Headshots for acting

G.Murphy

Hey guys just wondering if someone could recommend where to get these done? need them within the week .

was looking at http://www.headshots.ie/How_It_Works.html , has anyone ever got theirs done from there?

On average how much are we talking to get them done?

cheers for any replies

gerk86

Theres actorsvision in Cork aswell. Heard they do good stuff.

G.Murphy

I'm located in Dublin pal but there prices seem really good compared to the other prices I have seen :O

Corkbah

G.Murphy wrote: »

I'm located in Dublin pal but there prices seem really good compared to the other prices I have seen :O

4hrs in a studio for 8 photos !! ...for €400 - I'm in the wrong business !!

I'm sure some of the photographers here would do the job cheaper for you, no real need for a studio setup, you could do the headshots outdoors today - if you wanted to (and found a suitable photographer).

I'm busy - have a job on (waiting on a call to tell me where and what time - but got a call last night confirming job is on)

EDIT: I clicked on the actorvision linky - it says cork and dublin ....either way - one of the boardsies would be able to help here.

sebphoto

G.Murphy wrote: »

I'm located in Dublin pal but there prices seem really good compared to the other prices I have seen :O

They charge €150 and you'll get two (2) images on CD?
In my humble opinion that's ridiculous.

I have the same opinion as Corkbah. You don't really need a studio shoot.

Create a post here (or pm me) and I'm sure you'll receive a lot offers.

AnCatDubh

sebphoto wrote: »

Create a post here

This.

ditpaintball

€150 for two headshots is not ridiculous...... quite cheap really if those headshots are going to last you for 1-2 years and are going to get you jobs and earn you money.

One of the top headshot photographers in NYC, Peter Hurley charges $1,100 for a session. I only charge €250 for a 3 hour headshot session and 4 prints

sebphoto

ditpaintball wrote: »

€150 for two headshots is not ridiculous...... quite cheap really if those headshots are going to last you for 1-2 years and are going to get you jobs and earn you money.

One of the top headshot photographers in NYC, Peter Hurley charges $1,100 for a session. I only charge €250 for a 3 hour headshot session and 4 prints

Mea culpa.

De gustibus non est disputandum.

sebphoto

ditpaintball wrote: »

Can you reply in English please

Sorry for that.
Comment regarding 'ridiculous price' is only my opinion / point of view. That's all.
Basically lets don't waste time to talk about people preferences, tastes etc.

Corkbah

ditpaintball wrote: »

€150 for two headshots is not ridiculous...... quite cheap really if those headshots are going to last you for 1-2 years and are going to get you jobs and earn you money.

One of the top headshot photographers in NYC, Peter Hurley charges $1,100 for a session. I only charge €250 for a 3 hour headshot session and 4 prints

€250 for 4 prints ... I'm in the wrong line of business !!

ditpaintball

Corkbah wrote: »

€250 for 4 prints ... I'm in the wrong line of business !!

If you really think so.... I would strongly advise you do do your research on what it cost to run a photography business before you jump ship

Splinters

Photographers arguing over what other photographers charge. C'mon lads lets not get into that. I would have thought everyone here understands we all have varying overheads, and more to the point different abilities and styles. Just because photographer A charges half the price of photographer B doesn't necessarily mean its better value.

ditpaintball

There is no one arguing, I was mearly answering the OP questions by pointing out the range in prices i.e. top US guys charge $1,100 and that €150 was not expensive. In stating that some headshot sessions are €250, then he is prepared to get quoted that price. I'm sure there are even more expensive head shot photographers in Dublin.

At the end of the day, its all education. Clients and potential clients ( such as the OP.... especially when he asks for the price range) need to be educated in the pricing structure of headshot photography.... instead of going to the cheapest photographer straight away, then need to know what choices they have available.

For example, if he is looking for a headshot photographer, questions he will want to ask potential photographers:

- How much is your session?
- Does that include Hair , Make-Up, Styling?
- Does that include VAT?
- Are you insured?
- Do you have a studio or do you only shoot on location?
- How long is your session?
- Does that include make-up time and coaching time?
- How many clothes changes can I get?
- How many photos will you take?
- How do I get to see the photos?
- Can I get my agent / agency to pick the photos?
- How do I get to pick and order the images?
- Is their retouching included?
- Is there a CD / DVD of images?
- How many prints are included?
- How much are extra prints?
- Can my agent get free copies?
- What is your print size?
- What crop are your prints, portrait / or landscape?
- How much is a re-shoot?
- What usage license do I get with the shots?
- Can I own the copyright?


...There are just a few questions that you would need to know.

G.Murphy

Currently unemployed at the moment (just had a job interview 2 days ago) and was looking at the prices for the head shots and WOW the prices are high if your unemployed or even part time but I do agree with ditpaintball, It's worth the money if your serious about acting.

