The Headshot
The Headshot.
What is the one thing that casting directors look at besides your resume... which you may have completely lied on... It's the Headshot. The headshot isn't just a picture of you. It captures, to put it simply, you. The headshot shows your personality, your features and your image/aesthetic. It shows the casting director exactly what they’re getting. The headshot is probably the most important tool in your trade.
How do you find a photographer to capture you? Craigslist? Sure. But what about getting scammed or abducted by an ax murderer? Not worth the trouble.
How about your friend’s Uncle Bob? He just bought a Canon t5i at Best Buy, and says he’ll do your headshots for $30! Well that's fine and dandy. But problem is, you’ve never seen his work.
My job is to not only take a picture of your face. My job is to find out exactly who you are and recreate it using my camera. I have to dig deep inside your mind and personality (creepy I know but trust me...) to get it to reflect perfectly on camera. I make sure that you get that next gig.
This past session was absolutely killer. I not only had an awesome subject, but I had a fantastic setup to work with.
The set up consisted of three lights and a white backdrop (seen below). I had two Kino Flo 4ft quads set next to each other lighting my subject and creating an awesome catch light in the eyes. I had a simple 580ex ii flash set behind my subject to illuminate the backdrop so I could get that infinite white backdrop.
So the next time you are pondering who to choose to get your next headshot done, think to yourself: Do I want someone to just take my picture? Or do I want someone who completely understands me to recreate my personality in an image? You decide what will get you that next gig.
-Brendan