03 Aug
HEADSHOT

The Ultimate Guide to Prepare for Corporate Headshots

Best corporate headshots are a tough nut to crack… read below to find out how you can nail them!

Corporate headshots are essential in portraying a good first impression. It’s important to pay heed to the message you are trying to convey and a decent dress to match it. For example, a creative agency owner might prefer something more fun and casual, whereas a law firm might opt for wearing a three-piece suit and looking more serious.

Important things to consider when having professional headshots taken

Here’s a guide on how to prepare for corporate headshot shoot, what to wear, your posture, and other elements that will help you stand out and give the best impression possible.

Your Look

It’s important to know what your best angles are. Some people are aware of certain facial features. Photographers are commonly used to hearing this, so don’t ever feel embarrassed to tell them that, for example, your nose is slightly asymmetrical, in this case, the photographer could angle you to one side so that the perspective makes it look fine.

Your Smile

Most people know whether they look better with their teeth-y smile or not. Even for professional businessman headshots, smiling both with and without your teeth would work, so smile whichever way you like. A forced smile, however, isn’t a good idea and might even make you seem even disingenuous. You should be able to recognize a ‘natural’ smile through a person’s eyes.

Pro tip: think of something that brings a smile on your face, this will both relax you and give you a nice, genuine smile!

Your Clothes

Be classic.

For ladies: You can choose a professional suit or a decent office-wear outfit. Don’t pick anything WITH bold or distracting patterns, however little pops of color here and there would do fine. Avoid short sleeves; if anything, they can look unprofessional and also dims the face. For jewelry, go for subtle and classic statement pieces, and say NO to anything blingy or flashy. Nobody wants to notice your jewellery before your face!

And for Gentlemen: Pick your favorite suit from your wardrobe in a preferably dark color, such as grey or dark navy blue. Bold colors and patterns, as well as shiny ties, distract focus from the face and can also look unprofessional. If you don’t like wearing a tie, it’s best to wear a jacket or a sweatshirt or some other kind of layers to break it up, so you don’t look like a floating head!

There isn’t any strict rule for ‘what to wear,’ as long as you look presentable and up to date, you are good. In startups, for example, a much more “casual” style is preferred.

Your Posture

The key to looking confident is your body language. Don’t hunch your shoulders, and keep your back straight; think of the posture of a ballet dancer, but don’t overdo it else you’d look too rigid. Don’t cross your hands or put your hands in your pockets; this is seen as closed body language and will immediately make you look unapproachable.

Your Make-over

For the best corporate headshots, lots of people consider hiring a make-up artist as a good idea. It is, of course, totally up to you. You want your headshot to be easily recognisable, and you wouldn’t want it the make-up to overpower the photo. Furthermore, the camera will sharply pick up clumps of mascara or heavy lipstick, so bear in mind that you are not going overboard with it. A decent rule of thumb is to think about what kind of make-up look you would wear to a nice dinner out, where the main course costs £25 but not £75.

Your Hair

Don’t cut or dye your hair right before the headshot shoot; this rule is especially imperative for gentlemen. Some shades of freshly dyed hair can appear too vibrant and usually go dull about 1-2 weeks later, so be careful with that.

Corporate Headshots help you grow more in the industry while setting your impression straight. They reassure your clients and potential business acquaintances that you are a promising and professional person to work with. To present a decent personality and the real you, choose an outfit and posture that reflect who you are. Other than that, all you need to do is to take a happy and relaxed attitude to the shoot!

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

Acting Headshots Guide – Everything an Actor Needs to Know

Acting Headshots Guide – Everything an Actor Needs to Know

Acting headshots are one of the most fundamental marketing tools for aspiring actors. It’s important to get a set of professional-looking headshots done the minute you decide to pursue a career in the acting industry. And here, people need to understand that snapshots are largely looked down upon as they make you look unprofessional, so steer clear of having your best friend take your “headshot” on the bar with an iPhone.

Casting directors and agents pay close attention to how professional and decent an acting headshot looks, and it can tell them how well the actor is prepared or understands the industry. That said, the topic of headshots can be puzzling to budding actors just entering the industry:

In this post on acting headshots, I’ll guide all the actors through this headshot thing. There’s no doubt that a bunch of headshots by professional headshot photographers in London can make your career, since casting directors and talent agencies go for headshots that stand out, or in their lingo “that pop.”

Standards for headshots

When it comes to acting headshots, things are pretty straightforward. You might not appreciate every little photography-based technicality that contributes for a perfect headshot, but casting directors who see hundreds of them every hour love photographs that vibrantly engage with them and tell the “actor’s story” just from a single headshot alone.

A good headshot that meets industry standards is the one that is comprised of the right lighting with a steadfast pose and a promising expression on the face.

