07 Feb Actor’s Headshots Nottingham

Every actor or business professional will at some stage be asked to provide a headshot of themselves. This may seem like a daunting prospect but really in simplified form, this is just a cropped representation of your head and shoulders that are normally 10×8 in size. Actors use their headshots to send to castings advisors and to be on sites such as Spotlight. But these days, it’s not just actors who need headshots. More and more people are having them done as a means of representing themselves or their business in a smart and professional manner. A great headshot will grab a casting advisor or prospective employer within seconds. So it’s really important to get it right. A good headshot should be honest and portray you, at your best, ready to take on the world.

At Focus And Shoot Photography, the emphasis is always providing you with exactly what you need. There are so many options when it comes to headshots. They can be shot against a wall, a grey backdrop, in full light or half shadow. It all comes down to what sort of work you are going to be applying for or what specific light you want to be seen in but as a good starting point, it’s best to get a great black and white shot as that is always attention-grabbing and dramatic. It’s also what most casting advisors ask for traditionally. That said, more and more casting agents and employers, in general, are becoming more accepting of colour headshots. They are also sometimes happy to use a landscape crop for website use, particularly in the more commercial fields so I will, of course, provide you with colour options and landscape orientation options too so that you have a variety to suit all the jobs you may be applying for.

First and foremost, I want you to come away from your Focus and Shoot session with a headshot that will represent YOU. You are, after all, your own brand. You are your own logo. Your headshot should be your number 1 marketing tool. It should be the first thing that grabs a potential employer’s attention and the last thing that leaves their mind when they’re making casting/interview decisions. We are living in a very online world these days and if someone is going to choose the right candidates from tiny thumbnail images, then yours needs to stand out! I can do that for you. With my studio, lights and personal techniques, I can ensure that you are not only relaxed on the day but you get great results too.

Whether you’re a stunt performer, or opera singer, writer or lawyer, I will take great care to find out about you. The things you like, what you’re comfortable with. Some actors will need no direction with posing but others may. Therefore, I will be here on hand, a photographer you can trust, to give you gentle direction and offer tips on posing and position, to ensure your headshot truly is one to remember. I will also add humour where necessary if you’re at all nervous (don’t be!) so that you come across as relaxed as possible on camera. Each step of the process will be at your pace and I will take great care and consideration so that you really get the very best out of your studio session with me. I will provide the lighting, tools and backdrops while you bring your tops (plain black and white work best), styling and a wonderful personality!

Your headshot doesn’t just have to be the traditional portrait of yesteryear. We can get a little creative too. I am very experienced in creating dynamic tones using shadows and lights, but if strong, bold colours are more suited to your requirements I can work on that too. Whatever the look you need for your visual representation of your brand; of you, we can achieve together, with confidence at Focus and Shoot. The main thing I ask in return is that you prepare before the day so that our time is used to best effect. Be sure of what you’re looking for in a headshot. I’m happy for you to bring examples if that helps. I’d also ask for your professionalism on the day so that we can achieve that headshot to remember and finally, and probably most importantly, I’ll need your personality so that I can capture the very best you for the world to not only see but to remember too.

Yu can find more details and examples of my work here.