[NEohioPAL]Headshot Question: B&W or Color?

[Oliver]

Go with the color. The Black and Whites are not well received in LA anymore
because casting people want to know not only if you are a Caucasian or Asian
or Hispanic but also want to know what shade of skin color and what eye
color you have or if you have freckles or the texture of your hair.  Black
and White can be deceiving and this is the reason why they want color. Color
also looks better and fresher. 

For men headshots should be from mid shoulders and above. If you are a woman
it's OK to take a headshot slightly from the bust line up. Do not bleed the
image out to the edge of the paper, use a border of some sort, use the mate
finish paper not the glossy (you are not a star yet), and don't just smile
into the camera, instead pretend you are laughing with your best friend or
boyfriend/girlfriend and having a hilariously funny moment with them. It's
almost like catching you when you saw something funny and you just busted
out laughing. Those are the headshots that get you attention and work. Your
headshot should allow whoever is observing it to be having a nonverbal
likeness towards you, friendly and conversational, pleasant and
sincere.............please don't just smile into that camera. 

Practice, Practice, Practice on laughing with the
camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You should get a variety of every angle, horizontal and vertical. Try
this.........you want to work with 3 facial expressions. 1) serious/business
2) dead on gaze 3) exuberant laughing with friends. For every facial
expression per outfit, you want 3-5 of each angled pose. This will get you
your photographic range of proofs. Example: 

A) Serious look, green shirt, 3-5 shots, vertical angle, different distances
B) Serious look , green shirt 3-5 shots, horizontal angle, different
distances
C) Serious look,  yellow shirt, 3-5 shots, vertical angle, different
distances
...........................and so on with as many changes of clothes as you
can afford. Usually 3 changes of wardrobe.

Make sure your photographer is shooting in the largest file possible and go
with the natural outside lighting, it's what's hot! Now I'm letting you in
on some LA photography secrets of how the pros do it out west. After the
shoot then the cropping comes into play. But you've got to practice that
smile and let photo shop work out the blemishes, not too much
though................Good Luck!

For some headshot examples you can go to my photographers website in LA at
www.JBCimages.com

You can also do a google search for headshot photographers in LA and NY and
review some of the looks you like. If you find a pose or
background...................use it! Wee all do




www.OliverLThompson.com 
myspace.com/OliverTheActor
OliverTheActor at yahoo.com


-----Original Message-----
From: neohiopal-admin at lists.fredsternfeld.com
[mailto:neohiopal-admin at lists.fredsternfeld.com] On Behalf Of Nicole Corris
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 6:42 PM
To: neohiopal at lists.fredsternfeld.com
Subject: [NEohioPAL]Headshot Question: B&W or Color?

Hi. I am looking into getting new headshots, and I'm seeing more and
more done in color these days. At first I heard it was mainly LA that
wanted color, however just about every new headshot I've seen out of
NY this year has been in color, and I was told by a NY auditioner that
it's not worth getting B&W anymore. I am currently working in regional
theatre, mostly auditioning at conference auditions (UPTA, SETC), but
may get into more NY auditioning when my current job is done. Any
suggestions? Also, any comments on natural light, horizontal shots or
3/4 shots?

Thanks,
Nicole
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