Actor Headshots On Location

The actor's headshot- the primary marketing tool used by actors to book auditions, and one of my favorite photographs to shoot. Most folks going into the business we call show might initially desire a photograph that makes them look their absolute most gorgeous. Sorry all you future actors- those are portfolio shots for models. Any agent or casting director will tell you the number one most important aspect of the headshot is that it look exactly like you. Classically, headshots have been black and white becasue of the prohibitive cost of the reproduction of color photographs. These days, however, many actors are opting for color due to its modern affordability. My preferred method of capturing this image is to spend a couple of hours with the actor, shooting hundreds of frames to capture that one perfect image. While I don't believe that a taking a photograph steals a piece of the subject's soul- I think the best photographs offer a glimpse into the soul. The following photographs were taken under less-than-ideal circumstances. An advanced theater class at a local high school wanted some professional shots for their lobby display and program. I had 2-4 minutes with each subject, shooting 25 students in an hour and fifteen minutes. I only got about thirty frames with each of the students, but I think I got a pretty true shot of each of them. Here are some of my faves:










Good job, ya'll! And good luck with your production. I hope your happy shining faces look beautifully in your playbills!