Actor's Headshots for Critique...

[kentalan]

This is my best friend and photography assistant. He is an improv comedian and local actor in Chicago.

We bought some new lights and needed to teach ourselves studio lighting. These headshots were the result. This was done with two Alien Bee B800's. One bounced into a white reflector and the other was silver. A silver camper's emergency blanket was spread over the floor to kick up some light into his very deep set eyes.

What do you think, can he use them?





Ladies, Curtis is also single if you're interested.

[AliciaRachel]

LOVE the first one, eyes are crisp and clear, great expression, good choice of shirt! Don't care for the second, it's the hand on the chin, to Glamour Shots. Casting directors look for real person personality. They want to see charachter, and they always go for the eyes first. The hand on the chin, or any where around the face draws away from the "seller" point.

I aslo suggetst keeping them in color. Traditionally actor's headshots are Black and White, but color is really makeing a new mark in the industry and can really stand out (especially with those blue eyes) against the "tradition".

Alicia

My Charachter Commercial Headshot

[kentalan]

Alicia,

We agreed on the blue one as well. The second photo had a "floating head" feel and was far to dark and sinister for his personality.

We converted them to B&W to keep with tradition, but decided that sometimes tradition isn't all that great. The blues have such an affect that it would be a shame to make this a grayscale image.

Thanks for taking a look and leaving your thoughts

Alan

[kentalan]

This is the conversion to B&W we decided not to use...

[AliciaRachel]

still nice, but loses it's impact. So glad that the industry is going color!!!

Alicia

[kentalan]

[ QUOTE ]
So glad that the industry is going color!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed. That beautifal red hair, lipstick and green eyes would just be lost in your photo if it were in B&W.

[Benveniste]

Much better and more subtle lights on the second pix than on the first. On the first, they tend to flatten out everything. If I were you, I would drop the reflectors and the blankets. Work with three sources, on for the background and/or the hair (or both if you can) and two others on the subject. Their role will be to ensure light shadows on the face for 3D effect while promoting the features instead of flattening them out.

How to achieve that ? It depends a lot of the studio size and color/distance of the walls, and on your light....Usually, the lesser light the better but the goal is clear : you want texture and SOFT shadows and light.

[MartinaSmith]

I looked through my collection of autographed 8x10s ( I try to get autographs of each star on their first ever headshot and then a headshot of them a few years after making it) and Kevin Costnar's headshots and all the other famous actor's headshots I have, don't have their head's cut off at all. Their first headshots are all black and white. And the ones a few years later are color.
I don't know if this makes a difference. But if it was me, I would try to do as the bigger stars did. If all of their head and most of their upper torso is showing, then that's what I would be replicating for other actors to promote themselves.

Marty

[cindavphoto]

Yep, it's already been discussed but I'll say it again, the blue eyes are phenominal. Really great shot on th first one.

I don't mind the hand on the chin thing in the second one, but it's the way his finger is pushing in on his check that bothers mer.

Cinnamon

I concur with Cindvphoto... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]