Size and Layout

Normally, an acting headshot is an 8”×10” photograph, which is the standard size for the UK and US media industry. Therefore, it’s advised never to use a headshot that’s bigger or smaller than this in size.

A headshot photographer will take a photograph in both the landscape and portrait position. Both of these are totally acceptable.

Colour of headshot

Just a few years ago, the UK media industry was still dominated by black & white headshots. However, every year, British talent agents and casting directors are now only open to coloured headshots, which is why we are now seeing more of them .

Keep them up to date

Every actor should make sure that their headshots are always fresh or up to date, which means they should exactly look like them. Casting directors or talent agents wouldn’t want to invite a person with long hair and get to see a bald guy in the audition. This will likely ruin your relationship with your CD/agent, and you will most definitely lose the chance of getting more offers from them.

Whenever you change your look, hairstyle, get a face tattoo – your headshot must be updated too to reflect your current look. It’s a standard practice, and not following such rules might put you in the “blacklist”.

How to nail your headshot

Whenever you go to a headshot photographer, there are a couple of things to keep in mind to make them pop but also not make it look “too much fancy.” Remember, you’re trying to present the ‘you’ and how you look in real life; this is not for your modelling portfolio, thus looking natural is the key here.

A few key points to keep in mind when getting your acting headshots:

  • Light make-up is recommended
  • Absolutely no piercing in the nose, ears, eyebrows, or wherever you normally have them, but bring them so we can take some character shots
  • No extra accessories (e.g., jewellery, necklaces, hats, etc.) other than glasses, if you wear them.
  • If you do wear glasses, have some photos with them, and some without.
  • No “busy” looking clothing. Plain colour is best, pay attention to different necklines and bring layers. Layers create nice framing to the picture

 

I’m quite positive that this post has made you realise how headshots are some serious business, and thus, hiring headshot photographers in London to do the job is the only right way to do it. If you are an actor looking to upgrade your headshots, get in touch with me!

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

5 Tips for Nailing Your Headshots

Apart from hiring the top headshot photographers, there are few things you need to be clear about on your own!

The headshot is the most significant marketing tool for an actor, and it is surprising how many people do it wrong only to cut a few corners. It’s about that actors begin to take it more seriously than ever. When a little headshot jpeg pops up on a casting director’s screen, it must put them in awe and say, “Yes, bring him/her in!” Not “Yikes, this looks scary!”

Your headshot is your ultimate calling card – a nice coloured 8×10 of your face, from which directors will hire you and you will be landed some of the best roles of the history. It will be emailed to tons of agents and casting directors, who see hundreds and thousands of these every day, spread on their desk and in tabs on their computer screens. You want yourself to come off like a pro, not an amateur, so the way you present yourself in your headshot is everything.

If you want people to think of you as a 10/10, you must have a high quality, stunning headshot – and NOT an iPhone pic, or your Instagram photo where you are looking like a top model!

Here is what you need to pay attention to when it comes to your headshots:

Personality over glamour

Make sure your headshots look like you. Go easy on the airbrushing. Casting directors want to see the ‘YOU’ who’d show up to the audition. It’s not about looking exceptionally pretty; it’s about representing who you are, wrinkles included. It should look like you’d on your best day, showing your real age, and how you look currently. It’s not about the type want to look like, it’s the type that you are.
<h2style=”font-size:30px;”>Go pro

Spend some solid bucks—it’s worth it. Go to headshot photographers in London who are trained, understands the ins and outs of headshot photography and lighting. Your entire career ahead depends on these headshots, so go for someone who knows how to do them right.

Pay attention to filming, background, and lighting

In general, a decent headshot is chest-up with good lighting spot on your face, and no harsh, dramatic shadows, unless you are going in for a classic like “The Phantom of the Opera.” Three-quarter shots are useful for print, and extreme close-up shots are good for, well, nothing. Look straight into the camera, and the focus should be right on the centre of your eyes, not your right ear, or the apple on your tee. Be sure the equipment used to take your photo is high-quality with a high depth of field, making you stand out.

It’s all about the eyes

Similar to on-camera acting, it’s all about your eyes. They should be perfectly in focus, alive, and energised. There should be firm inner thoughts, implying a strong backstory and a life behind those eyes. A slight squint will bring your photo to life and help it stand out in a pile of thousands – and good headshot photographers know how to bring this out in you.

Don’t go overboard with clothing and props

Let’s not ever get crazy in this department. Keep your look simple and classy, and follow the decent, standard format. A simple solid shirt would do the trick. And no props (strictly!)

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

How to use your personal portraits to make a difference in your field?

Personal branding is the new buzz word in town. Everyone is a brand in their own personality, but only the smart ones realise their potential than others.

Online gurus and entrepreneurs alike, writer, actors, and public figures work hard to build a personal identity and brand it in a way that it replaces business card and reinforces their popularity and influence in the public eye. And for this, professional and popular portrait photographers have a major role to play.

