people know who they are looking at. It’s best to bring 2 outfits for each.  It’s good to have options.

That's not all:

Don’t over think it. You’re outfits don’t need to be overly complicated.

A simple tank top tells a story, but so does a black tee shirt and a brown leather jacket. A shirt with a cardigan sweater and some glasses and you’re a nerd.  A tee shirt layered with a flannel shirt and a now you're a hipster. Make sure your outfits tell the story of the type of character you want to portray.  It can take only 2 or 3 pieces to make an outfit.

I can't emphasize this enough:

Do not bring a bunch of clothes and just hope you brought the right stuff.

This happens all the time.

An actor will show up to their session with 2 suitcases of everything in their closet. This tells me that you have not prepared. Your headshot are very important.  Leaving it up to chance is not a good idea.  Do your research. Put your looks together.  Come prepared.
Your color selection is very important. You want your photo to pop when it comes up on the casting websites. Remember the thumbnails are very small and you only have one chance to catch their attention.

Primary colors are a great way to make an outfit POP.  

Layering them with shirts and jackets adds to the character. The colors also need to support the character.  You wouldn’t wear a yellow tee shirt for your strong leading man shot.  You could however wear a yellow tee shirt with a cardigan sweater for your nerd look.

Good Headshot Wardrobe

Girl next door - A sweater or conservative top.  light and fresh looking. Primary colors
Lovable nerd - Glasses (With the lenses popped out) Colorful tee shirt with a cardigan sweater.  Colorful tee shirt and a hoody- Think “Big Bang Theory” 
Tough Street Look - Tee shirt and leather jacket.
Handsome leading man - Tee shirt or sweater with a brown leather jacket.
Detective - Suit jacket with a tie for men. Blouse and jacket for women
Business - Blouse and jacket for women and suit jacket and tie for men
Young Mom - Sweater or colorfuls tee with a layered shirt
Young Dad - Sweater or colorful tee with a layered shirt

These are just some examples. Feel free to expand on these. Be sure to put together the looks that are right for you.

Not So Good Wardrobe...

2 tank tops and a tee shirt.  (It happens more often than you’d think) Please put some thought into your characters. This isn’t about taking just a pretty picture of you. It’s about you connecting with the casting directors. You want them to see you as the filling the role of the character they are casting for. 

Bringing 3 suitcases full of everything you own. (That means you've put no thought into how you should be marketed) Do your research and then put the work into putting together your outfits.  You may find that you’ll need to pick up a few things to add to the looks.

Grooming...

Be sure to come looking your best. I know it sounds obvious. Remember these photos are going to get you work.  Be prepared.  Here’s a few tips.

Make sure your hair looks it’s best.  Cut, Color and Style. Is it time to get your roots done? 
Eyebrows. Do a little shaping and get rid of those stray hairs.  See a professional if you need to. 
Shave? Clean shaven or a little stubble? You can do both.  Come with a little stubble then shave to get your clean cut looks.

Be sure to bring anything with you to touch up or improve your grooming. Hair products, Brush, comb, razor, makeup. Powder is important for girls as well as guys.  It helps take down the oily shine from your skin.  Remember, what you think looks good at home in the mirror, might not look the same in your photos.  

Follow all these tips and you’re going to get some great headshots.