San Diego Photographer - Headshot photography, Commercial photography, Event Photography, Portrait Photography, Wedding photographer

My first camera was an old, used, and slightly broken Brownie camera that my parents gave me as a child. I have been photographing the world around me ever since. I have been working with actors for about 12 years and I am married to one. I met my wife right after she had had some headshots taken. When I saw them I said “I can sketch a better likeness” and when I found out how much she spent I vowed “NO ACTOR WILL EVER HAVE TO OVER PAY FOR A CRAPPY HEADSHOT AS LONG AS I CAN HOLD A CAMERA!!!!!”
I have studied and acquired so much information since I started shooting headshot photography. This article is designed to help every actor make an informed decision about their headshots and headshot photographer as well as to help them promote themselves. I have always felt that my success as a photographer is determined by the success of my clients.

Though I currently run a photo studio in San Diego I have clients who have come from as far away as New York and San Francisco and clients who have had me come to places as far away as New York and Hawaii. My studio is a great alternative to the high cost you will pay for the same or lesser quality in Los Angeles. The bottom line is that if you need a great headshot and like my style you should consider coming to my studio in San Diego or flying me out to your location.
I use equipment that is designed for images greater than my clients needs so that there is always room to downsize or crop and still retain the photographic quality that my reputation as a headshot photographer requires. I don’t buy anything that will not help my clients and so you are not paying for equipment that I don’t need.

I currently work almost exclusively with digital equipment and I shoot only a digital negative (More about shooting a digital negative later). This allows me to maintain superior image quality all the way from capture to print to reproductions. I have a smooth workflow so you are not paying for wasted time.
EVERY IMAGE I SHOOT IS BACKED UP AT LEAST TWICE. Too often a client will call me in a panic saying they lost their prints and or disks. Rest assured I still have all of your headshots and can get you another copy. There is no need to pay for another Headshot session.

As I have stated earlier - This article is designed to help every actor make an informed decision about their headshots and headshot photographer as well as to help them promote themselves. These are my opinions and other people may have different views. If you feel that any information here is incorrect or incomplete please email me at info@shotbyasavage.com so that I can review your input and make changes as necessary.
This article may not be reproduced in whole or in part with out my expressed written consent.

Every professional actor and every actor who hopes to become a professional need a professional actor’s headshot. Your headshot is your business card. Combined with your resume your headshot is often the only information a Casting Director has to decide if you are right enough for the part to call in for an audition. A professional headshot photographer can make or break your first impression.

What is a headshot?

Simply said a headshot is an 8x10 color photo of your face with your name typed on it near the bottom. A headshot is always 8x10. A headshot can be color or black and white though color is preferred in almost all markets. A headshot can be anywhere from a head and shoulders to a ¾ shot (to mid thigh) however not usually longer that a ½ shot (to your midsection). I usually recommend a tighter shot as your main shot and a ½, ¾, or full shot (to your shoes) for supporting looks (more on supporting looks later). Also a headshot should show as close to full face as is flattering so that the casting director / agent knows that you are not hiding anything (a scare, discoloration… remember these are the things that make you unique and may be what gets you the role. DON’T hide them)

Most of my new clients say that they prefer B&W photos of themselves however B&W photos are really only used in very slim markets. Nearly all Actors Headshots in San Diego, LA, New York, and San Francisco are Color. I personally recommend color headshots though if you shoot with me you can have them developed as both color and B&W.

A comp or Zed card is similar to a headshot but has multiple images. They can be printed single or double sided and they are used to show your multiple looks. If you are a model you need one if you are an actor you do not need one.

A commercial headshot is used almost always for “Commercials” and TV. It is light & bright. A commercial casting director and agent will likely want to see your teeth in a commercial headshot.
A theatrical shot is more often used for Theatre, Film, and sometimes TV. It is a more serious shot and can be more dramatic both with light and expression. Theatrical Casting directors and agents don’t expect to see your teeth in a theatrical Headshot.

I usually shoot both for every client. Though the real answer lies in what kind of work you want to do and where are you marketable. If you are a more serious person you may wish to have a Theatrical Headshot as your main headshot. If you are a bubbly person you may wish to have a Commercial headshot as your main headshot
When the casting director and/or agent calls you in they are expecting to see the person in the headshot. Being more “truthful” in your Headshot will lead to more successes. Said another way - if you are not in person what is presented in your headshot you are not who they are looking for (More on this later).