I'll think I will wait though because I thought they would be cheaper and although I have no problem paying the money I am losing weight at the moment to get down to a low body fat and then bulking to gain muscle so I would guess that in about 8-9 months I would look pretty different than I do right now, would that not be a waste of money if that's the case?

only looking to loose another 18 pounds or so in the next couple of weeks.
whats your views on this? should I wait or get the head shots done as soon as I have the money?

cheers for the replies guys

ditpaintball

If your loosing weight to bulk up your body, then your body would change a lot, but it might not have as big an impact on your headshot. Also, a good photographer will work with you and position you anyway to make sure you look your best, sliming the face and sharpening jaw lines etc. Also a good photographer will get a range of expressions out of you for your book so show that you can play different characters and roles

Another thing to think about is that some photographers, like my self offer discounts for returning clients. So you could get shots done now and get them out there to agencies. Then in a few months when your ready you can get them done again with the same photographer at a cheaper rate.

Because at the end of the day, a lot of the people who put off doing shoots until they are " in better shape" never actually do it .... especially the girls

Corkbah

G.Murphy wrote: »

Currently unemployed at the moment (just had a job interview 2 days ago) and was looking at the prices for the head shots and WOW the prices are high if your unemployed or even part time but I do agree with ditpaintball, It's worth the money if your serious about acting.

you do realise that the same image can be captured by an amateur with an understanding of photography....and post processing !!

(and a lot cheaper) ..... why not contact your local camera club and see if someone is willing to do headshots for you in exchange for you modelling for him/her - most camera clubs have access to studio lighting, backdrops etc.

As with most aspects of photography - the photographer knows the costs involved in taking a photo, they spend thousands on equipment, insurance, learning about poses etc etc and then someone buys a camera and says I could do that ...and chances are ..they could !!

Hands up anyone (pro or non-pro) here on boards who could take a headshot - the same as is advertised on the websites linked above.

G.Murphy

Corkbah wrote: »

(and a lot cheaper) ..... why not contact your local camera club and see if someone is willing to do headshots for you in exchange for you modelling for him/her - most camera clubs have access to studio lighting, backdrops etc.

Never even thought of that, cheers man I'll get in touch with them today and hopefully they can help me out

thebaz

an actors work will depend heavily on his head shot - to do it right takes a lot of effort, skill and patience - don't know anything about any of the services mentioned here - but if they are good and can deliver quality shots , that can deliver work for actor - perhaps it is money well spent - ther is a lot more time and expenses involved , than just taking a few shots , touching them up in ps and voila - certainly to get them right will take time and patience , re-doing them - so in my experience you cant equate it to 100 an hour by simple division - certainly if you want serious qulity, which i assume most actors want. Then again , these days many people expect photographs for free, not sure ther is any professional photographers left !

Corkbah

an actors work will depend heavily on his head shot - to do it right takes a lot of effort, skill and patience - don't know anything about any of the services mentioned here - but if they are good and can deliver quality shots , that can deliver work for actor - perhaps it is money well spent - ther is a lot more time and expenses involved , than just taking a few shots , touching them up in ps and voila - certainly to get them right will take time and patience , re-doing them - so in my experience you cant equate it to 100 an hour by simple division - certainly if you want serious qulity, which i assume most actors want. Then again , these days many people expect photographs for free, not sure ther is any professional photographers left !

while I agree with you - you also cant guarantee quality from someone simply because they have a nice website advertising "headshots" - the very same shots can be recreated by anyone with a camera and knowledge of post processing (they dont even have to know about posing if they are recreating other headshots)

so these days with the advances in photography its possible for an amateur to create the same result as a professional - without the professional prices ....happens all the time with wedding photographers.

Splinters

Id argue with that last point. There is typically a limited scope of creativity with most headshots, and for good reason too. Those shots are not meant to be about the photography in most cases, the aim being to show the subject in the best possible light and thats job achieved.

Wedding photography is a different matter though. Ive really studied the high end guys, the guys who charge upwards of 10k for their wedding packages. There really is a difference between most (not all, admitedly some are chancers) of this level guys and your average "good" wedding photographer.

Im honestly of the general disposition of a bargain hunter, and would love to think that theres always a cheaper alternative to most high end products...but the truth is that some of these guys really are worth that kind of figure and do deliver that extra wow factor that most just can't, and Ive no doubt the same is true of portrature too.

Corkbah

Splinters wrote: »

Id argue with that last point. There is typically a limited scope of creativity with most headshots, and for good reason too. Those shots are not meant to be about the photography in most cases, the aim being to show the subject in the best possible light and thats job achieved.

Wedding photography is a different matter though. Ive really studied the high end guys, the guys who charge upwards of 10k for their wedding packages. There really is a difference between most (not all, admitedly some are chancers) of this level guys and your average "good" wedding photographer.

