Your Actor Photo: 6 Steps To Getting Great Pics!

In my many conversations with casting directors and agents about the actor photo, they seem to agree on one thing in particular. That is that whenever a headshot comes across their desk, it has to ‘pop’. In other words, they say that it has to have something special about it, a look, an expression, the eyes, something that will make them stop and look at it for at least a few seconds. The more interesting casting directors and agents find our actor headshots, the greater our chances are of getting called into their offices for an interview or an audition.

I had a recent conversation with Peter Hurley , hailed as one of New York’s best headshot photographers. I asked him what, in his opinion, are the steps are to ensuring that one can get the best actor photo possible. This is what he told me:

1. Search out headshot photographers in your city or in the city you want to have them taken in. Look at the different websites and look over the pictures. When looking at photographers’ pictures, take note of the following: The quality of the pictures: Click here to see 10 things to look for when choosing a headshot photographer.

If a photographer doesn’t have a website, that’s not a good sign, that he/she is reputable. Today in 2007 a website is the way to showcase yourself in this business and provide service to clients. If a photographer doesn’t have one, then that should raise a flag as to his/her level of professionalism and to the ease or difficulty of working together with him/her. It doesn’t mean they are not good, but let it be a first alarm that you park in your mind until you move on and see examples of his/her work as well as how they service their clients.

2. Think about how much you want to spend. Know your budget, but remember that you often get what you pay for. So if you want to spend less, you just might get quality that is in line with that price. There are, however, photographers who have low prices, because they are at the beginning of their careers or they are trying to break into the market until they establish themselves.

3. Once you have looked over some of the sites and narrowed down your choice, now it’s time to contact each one of your favorites. You should have at least four or five to choose from. Basically, when you contact each photographer, you will want to let them know you are considering them to take your headshots, ask for the possibility of a consultation (see point 4 below) and find out how much the headshot session will cost. You can save time by getting a price beforehand. If the price is way out of your budget, it’s better to know that before you set up a meeting with the photographer.

4. You will want a personal interview/consultation with your photographer BEFORE you go in for the shoot. A serious headshot photographer will grant you a free consultation and it should be free of charge. The photographer should be interested in meeting you beforehand to discuss your needs and concerns and build rapport with you. Remember that a successful actor photo shooting session is much about the actor and the photographer creating rapport with one another. That is critical!

So what are the questions you will want to ask the photographer during the interview? Just click here to find out 11 Sets Of Questions To Ask Your Headshot Photographer BEFORE The Shoot!

5. After all your research with regard to your actor photo, you can now make an informed decision.

There’s just one more thing. You’ve made a decision, so now prepare yourself for the day of the shoot.

6.Something small, but important to do to make sure your actor photo is the best it can be is to arrive early so that you can lay out your clothes, relax a bit mentally, do your make up and hair. If you arrive late, those things might eat into your shoot time. Utilize the time you have to shoot to the fullest. The last thing you want is to arrive late, flustered and in a hurry. You want to be as relaxed as possible for the shoot!

So, to sum it all up, There are six steps to ensuring you get the best actor headshots possible:
1. Research
2. Narrow down your selection to 5
3. Contact them.
4. Set up consultations with at least 2 – 3 photographers.
5. Make an informed decision
6. Arrive at the shoot early and ready to shine!

Peter Hurley is one of the leading photographers in New York. His skills are highly sought after and he receives numerous referrals from casting directors and agents alike.

PETER HURLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
601 W 26th St. Suite 1425E
212.627.2210
www.peterhurley.com
www.colorworksnyc.com (for retouching and headshot reproduction). Both are divisions of Hurley Productions LLC

For more information on how to get your best actor photo, click here.

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Hi Tony
I would like to thank you for helping me with the monologue question I asked in October 2007. I went to the auditions for a Drama course and I am happy to say that I have been accepted as a first-year student at the Tshwane University of Technology. Please keep on sending me those newsletters and let me know where I can find books that will help me in my acting career. Thank you once more. Have a blessed day.
Sincerely
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I was wondering if there is anything established like actingstartup.com in the U.K. because you are amazing and I have learned loads...
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Dear Anthony,
Just wanted to thank you for bringing me in to [audition for the video], meet you and chat this Saturday. I was really excited to hear about your working on actingcareerstartup.com and even took a look at it today - it's awesome! You are very well-spoken, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and it shows through the work that you do! I hope our paths in the industry will cross again and really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks, again and best wishes with your very important work!
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