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Headshot
Photography
Tips
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So
you are interested in headshots huh? Well before we get started, I’ll need
to know one thing: what are you going to use the headshots for? There are
two main types of headshots – Acting and Professional.
Acting
Headshots
This is the first step in finding work in film, TV, and theatre. Generally,
the headshot will be a vertical 8×10 black and white portrait – but the
guidelines have been changing with new trends. Color and horizontal images
are now becoming more and more popular. We will discuss the style and type
of work you will be looking for to shape the headshot
session.
There
are a few guidelines for a good acting headshot:
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It
has to look like you. In this world of computers  and
photoshop, it is easy to get carried away by enhancing an image to be
airburshed to magazine quality standards. If you want an airbrushed
glamour shot, check out the pin-up section – airbrushing is included
with all of those portraits.
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It
must be current. If your headshot is more than a year or two old, you
need to update it. Your headshot should accurately reflect what you look
like right now – including your latest hair style. If your headshots
doesn’t look like you, you might get an audition from it, but you
won’t get the part.
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A
headshot should accent your best features and show a bit of your
personality. You have one photograph to grab a director’s attention
and show them who you are. A good headshot will help you acheive this
goal.
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It
needs to be eye-catching. There are lots of people auditioning and the
stacks of headshots can get quite high. Having a headshot that
“pops” can help you get noticed. When you combine great
lighting, powerful poses, strong composition, and a photographer who
knows both acting and photography, you can get these powerful
combinations.
You’d
be amazed at how much more work you can get by simply updating your headshot
image.
Professional
Headshots
A
professional headshot can help your clients identify and relate to you. It
takes away the cold corporate face of your business and replaces it with an
actual real live human. There are a few different styles of professional
headshots, but all of them revolve around a few basic principals:
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The
quality of your portrait can add trust legitimacy to your business. If
you are using a poor photograph, it doesn’t reflect as professional on
your business. If you use a professional portrait, you come across as
more professional.
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The
photograph should reflect your personality and business – by changing
the style, posing, crop, lighting, clothing, and setting, you can
create a portrait that sets a mood for your business : from professional
and open to free spirited and create, and everyone in between.
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The
photograph can be a standard studio background or be set in your office
or work place – it all depend on the mood and feeling you want in your
portrait. And it isn’t just limited to a head and shoulders shot
– it can be full body, or even 3/4, too.
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