            Well - if you are not in person what is presented in your headshot you are not who they are looking for (your going to hear this A LOT). Do you still look like your headshot? If Yes – you might not need a new one. If no - you need a new Headshot. Also if your headshot is outdated you need a new one. If you don’t like your old headshot you need a one. If you’re not sure you likely need a new Headshot.
            Most professional Actors will get a new headshot every year. If you are younger you will need one more often than if you are older. Likely if you are a parent reading this for your 5 or under child they may need a new headshot every 6 months (if this is you call me and we can come up with special pricing).
            I will often recommend that you use your new headshot as your primary shot and use your old headshots (assuming you like them) as one of your secondary looks.

Referrals from friends, teachers, agents… are a good starting point but may not be enough to make a final choice. Friends may not know what to look for in a headshot, a teacher or agent may be associated and/or get a kickback from a photographer. You get the idea.
So where do you start? Look at as many photographers as you can and as much of their work as you can. Do you like their style? Is that how you wish to market yourself? After all you are in charge of your own marketing. Even if you have an agent or manager you need to have some input into your marketing.

Do you make a connection with the person in the headshots? You should be able to “feel” the person in the headshot. You should get the sense that you know them or something more about them than just what they look like.
Are the images captivating? This may be affected by your monitor but when compared to other galleries you should be able to get a good sense.

Are the images dull or flat? Photos may appear grey or the blacks washed out and/ or the whites muddy.
Does the color seem off? The photos have a strange tint.

How many headshots are there to view? You cannot decide if you like a photographer’s style if they only have a few images posted.
Do you see the same people over and over again? If you see the same people over and over, that may be an indication that the photographer is inexperienced and/or they have a poor success rate. (I include multiple photos of the same person to show multiple shoots and/or very different looks but I also include so many photos that you can still get a sense of my experience and success rate.)
Does the photographer have the skill to shoot a variety of people? Are there only pretty people or are there also “normal” people in their galleries. Almost anyone can take pretty pictures of pretty people.
Are the photos in focus? I see out of focus images on other photographers’ websites quite often. This may be hard to tell but if you look for it and look close (look at the eyes – softness in other areas may be a style choice) you should be able to see that the images are less sharp than they could be.
The right lens for the job? Once again this may be hard to tell or a “style thing” but if the forehead or nose seems out of proportion it may be that the photographer is using the wrong lens. Remember you HAVE to look like your headshot
Are the photos over “Photoshopped” / retouched? Does the skin in the person’s headshot have that plastic look? If so the photographer may be using Photoshop to repair the gaps in their skills.

There are A LOT of photographers out there who just got into photography with the new digital photo craze. Just be careful you are not paying someone to learn photography. View their galleries with a critical eye and remember if they are WAY too cheap you are likely only getting what you pay for.

I cannot speak for every digital camera and every type of film but the short (very short) story is. Some digital cameras are as good as or better than film cameras. A lot of this has to do with the skills of the photographer, the lenses they use, and how they shoot. Some photographers have gone back to film and / or bad mouth digital because digital has less room for error that film does. If you would like more information about this I would be glad to answer your questions.
Digital offers in many circumstances: Immediate (or close to it) viewing, faster turnaround, the ability to shoot more images giving you more headshots to choose from, and the ability to capture that EXACT moment more often.
In the hands of a true professional photographer I would choose digital over film for headshot photography.

Megapixels - How many do you need? There is much debate about this. The short answer is that the photographer should be using a professional camera and not a consumer or “prosumer” camera since a true professional camera has (as a rule) a better sensor capable of capturing truer color and a greater tonal range. You do not need to know these terms but know that they are important. As for megapixels, I recommend 16mp or more for an 8x10 headshot.
Tiff vs. JPG vs. Digital Negatives most pro cameras can shoot all three. Here is the breakdown

A jpg is a compressed image and in the compression process some detail is always lost. If no editing is to take place a jpg may be acceptable. However be warned that every time a jpg is edited and resaved it WILL LOOSE MORE DETAIL. Sharpness and detail in the eyes is important to convey emotion.
Tiff files maintain all the information at every pixel and are therefore preferred by all professionals and necessary if any retouching, cropping, or resizing (up or down) is to take place.
A digital negative also known as a RAW file maintains ALL the information captured by the cameras sensor. The TOP professionals’ only shoot RAW. These files offer the highest level of photographic quality. These files require development in special programs the same way film needs to be developed in a dark room. These files should be converted to tiff files before they are given to a client.

