a Baltimore/Harford County based Photography Studio
New year, new look or maybe just bored with your marketing materials? You are not alone. This time of year is always crazy busy for me with new clients! Just a sampling of some recent headshot sessions.
David’s agency requested new images with brightly colored backgrounds. I gave him quite a few options and I hope they love them.
Casey came to me wanting some varied character headshots. We discussed her “types” and she felt like she would do best with “kindergarten teacher” “girlfriend” “lawyer” and of course we did one that was just her everyday look.
She was fantastic! She brought a wonderful variety of colorful clothing as well as business attire. Casey was also not afraid to get into character and give me lots of great expressions.
Makeup/hair Lisa Jones-Butz
Headshot sessions have been off the hook lately…back to doing my favorite kind of work. Some are actors, some models, some business portraits and I love all these sessions.
If you are planning to update your headshots, be sure to think about what types of roles you are most likely to book. It’s important to get a simple, polished photo that just shows YOU, but you also should think about varying your other looks to better represent your “type.”
When it comes to wardrobe, I can’t stress this enough…bring choices! That doesn’t mean three or four t-shirts in different colors. Think layers, colors, different necklines keeping in mind the different looks you want to portray.
These are from a recent headshot session and I thought she did a fantastic job choosing her types and had plenty of clothing to suit each look.
Some additional advice on getting started! https://www.dailyactor.com/how-to-become-an-actor/
There are a lot of reasons one photographer might charge more than another….
TIME: I don’t have time limits to my sessions…I hate feeling rushed and I certainly don’t want my subject to feel rushed. So be careful of that cheap “one hour” session price some people may offer. I am also happy to spend the time needed before your shoot to send you suggestions for wardrobe, show you sample shots to help you prepare and answer any & all questions you may have.
EXPERIENCE: I have been shooting for most casting agencies and managers in the Baltimore/Washington/PA area for over 20 years. I am on the suggested photographers list provided by AFTRA/SAG. This experience has taught me that the best acting headshots are not necessarily the prettiest picture of you. They are a tool to show your personality and should represent the real you. Not the “Instagram filters, overly retouched…let’s make my eyes bigger and my nose smaller with these apps version of you.” Embrace what makes you different and show your quirks.
Why hire an experienced professional? Because the cheapest photographer is probably just starting out, putting together a portfolio, or is doing photography part time to supplement another income. WHILE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT– all of us started somewhere — his or her rookie status probably means the $75.00 photographer hasn’t a clue about industry standards for headshots, won’t know proper lighting or retouching and contrary to popular belief, you can’t learn all that by watching a few YouTube videos.
On the other hand, just because a photographer is the most expensive, doesn’t mean they are the best either.
For a brief period, I stopped shooting and became a director for a casting/modeling agency. It was short lived, but I learned a lot about why some casting people choose one person over another. Since the headshot is the first step in getting that coveted role, some people thought if they traveled to New York and hired a photographer, they would get a significantly better headshot than if they used someone locally. So the logic was “if I pay more, it must be better…right?!” “If I pay to have someone in NY do my headshots, I am more likely to get that audition…right?!”
Let me explain why this is flawed thinking on so many levels. First, just because someone lives in New York or LA, that doesn’t make them a better photographer…it just means they pay way more studio rent than I do. Photographers in larger markets have to charge more to survive. Paying more doesn’t always get you a better product. Do I believe you should pay for a great product…absolutely! There are some really talented photographers in the Baltimore area, each with a slightly different style and personality.
“SO YET ANOTHER REASON to invest in your headshots– because it means you’re invested in your craft, which in turn means you’ll be taken more seriously.”
APPARENTLY, IF YOUR HEADSHOT DOESN’T LOOK PROFESSIONAL, the experience from the casting side is that if they call you in, you’ll likely be green (inexperienced), thus deterring them from calling you in at all.
This is a quote by one of LA’s top headshot photographers, Vanie Poyey, and I couldn’t agree more. Even if you are just getting started, if you want to present yourself as an actor worth hiring, you should approach all aspects of the business as a professional.
Almost everyone needs a good photo these day. I shoot for corporations, small businesses and individuals to give them high quality images to use in marketing materials, on social media or business websites. These can be done at my studio or on location. Email me and we can discuss a custom session for you or your business.
These casual, yet polished headshots were done on location for a couple that both wanted an update to their website and LinkedIn profile photos. I used both artificial and natural light and they seemed very happy with the results. I fell in love with their dog Thor, so we did a quick family photo at the end of our session.
“We LOVE the photos!”
Kim and I go way, way back and have shot together before. She has worked for many years doing print work, TV, film and voice-over work and recently decided to let her grey hair grow naturally. I think it looks amazing on her! So, new look means new headshots. Makeup/hair by Lindsay Shields of No Filter Glam.
A two look sessions like Kim’s includes up to 5 image files retouched for $275.00
Makeup/hair services are additional and prices vary depending on the artist
