Head Shot Secrets

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Archive 2009 · Head Shot Secrets

TezM
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p.2 #1 · Head Shot Secrets

look up a guy called Lallisig on Flickr.

He's an Icelandic photographer and one of the absolute best I am aware of when it comes to portraiture. Also, he gives lighting information on all his shots.

It isn't actor headshot stuff though, more fashion/magazine type images but great nonetheless.

Sep 27, 2009 at 03:05 AM

David-Z
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p.2 #2 · Head Shot Secrets

Thanks for all the great feedback and ideas!
Got a lot to digest and try out.
Thanks!!!!!

Oct 01, 2009 at 04:44 PM

SoundHound
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p.2 #3 · Head Shot Secrets

I have attended a small amount of casting sessions. As a real blooded pro with decades of experience in most every phase of Film and TV production I found that my brain turned to jelly after only one day of casting. Yes it's true that the casting director wants representative shots.

It's also true that if your picture of this actor looks like all the others then it is easy for the clients to forget him/her at the end of a day (when there is a pack of head shots as the prime memory jog). That's why I try to have a different (but honest) photo impression so my actor doesn't get lost in the pack.

Oct 18, 2009 at 03:20 AM

designguy
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p.2 #4 · Head Shot Secrets

Nchakos wrote:
the headshots of actual clients on Kevin Major Howard's site ..most are cold and washed out..is this what the casting people want? the photos look like he pulled he middle up in curves and have a purple cast too..

I've been doing color correction on a system that has both a crt and an lcd. Both are color corrected. After color correction the crt screen still has a slight warm cast and the lcd a slight cool cast. My guess is that Kevin is working on a crt and you are viewing on an lcd.

When I do color correction I find it helpful to look at my images on both screens. If I correct for one screen only, when I move my image to the other screen the color looks like it has a slight cast. if I remove that slight bit of cast while proofing on both screens my images look really really good in both environments.

I'm not sure anyone cares about, but it's interesting to me...

Oct 18, 2009 at 04:02 AM

RDKirk
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p.2 #5 · Head Shot Secrets

David-Z wrote:
Oh god - I've seen his website many times before and that guy comes off as such an egomaniac. But you're right - there might be some good poses in there.

I worked in commercial production for years so I have a really good idea of what goes into a head shot composition wise -- and I know all the popular photographers websites.

But would really love to know the lighting technique, not the posing, being as specific as possible.

I think having the model stand at the edge of the shade/sunlight is a great starting point. Then I bounce up with the reflector? I tried that technique years ago - and only wound up blinding the poor model everytime. So I look forward to some more specifics.

Does the reflector go into the direct sunlight or does it stay in the shade side?

Or if you have another technique I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

Ego notwithstanding, drill through the "pr" link on his website to the Discovery Channel video that was done on him to see his specific methods in action. That video pretty much tells you want a headshot needs to be from the point of view of the "market"--the casting directors-- and a basepoint for how to achieve it.

Oct 18, 2009 at 07:17 PM

David-Z
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p.2 #6 · Head Shot Secrets

Thanks to everyone for pointing out that video. I watched it several times and found the shoot to be very interesting. He uses a big reflector with natural light. Seemed to be an overcast day. And interestingly enough - it seemed like the great catchlights he gets in the clients eyes come from a white house or two across the street.

Oct 18, 2009 at 09:32 PM

JHerr
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p.2 #7 · Head Shot Secrets

all of his shots are frontfocused?

Oct 19, 2009 at 08:39 AM

RDKirk
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p.2 #8 · Head Shot Secrets

JHerr wrote:
all of his shots are frontfocused?

Eye-focused with shallow depth of field.

Oct 19, 2009 at 11:11 AM

williamkazak
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p.2 #9 · Head Shot Secrets

I did not know that the OP was referring to actors headshots outdoors.
I used to do those in the studio with umbrellas for the utmost control.

Oct 23, 2009 at 12:33 AM

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