NOTE - I only shoot digital negatives and convert them for my clients to tiff or jpg (depending on their needs and budget). I believe this is the only way to deliver images that are as good as or better than film images.

Some photographers offer a CD at the end of the shoot. It is likely that these photographers have their cameras set to record jpg rather than tiffs or the much preferred RAW. Converting RAW files takes time and I offer my clients a number of options. To get them their images as fast as possible without sacrificing quality. Let me know if you are in a particular hurry and need your images more quickly.
CD-ROM or DVD? Not to bore you with numbers but a CD holds 700mb or less. An 8x10 tiff is roughly 25mb. That means that if you shot more than 28 photos they will not fit on a CD and you will need a DVD to hold them, unless your photographer is giving you JPGs and/ or multiple CD-ROM

Lighting Studio vs. Location
Both are acceptable for your headshot session. It really comes down to a matter of preference. A lot of people believe that natural light is better than studio light. I believe that in the hands of a true professional they are equally acceptable.

How much should I expect to pay?
There is more to it that the time you are shooting and the media that your headshots are delivered to you on. Film equipment, film, and digital equipment is expensive. You are paying for a portion of this with your headshot photo session. Also it takes time to produce quality images. Less expensive photographers are likely cutting corners on time or equipment. This does not mean that you are getting more if you pay more. The photographers I trust in San Diego and LA charge $200 - $500 for a basic headshot session.

What is too good to be true?
If the photographer offers too much for too little be warned. Often they will try to rope you in with offers of CDs right away (you know about this already), hair and/or makeup included or at a greatly discounted price (often this is not a pro and you are better off doing it yourself. More on this later), or very low prices. After reading this article you should be able to make an educated decision. If you still are on the fence I will be more than happy to answer your questions.

Clothing
Bring more changes than you think we will need. Keep it simple. Most importantly be yourself. Don’t try to second guess what a casting director is looking for. Listen to your agent but if you don’t have one just bring plenty of options and we can talk about them together. Here are suggestions

Solids work better than patterns.
Clean neck lines are better than busy neck lines (like lace).
Shiny like silk is fine but reflective such as metal threads, big buttons…should be avoided.
Avoid text and images on your clothing.
Colors – I suggest that you bring an assortment. You know what you look good in. Some photographers will tell you to avoid white and/or black however I am a lighting expert and would encourage you to bring both white and black.

2-3 days before the Headshot session you should be eating right and taking care of yourself. Avoid excess fats and oils. Avoid excess salt. Avoid things that make you feel bloated. Avoid things that stain your teeth. Drink plenty of water. Take short walks and be getting plenty of sleep. All the stuff you know you should be doing anyway.
            You should make sure you have directions to the studio or location of your shoot. If you are working with a hair stylist and or makeup artist you should make sure they have the directions also.
            You should be thinking about situations, monologues, or whatever device you as an actor use to pull from to create those compelling and believable emotions.
            You should be gathering your outfits. (More on this in a moment)

The day before the headshot session you should really focus on eating right and getting plenty of sleep. You should avoid all those things previously listed as well as refraining from alcohol.
Make sure your outfits are ready.
Make sure you have reviewed “the day of the headshot photography session checklist”.

Eat a light meal
Bring your clothing changes
Bring Water (I have some in the studio)
Bring Snacks
Avoid moisturizers
Bring makeup & hair supplies (even if you have a stylist and makeup artist coming )
Bring music (if in the studio)
Come with you hair and makeup done to save more time for shooting. You can touchup at my makeup table. Or feel free to do it all at my studio. Do bring powder and lip-gloss if you have them. AVOID – makeup with glitter.

            What to expect at your headshot photography session
                        There is no need to come early. As busy as I am in San Diego it is likely if you come too early you will be interrupting another actor’s headshot photography session. We will go over what you are expecting from the photography session. Then we will go over your hair, makeup, and clothing choices. I will come up with a plan that will allow the most photos and diversity as possible. We will shoot as many looks as time will allow. If we are in the studio we with stop periodically to view your headshots on the computer and to make any adjustments we see necessary. If on location we will view them on the camera. I have been told that I am very comfortable to be around and that as a headshot photographer I am very easy to open up to.

Instant pick – if you are in a hurry we can choose your headshot photos together during the shoot (only available in the studio). I can develop, retouch, and burn to disk (up to five headshots depending on time and package) at the end of your headshot photography session.

