Get ready mentally for your pictures
In my last article I talked about what you should do physically to get ready for your pictures. Now we are going to talk about what you should do mentally. If there is one thing we all have in common it’s that very few people I have met like to get their pictures taken! This is pretty comical! The business you are in is getting up in front of a camera or an audience and performing. When you really think about it, the whole reason you are an actor is that you want to be loved. You want to get up in front of an audience and give them an experience, touch their heart in a way that makes them fall in “love” with you. The same applies to your pictures. You are trying to get the casting agents attention as they flip through those thousands of pictures. And believe me casting agents are literally going through thousands of pictures for each role they are casting. All the photographers will tell you, “You need a picture that jumps out says something about you,” Well yes that is true of course but ... << MORE >>
Getting Ready For Your Headshots
So my first article for NewYorkActing.com was
about picking your photographer. The next thing I want to talk about is what
you should do to prepare for your headshots.
These are the things I tell my clients when
they come in for their initial interview!
First of all your hair. Your hair is a
huge part of your pictures. Do not get your hair cut the day of your
shoot. Men should have about a week grown out and women should have a
week to two weeks. If your hair is long and you haven't trimmed it for a
while go get a nice trim so you hair looks full and crisp. Don't dye
your hair a completely different color before you get your pictures or
radically change the cut. I went blonde for a while and it took me a long
time to get used to that color. Whether you dye or cut your hair you need
time to grow into a totally different look.
What
about your skin? A week or two before your shoot drink lots of water.
Cut down on alcohol.
Workout. Nothing makes your skin look nicer that working out. Look at your skin. Do you have a lot of
blackheads is it uneven or dry? Get a facial. Exfoliate. You can do
this at home if you’re on a budget. Just make sure you don't do anything
radical. Leave a few days between your facial and your pictures. Check your eyebrows and get them done
if they need it. Men - only if you
have to and don’t over do it! Do
not over tan! Nobody wants orange
or sun burnt skin in his or her pictures.
Clothes. I always ask my clients to bring
whatever their favorite clothes are.
Those jeans you always feel skinny in. The sweater that hugs you just the right way. I don’t really have any rules about
patterns or colors. You bring in
what you love and I am sure you’ll have something that you look great in. If you don’t have any clothes you love
I strongly suggest you go get some.
You need them for auditions first of all and life is too short not to have
things you love. Make sure to
bring in a range of things for different looks. PS nobody is going to see your feet. No need to drag a heavy bag of shoes
with you.
Music. I personally do not shoot in a quiet
room. I have to listen to
music. It helps the session to
flow and loosen everything up.
Bring in music you love.
Make yourself a special playlist.
If you are wearing the things you love and listening to the music you
love you are going to be way more relaxed.
Last
but not least…EAT SOMETHING! Don’t
come in with an empty stomach you need a lot of fuel for your headshot
session. Bring snacks with you if
you are a low blood sugar type person.
I am always starving after a shoot and you will be too. You are really going to be focusing for
a few hours and you wont run your best on an empty tank.
In
my next article we will talk about how you should prepare mentally for your
shoot!
Welcome Gabrielle Stubbert
Here's a preview of Gabrielle's work...
Hey Everyone
Its great to be here at newyorkacting.com! I hope I can help you navigate around the task of finding the right headshot photographer for you.
You never know how you are going to vibe with a person or how you are going to feel in their space until you meet them.
How flexible are they? Do they listen to your ideas or do they already know how they are going to shoot you before you walk in the door?
Do they change their lighting around or is it just one setup?
How many changes are you allowed?
Do they book shoots back to back? Are they going to rush you?
Are they treating you like an individual or do all of their pictures have the same look.
Remember you are hiring this photographer. They are working for you. You should be able to express yourself in a supported environment.
So go out and meet these people. Meet a few of them. Don’t be lazy! Take the time to make the right choice for you. Know what personality you are about to spend the day with. If you do this I can assure you, you will be happier in the end.
g.
About me...
I started out in the headshot business when friends asked me to shoot portraits of them with a little more character than the standard headshots they were seeing. People really liked the photos and started telling their friends. That is how it all began and 15 years later I still love sitting down after a shoot and going through the images looking for the perfect shot.
There is no secret to a great headshot. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and supported. The shoot is all about you! That’s what your picture should say and since we are all different the rules change every day.