“The art of Headshot Photographers in Los Angeles is often the key to launching a successful acting career.”

A word about the tools you will need to get into acting.

1/ First thing you will need is a good headshot.

The Photographer will usually give you between 50-100 images to choose from.
Edit these by first eliminating the images you do not like,then go through the images and eliminate some more.
Do this 2 or three times until you have a managable number of images left to make a final choice.
If you do not have an agent yet I suggest you first have
postcard size headshots made up.Use these to send to agents along with a resume.

The reason for this is that is that almost inevitably, the agent who takes you on
will want to choose a shot that he or she feels will get you into casting sessions
and this will most probably be different to your choice.At this stage you will have the 8x10s made up.

2/ Join an Acting Class.

This will not only teach you about acting.It will also teach you
what to do in front of the camera and understand the director's instructions.
Directors get aggrevated if they have to explain what they want from you.
Do not waste their time by not knowing what to do on the set.To a production, time is money.
Agents also like to see you honing your acting skills all the time.

3/ You must strive to become a member of SAG (Screen Actors Guild).

To do this you must accumulate hours as an actor or extra on productions.
Generally you will do this by working on non union productions.
At the end of each day ask the Assistant Director for what is called a voucher.
Once you have enough vouchers go to SAG and apply for membership.
Also join AFTRA and Central Casting.
Read trade publications such as Backstage & Variety every week to find castings.
Also look for casting on the internet.
Call the casting office and attend those castings.

When you get a call to see an Agent, Manager, Casting Agent, Producer or Director, they want to see the same person whose headshot they looked at.
You should look pretty much as you do in your headshot.

There is nothing that drives people who might hire you more crazy, than seeing someone they never asked to see.
So, when you get your headshots taken, be yourself at your best.

FOR THE PHOTO SHOOT

ACTRESSES

Wash your hair before you come to the photo shoot.

Don’t put on makeup before you get to the studio.

When choosing what to wear for the session, first take a look at TV shows to get an idea of how productions dress their actors.
From your closet, pick  the type of outfits that reflect what is popular in the biz now.

For theatrical shots do not wear bold prints or colors. (Whoever looks at your  headshot will only see the print or color, not you.)
No big logos on shirts or T shirts.

Try the outfits on and LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

Bring as many outfits as you can carry. What may look great in the mirror, doesn't always look great in the camera ,
so give yourself and the photographer a chance to change into something that works in the camera.

You must have your hair and makeup done by a professional.

Why?
Because they know best how Makeup responds in studio lighting conditions.

ACTORS

No makeup.

When choosing what to wear for the session, first take a look at TV shows to get an idea of how productions dress their actors.
From your closet, pick  the type of outfits that reflect what is popular in the biz now.

For theatrical shots do not wear bold prints or colors. (Whoever looks at your  headshot will only see the print or color, not you.)
No big logos on shirts or T shirts.

Try the outfits on and LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

Bring as many outfits as you can carry. What may look great in the mirror will not always look great in the camera,
so give yourself and the photographer a chance to change into something that works.

ABOVE ALL BE RELAXED AT THE PHOTOSHOOT, IT’S JUST FILM OR DIGITAL IMAGES,
NOT WORLD WAR THREE. YOU CAN ALWAYS BURN THE FILM OR DELETE THE IMAGES..

People
and this is certain – are one of the most important and simultaneously one of the most fascinating subjects to which a photographer can dedicate himself. Whether he or she makes headshots or portraits of individuals or groups, or specializes in nude studies and body forms,or works on fashion or advertising photography assignments, the central photographic subject is always a person. And the more we learn about the person to be photographed, the more we learn about this individual’s character, personality and attitudes, the better, i.e. the more fittingly we can photograph that person. That is the special aspect of people photography: it goes well beyond the purely photographic aspect to an interesting and important human level.

Headshot photography in Los Angeles

Physical likeness & character make a good headshot

Actor John Lithgow

Top headshot photographers produce outstanding headshots/portraits with just about every subject they photograph. Why is that? What do they know and what do they do that makes their portraits special? The answer to both these questions is “quite a bit,” because there is lots to know about a lot of things in order to produce a great headshot. The art of shooting Celebrity & Actors headshots is to make your sublect feel at ease,to be confortable with the photographer. I decided long ago that one of the best ways to do that was to shoof fast, in short sequence bursts. Actors are used to movement in front of a movie or TV camera and most are unconfortable having to stay still in front of a still camera. Also talk to your subject, find out something about them, then use that knowledge to bring out their personality.

WHAT IS A HEADSHOT? A Headshot/portrait is defined as a likeness of a person, especially of the person’s face. Simply that. But, the word in general use has deeper connotations. A photographic headshot/portrait is understood to be a good quality image that not only captures a person’s physical likeness , but also something of the person’s character, generally in a manner that is attractive and pleasing to the subject, but especially to an agent or casting director. CHARACTER REVELATION A good headshot will contain at least one element that reveals the subject’s personality, attitude, unique mannerisms or any of the other features or traits that form the individual nature of the person. It will tell us something about the subject. They are referring in part to the image being a true physical likeness, but what they are really saying is that the image also reveals a significant, identifiable part of the subject’s character. The headshot/portrait photographer who has never previously met the subject therefore has quite a challenge.

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A headshot does not need a formally-dressed subject. Casual wear may be more revealing of the subject's character and lifestyle

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