CD or DVD pick – you can view your images on CD or DVD (depending on your package) and if you would like me to do additional retouching you can always order via photo number. I will then go back to the digital negative and hand develop your headshot as well as the retouching you request.

Web Gallery pick – if your package includes a web gallery you can have anyone you like log into your gallery and help you pick. You can order via photo number. I will then go back to the digital negative and hand develop your headshot as well as the retouching you request. All packages that include a web gallery also include prints.

Proof sheet pick- you can always order proof sheets. Then you can order your headshots via photo number. I will then go back to the digital negative and hand develop your headshot as well as the retouching you request. These are being phased out in the industry and are subject to additional cost.

4x6 and 5x7 proofs pick – these are available at additional cost if not included in your package. You can order your headshots via photo number. I will then go back to the digital negative and hand develop your headshot as well as the retouching you request.

Have five people pick their favorite five – This is my mantra (for all but the Instant pick). You should have at least five people that are not emotionally invested in you help you pick your photos. Your parents, boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend can also help but should not be included in the 5. Also they should pick by themselves so that their decision is not influenced by you or anyone else. Lastly you should not coach them any more than by asking them to pick images that make them feel something. These are not photos you will be using to show how good you can look they are to show what you look like and who will show up at the audition. Lastly they must convey an emotion.

How many photos should I pick?
You should have one primary headshot and possibly one more secondary headshot and a selection of up to 5 additional supporting looks. REMEMBER - if you are not in person what is presented in your headshot you are not who they are looking for.

A Primary Headshot is your most marketable look. This should be the shot that MOST resembles you in looks and personality. It can be a commercial headshot or a theatrical headshot.

            The secondary headshot should also look like you. (If you are not in person what is presented in your headshot you are not who they are looking for) If your primary headshot is a commercial headshot your secondary should be a theatrical headshot. This will give you the opportunity to submit to a wider range of possible roles

            Supporting looks are looks you can use online (or occasionally in print). These can be descriptive of you and/or character shots. They can be headshot to full body and are often used at a small enough resolution that they will not need retouching. Note that you should not repeat looks. Also you should only pick the best. It is better to have only two or three shots that rock than have a ton of average shots.

Under no circumstances should you retouch or edit Jpg files. If your files are in jpg form you should use them as is or request tiffs from your photographer. NOTE- if your photographer gave you a CD at the end of your headshot photo shoot it is likely that they do not have tiff files. So make sure your photographer shoots in tiff or raw even if they only give you jpgs.

Good vs. Bad retouching. You should always look like your headshot (If you are not in person what is presented in your headshot you are not who they are looking for).

Where to have your headshots reproduced? There are many options for reproducing your new headshots here in San Diego as well as LA and New York. I have had great results using a company called Reproductions. You will find their link on my links page.

Retouching - Some reproduction houses offer retouching. I firmly believe that your photographer should have the skill to retouch your headshots and that someone who has never met you would not necessarily know what is excessive and what is not.

Types of Prints -There are basically two types of headshot reproductions you can get. There are lithographs and photographs. Simply lithographs are a four color process and photographs are a three color emulsion process. You would think that lithos are better but they are not. Lithos are cheaper but not by enough to justify their inferior quality. Photographic prints are what you should look for. Reproductions call them master photos.

Borders - This is entirely a question of preference. Your options are: Black or White, Thick or Thin, Border or Full Bleed. I don’t recommend full bleed because if you are added to the casting book they will punch holes in it. Better to punch hole in the border than in your photo. Also when holding the Headshot their hand will cover part of the image if it is a full bleed.

Horizontal or Vertical? If your image is vertical obviously you will print it vertically. But if the image is horizontal I recommend you still print it vertical. Why? Because if a casting director needs to turn their book to look at your image it is likely they will not bother. This may seem silly but when you look at thousands of headshots little things make a big difference.

How many copies do you need? I usually recommend reverse engineering this. Let me explain. Figure out how many you can send out a month. If you will send out 20 headshots a month and you will get new headshots in a year you will need 240 headshots. Then you can round this up to the next available package. Most reproduction houses next package would be 300 copies. I also recommend that you USE THEM ALL. It does no good to have leftover headshots sitting around.

Copyright?????? This is a very misunderstood subject. I will really simplify this. For headshots all you need to know is. You will need written & signed permission from the photographer to reproduce the images legally. The other side of the coin is that you own your likeness (for face) and the photographer cannot sell your headshot without a model release.