Choosing The Right Headshot Photographer
We love watching actors do their thing on the big screen because it’s no easy task getting into character and it’s totally decimating to the audience when they deliver such a powerful, emotional performance. However, when actors start out they don’t tend to be the biggest, baddest business people in town. In fact, they often find themselves throwing their money away in hopes that ‘this class,’ or ‘that casting workshop,’ or ‘living this close to the West Hollywood,’ or that ‘these pair of headshots’ will be the reason for their next big break.
When it comes to headshots in Los Angeles, what should actors really be looking for and more importantly how much should they prepare to spend?
Very simply, a headshot is just to show what you look like for a casting director and production team to remember when deciphering which actor is the right vision for the character they’re looking for. It’s like a business card/advertisement in the form of a photograph. You’re going to show up to an audition, audition for them, then leave behind your headshot that will be thrown into a pile of dozens of other actors headshots. Then after the auditions are done they will deliberate over which actors to narrow down for each role. Then they will call you back and you know the process from there.
At no point in this process do casting directors look at one another after seeing someone’s headshot and say, “well this actors audition wasn’t that great, BUT THEY WORKED WITH X PHOTOGRAPHER AND SPENT $800 ON A HEADSHOT SO LET’S BOOK THEM THE ROLE!”
Funny right? Yet, that’s how A LOT of actors may unknowingly approach choosing a photographer. The more expensive and famous the name, the higher the chances they think they’ll have of booking roles. In reality, you just need a good quality headshot that clearly shows your face with good lighting and no distractions and there are dozens of photographers that can accomplish this for you.
While it’s true that not all photographers are created equal and each of us have our own set of styles, actors have to acknowledge that at a certain point the photographer they decide to go with is purely a narcissistic choice not a business choice. I would say the top 15 photographers in Los Angeles shoot pretty decent headshots that will get you bookings and that no one is guaranteed to get you more work than the other. The only real difference is price & vibe. Can you afford their work and do you like their energy?
That’s the difference that I provide with my headshot services. You can always come to me and be certain that you’re getting the most affordable rates with me AND an experience that is unlike many others. I do attribute this to the fact that I am younger compared to other photographers and that allows me to have a different approach to my headshots. My actors end up feeling comfortable with me and I always say the sessions ends up being 5% actually shooting and 95% talking about life. (You’ll know what I mean when you book with me)
So if you’re looking to have a unique headshot experience, then I’m the person you’ll want to hire for headshots here in Los Angeles.