Building your own brand as a solopreneur or business owner can help you stand out in the industry whilst setting you apart from the competition. Your brand will affect how people perceive your products and business and allow you to connect with your ideal clients. All of this revolves around defining yourself and your personality for who you are – and what’s the other way of doing so except getting a personal portrait session?

Visuals matter

When it comes to establishing an effective personal brand, there are several elements at play. To lay a strong foundation for your personal brand, you need to show the world your genuine qualities that shape your character and personality, such as passions and values.

A strong online presence that is powerful, memorable, and consistent can create a difference. Here you can take advantage of the visual nature of the human brain by using photography to reinforce your personal brand. No matter how tiny or giant your ‘thing’ is, high-quality and authentic photography will play a key role in delivering the personality of your brand. One striking portrait session and your chances to connect and develop a relationship with your audience are multiplied by ten.

Benefits of personal portraits

Personal Branding Portraits go beyond capturing your face and you as a business owner. They visually communicate and showcase your business’s brand. They are a powerful tool that can enhance your positioning as an expert in the industry. You can collaborate with any of the most famous portrait photographers and combine professional, business-related content with personal portraits to create a communicative identity of yourself and your business.

How to include them in your marketing mix?

Branding portraits can be used on a variety of different online platforms and as marketing materials. The most common uses for these very engaging branding images are:

  • Social media accounts; cover and/or banner.
  • Website bio page or landing page.
  • Marketing and print materials such as business cards, newsletter, promotional flyer, merchandise & advertisements.
  • Email profile picture and signature.

 

Personal portraits are just another form of branding for small business owners and aspirants that focuses on bringing out the heart and qualities of a person behind that particular brand. Professional photographs will not only make your communication more engaging but also add a touch of authenticity to your brand making sure that quality and style is something that pops first in mind when people think of your brand.

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

Top Tips to Choosing the Right Headshots

One of the secret, and least discussed killers of actor marketing is poor image selection. I can’t even recall how often I speak with actors before an artist headshot session, flesh out and jot down their goals, and consult on looks and wardrobe to sell those goals, only to get the post-shoot retouch email and see a whole lot of none of those decided goals showcased in their selection of headshot.

Your photographer can capture the best, most targeted headshots in the world, but it’s all for nothing if you don’t have the eye for picking the right ones!

Why it’s the most common mistake that actors make? It’s simple: Unlike brands and agencies who have creative directors to help in image selection, actors, more often than not, are their own creative director.

Luckily, there are a few key steps you can take to ensure your image selection is not the reason why you aren’t getting any roles. The following is a list of tactics that will help you selecting images like a pro creative director.

Firstly, get detached

Before you sit down to complete the mission selection, take a deep breath. For the next few hours, you’re not looking at images of yourself: you’re looking at professional headshots for actors targeting X, Y, and/or Z.

Choose based on essence, message, expression, and posture alone

That one flyaway hair can be cleaned later in photoshop, but your expression in the shot has to be just right. You may like the background of one photo more than the other, but if your essence is dull, the background won’t get any casting director.

More importantly, the detachment mentioned earlier has to come into play now. In an ideal image selection session, you’re ignoring your baby hair and that bump on your nose or your slightly smaller left eye. Instead, you’re focused on the authenticity, energy, and message roaring off the screen.

In other words, don’t just look at your shots, feel them.

Be thorough, one sub-look at a time

Dare to spread your forces thin. As you scroll through your artist headshots, pay attention to one sub-look at a time. If you’re looking for a comedic flair, that’s all you should be looking for at this time. All those sultry, dramatic shots will have their turn later, but for now, you are only focusing on the comedic essence.

Make hand cropping your best friend

Most people don’t realize this, but where your eye is in the frame can make your image more or less dynamic. Therefore, a crop can help you appear more or less dynamic. To avoid missing out on the gold, turn your hand into an L, close one eye, and explore different crops!

Be honest

Can’t stress this enough, literally. Choose only the shots that convey the authentic you; what you do better than others and what unique flair you offer. It doesn’t serve you to select a shot that portrays you the way you want to come off. It only serves you to choose a shot that depicts what your audition will deliver.

Take help from your friends

Don’t sit down and stress over this task alone. Ask a few trusted people to narrow down your selection. Just choose the best 30 pic, and ask your friends/teachers/colleges which ones they think represent you the best.

Pro tip: refrain from taking suggestions from your mom because if so, you’re going to end up with smiley shots only.

Remember, it’s not about professional headshots for actors opening every door but more about them opening the right ones.