Im honestly of the general disposition of a bargain hunter, and would love to think that theres always a cheaper alternative to most high end products...but the truth is that some of these guys really are worth that kind of figure and do deliver that extra wow factor that most just can't, and Ive no doubt the same is true of portrature too.

there is always going to be a difference in quality between the absolute genii creative personas within the industry (those who charge thousands) and those that take photos ...but the person with knowledge of photography and a camera can reproduce an image taken by an outstanding professional at a fraction of the price, the difference being the professional sells the image better.

Ask any professional photographer if you can buy any random image from them (ie. full rights) most will charge an arm and a leg - the image might be for arguments sake a picture of the cliffs of Moher (an image thousands of people have reproduced) ...straight forward image.

Professional will charge you huge amounts because the light might never be the same, the characteristics of the contrast between the dark green shades of the grass, the light blue tint in the sky and the mix of green/blue in the sea, the light cloud formation etc etc .... its all just waffle.
An amateur will sell you the image and in some cases will give you full rights to the image to do what you want with it - if you credit them ...or just so they can enter a competition.

The difference is that a professional needs to make money from each sale to justify his/her existence , the amateur doesn't - while the image may be the same the result is paying a professional is something which can be avoided - because of the internet !!

There are tutorials, blogs, magazines, and forums available to show and tell the eager amateur how to do this or how to do that , how to get this effect without paying big money etc etc ..... anyone who wants to can become a professional photographer .... only problem is .... when you become professional you have to make money from your photos and with the internet and people offering images for cheaper/free ...professionals are limited in how they can earn money.

if you take for example the "head shots" - if you are a professional and shoot portraits, you would have a studio, possibly admin staff, rent, insurance, lighting equipment, licences for software, camera equipment etc etc - the list is exhaustive ...and with every shot you must try to earn enough profit to contribute to paying for all of the above as well as future purchases.

the amateur who does not have the expenses can do the shot and charge less - the quality of the image is quite often the same.

I would challenge any professional photographer to do the same shot side by side with an amateur (ideally someone from a camera club) and then both justify a price to sell the image, the amateur will sell it cheaper every time....the vast majority of people who hire a photographer do not know a good photograph from a great photograph, I've been a professional photographer for over 30yrs and I cant ever recall taking a great photograph - I've taken good photos and exclusive photos over the years- some of the images have sold worldwide and earned me thousands of punts (at the time) ...but none of them images I've said thats fantastic.

bullpost

I'd imagine if you go down the amateur route (speaking as one) you may end up going to at least two different photographers.
Most amateurs are not comfortable photographing strangers and therefore the image may not flatter the subject, even if its technically exposed properly etc.

So if you are prepared to invest more time in it you will eventually get a usable shot but its potentially an open-ended process.

Corkbah

bullpost wrote: »

I'd imagine if you go down the amateur route (speaking as one) you may end up going to at least two different photographers.
Most amateurs are not comfortable photographing strangers and therefore the image may not flatter the subject, even if its technically exposed properly etc.

So if you are prepared to invest more time in it you will eventually get a usable shot but its potentially an open-ended process.

that all depends on the amateur - there are loads of amateurs here on boards who are very capable of recreating a headshot.

I'm very surprised at the amount of people saying pay a professional when this is probably one of the times when a professional is not needed.

in todays modern society anyone can call themselves a photographer and anyone can take a photo, some can take good photos.

the difference is when people call themselves professional photographers but do not have full experience/knowledge and try to blag their way as a photographer, sometimes they survive and earn a living, but some are caught out and we frequently see posts here of photographers claiming to be professional but they are using other peoples images and claiming they took them or they are producing very bad images.

its true there are loads of amateurs who are simply starting off or have some basic understanding of what to do and in my opinion the photography industry should start some form of apprenticeship system - where you must shadow a professional photographer for about 2yrs (or two professionals for 1yr each....or a couple of different photographers with a minimum of 6months) and learn how they operate the various skills needed and money required to do the job....after that time they could stay with the professional - working under them or go out on their own.

the main problem would be finding professional photographers willing to share how they operate so that young-blood can take over their clients !! (money and legal contracts would solve this I guess)

stcstc

its not about quality or kit

the MOST important thing here is the experience of the pro who is doing lots of these types of shot, they KNOW what works and what doesnt by the feedback of the actors they shoot

yes anyone with a camera could produce a headshot, BUT only someone who knows the things that work for actors are going to produce a USEFUL image to get work for the actor

its not about an amateur or even pro, like i say its about a pro who specializes in headshots for actors that you need!!!

Ben D Bus

Intuitively, I'd think that if it's a headshot of a professional actor for a professional casting director then it needs a professional photographer.