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

How to Choose the Best Photos from a Shoot

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

Staying Organised While in Quarantine; Photo Organising

Quarantine may be a little hard on us, but if you look on the brighter side, it’s also one of the best times to bond with your family (even on a video call) over mundane yet fun tasks like photo organising. Family members are your best resource when it comes to sorting and figuring out what’s worth keeping and what isn’t, and quarantine is a natural time for everyone to finally do things they have been avoiding to do since ages. And also an opportunity to reminisce over old memories with a glass of wine.

Getting started with the three pile method

If you’re that responsible photo keeper sibling, who even has all the best corporate headshots of the entire family, you then need to get ready for the hard work – because there is a lot to choose from.

 

I’d recommend dividing your photos into the “yes” and “no,” and “maybe” piles. The best way to do this is to make an initial first pass through your entire collection because the ones that are NOT likely to be discarded and the ones you won’t need at all are naturally going to stand out right away. Here’s a fairly helpful criterion to sort your piles:

 

YES

 

  • Wedding albums
  • High School pictures
  • Professional portraits
  • Events
  • Heartfelt photos that trigger an important memory

 

NO

 

  • Blur photos
  • Bad angled landscape photos
  • Cut off limbs
  • Unclear photos
  • Over or underexposed ones

 

MAYBE

 

  • Any photo you don’t like, but can’t even throw away would like to keep
  • Multiple photos from a single event that needs to be narrowed down
  • Photos of unknown people and distant acquaintances
  • Photos that are quite similar, but still different

 

There are multiple reasons you might put a photo into the “yes” pile over the “maybe” or “no” piles, and the hardest pile to sort through after getting done with your first pass. That’s where FaceTime comes into the picture.

A low-budget, maximum-fun family trip to nostalgia lands via FaceTime or Zoom

The last thing you want to happen after putting so much time into organising and consolidating your old family photos is for your big brother to find a stash of memorable (read embarrassing) pictures of your childhood that he kept hidden. This type of exciting throwback could wash off the quarantine blues to some extent. So, FaceTime your fam, ask them to bring some snack and cherish older times together.

Don’t forget to capture this Quarantine reunion

This activity can go on for about half a day, but don’t you dare to forget capturing this moment. It could be the perfect throwback photo to remind yourself of this monstrous COVID-19 and how your 2020 family/siblings reunion was in the days of quarantine. You sure cannot take artist headshots of every dramatic family member, but a screenshot of them on the screen with you would do the job. Or you could set up your camera and pose with the family on screen.

03 Aug
HEADSHOT

Best Photo Editing Apps for Quarantined Photography Enthusiasts

Photography is indeed one of the best things to do while you are in quarantine. What else you can do to make your new hobby more interesting is to get into editing. Give your photos the treatment they deserve with these handy editing apps.

Snapseed

Google’s Snapseed is a powerpack software for those who love to edit on desktops. With its vast range of features and extremely intuitive interface, this free photo editing app also comes with interesting preset filters. However, unlike most editing apps, you can adjust these filters according to your own liking and even come up with your own from scratch.

It has all of the classic editing tools, such as cropping, frames, straightening, text, vignettes, etc. And the sharpening feature does its job so good without making your photos look grainy.

What’s more interesting is that Snapseed saves your edit history, so that you can make changes to your previous edits at any point.

VSCO

VSCO is no different than Instagram, Camera, editing tools, and a plus of an online community. But, this app is all about filters.

It can not only give you clean-cut photos like any headshot photographer in London would, but also lets you be creative and experiment with different aesthetics.

VSCO offers you a set of stunning filters that gives your photos all the analogue camera vibes.

These subtle and mesmerising filters add a touch of class to your photos. Be it high street fashion looks, vintage rustic touches, clean but faded poses, VSCO can take your editing game to new, out-of-the-box levels.

Of course, the app is comprised of all the standard editing tools, like cropping, adjustments, borders, grains, and vignettes. You can also adjust the exposure, temperature, contrast, or skin tones.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC

If you want to take your editing game to the next level, Lightroom is the answer.

The app version of the popular desktop photo editing software provides access to professional-level editing tools on the go. Not just that, it also works for RAW files – a high-quality image format preferred by professional photographers.

One of the great things about Lightroom CC is that it’s not trying to do the job for everyone.

Instead, it focuses on handing out a set of high-quality adjustment tools that users can explore themselves to come up with something of their own. Tools are presented as sliders and allow you to adjust the detail, light, colour, distortion, saturation, angle, and grain of your photos.

Capture One

This one is the software loved by all the top headshot photographers. Capture One is a power-packed and intuitive software that enhances your photo editing experience making it smoother and more precise.

With image quality as its driving factor, Capture One maximises the output of every RAW file, bringing out the highest level of details ever possible. Each lens supports a custom-made lens profile, providing adequate tools for minimising distortion, noise, and light fall-off.

Hope these apps will keep you hooked through this quarantine and help you come out as a pro-photo editor yourself.