3 Reasons to Use a Professional Headshot Photographer Versus a Good Photographer For Acting Jobs

Looking for acting jobs in TV, film or theatre?  Then you need the right professionals to help you get there.  Your headshot is the first impression you make on those who can hire you.  So why wouldn't you get your Headshots from a professional Headshot Photographer?

Just like you wouldn't got to a doctor to fix a legal issue or a car mechanic to build your home, you want to go to the right kind of photographer for your headshots. This is not to imply that other photographers aren't good at their specialties, just not every photographer will give you photos appropriate for industry accepted headshots. Someone who specializes in headshot photography will be more efficient and will generally cost you less in the long run by helping you get the right photos the first time.

These are some other types of photographers who may be professionals in their specialties, but not necessarily who you want to go to for your headshots. Some photographers may overlap specialties, but if headshots aren't listed near the top of their list, maybe you want to consider someone else.

For your reference, here are 3 types of good photographers and why these photos might not be helpful in getting you acting jobs.

Portrait Photographers

Portrait photographers generally are trained in taking high quality, artistic photos of individuals and families. They work with lighting and backgrounds to set moods and capture amateurs in good-looking photos, but generally not with the same qualities that make headshots different than portraits. Really good portrait photographers generally have packages that include one or two high quality prints often larger than 8 X 10 for artistic display in the family home.

Event Photographers

Wedding photographers, convention photographers, sports photographers who specialize in these and other events are experts at capturing images that portray glamour of a special occasion or capture the essence of live events or catalogue participants or capture movement and excitement of a sporting event. Each is a specific specialty. Some specialize in specific niches within different types of events. You may have a great photo of your child's sports team. Buy lots of them for you photo album and family members. Keep one available if a casting needs that particular type of athlete, but don't use them as headshots.

 Mall Photographers

Most shopping mall photographers are franchises. Some have corporate-trained, professional photographers, some do not. They specialize in family or glamour shots. More often than not, they have a variety of backgrounds and props to help set the scene. Headshots require plain backgrounds generally without props or scenes. Some will have very reasonably priced packages for a specific number of prints. Some are very expensive including features seen with portrait photographers. 99% of these photos won't work as headshots and if you truly want a career, you will not try to use these photos for headshots.

 Check with your local acting schools, online casting services and other actors to find out about headshot photographers in your area.  

Become a Master Photographer

If you're a beginner photographer you may be wondering if your photography skills are up to par. Can you actually take a photo against a white or black background and make it look professional? Are there shadows on your white background that make the photo look less than professional? Or, does your black background end up looking gray? How do you become a master photographer?

You can perform miracles with your average photos once you learn the basics of photography and digital imaging. You do not need to be a master photographer to start. Think about turning that average photo into a masterpiece! But how? How can you take a simple photograph with a cluttered background and turn it into the wildly expressive and professional print of the masters?

The wonderful thing about digital imaging is that you do not have to use Photoshop to make a great print. When we think of Photoshop we think of the master photographers and digital imaging experts. However, and here's the good news, any type of photo software can do a great job. Gimp is a free software much like Photoshop. Scrap-booking software can easily be used to add that unique and creative touch to photographs. How cool is that and it's free.

Beginner photographers often think that to develop their skills they need to be an expert in lighting. That's not true at all! In time you will develop your skills to become a master at professional studio lighting. A good first goal is to not expect too much from yourself to start. By mastering free digital imaging software you can develop yourself into a master photographer in no time. Once your photos are selling you can afford to invest in more expensive studio lighting, photo courses, and digital packages. It's a learning game and no one became a master photographer overnight!

Best of luck to you!

9 Tips on How to Learn Digital SLR Photography

Many people want to learn digital slr photography but aren't sure how to got about it. Or they don't have the money to take expensive classes. Taking better photos is about learning two different things. One is understanding the technical aspects of an slr camera: what they do and how to use them. And two, understanding the artistic side of what makes good artwork: composition, color, shade, depth of field, etc. With this article we are talking about the technical aspects of the camera.

If you're one of those people who wants to learn digital slr photography, here are some easy ways for you to learn photography, how to take better pictures and gain a better understanding of camera.

1. First of all, the digital camera you use should be an slr (single lens reflex) camera that lets you set it to fully manual, and allows for lens changes.

2. Take one basic photography class if possible. It doesn't have to be an expensive college class or a professional class. It can be a class at your local community center. The most important thing is to have a professional photographer around that you can learn from. It also helps to have others around who are also learning, that way you can learn from them.

3. If you can't take a photography class (and even if you can) find a photography book that covers the basics of using an slr camera. Read through each chapter once and then go out and shoot. Take it with you when you go out shooting.

4. Download some photography projects from the web that tell you step by step how to shoot various subjects to get different effects. One great website that offers free photography lessons can be found at: www.morguefile.com. It also has a forum where you can ask for help and critiques.

5. Don't wait until you have an event to go to learn digital slr photography. They say practice makes perfect, so take your camera, your book or project sheet and go somewhere. It should be a place that you enjoy so it will inspire your creative side.

6. Try shooting different things and in different places. Shoot outdoors scenes, and then shoot indoor closeups of still lifes, like flowers.

7. Play around with the different aperture setting and keep a record of what the setting were on each image. This will help you understand what the different aperture setting do to the image. Once you understand what the aperture does to images, then work on the shutter speed settings. After that work on both of them in combination. If you really want to learn digital slr photography these two are the key to understanding photography and becoming a good photographer.

8. Join a local photography club. These places usually have a mix of beginner to more experienced photographers who are willing to share information.

9. Buy the Nikon D3000 DSLR digital camera. This beginner's camera from Nikon comes with an in-camera guide that will teach you the basics of photography. It's like carrying around a book or class inside of the camera. It is an entry level camera for those wanting to learn more about photography, take more professional cameras, and graduate up from the "point and shoot" camera. The Guide mode simplifies things for those just learning about apertures, shutter speeds, infinity and all that other camera lingo. The camera comes with the automatic system as well as the full manual control so after this smart camera teaches you photography, you can go it on your own.

Paid Talent Vs TFP

In case you're not familiar with the term, TFP stands for Time For Prints and it's generally the way up and coming models and up and coming photographers eek out a toe-hold in the marketplace. The model is donating his or her time and the photographer supplying prints they can use in their portfolio. It's an arrangement that's been around as long as photography.

It is a fluid and dynamic relationship. At a certain point models stop taking TFP jobs and change their status to PWO, Paid Work Only. Photographers that gain some standing in the profession will likewise eventually stop scheduling TFP work and start charging new models for portfolio shots.

There's also an expectation that if a model has done TFP work for a photographer in the past, that they will be considered first for paying jobs the photographer lands in the future. That's an unwritten rule to be certain, but it's a wise photographer who abides by it.

From the standpoint of the photographer, there's a definite downside to working with TFP talent. Since they're not being paid, there's not always a lot of motivation to show up. In fact, depending on who the photographer is, the show rate can be as low as 30 percent. That means either two out of three times you organize a TFP project your talent isn't going to show, or you have to invite three and hope to get one who actually shows up. That also means being prepared to shoot all three in the unlikely event they all show up.

That's the reality of TFP. For students in school, finding free talent is rarely a problem. Once you get out, then it becomes more of an issue. Everyone is so busy these days, time is the commodity in chronic shortage. With the expenses associated with even showing up for a TFP shoot, it may be time to consider paying your talent if you haven't done so before. You will be amazed at the difference it makes in attendance and punctuality.

A good rule of thumb is if you need a model release for commercial use, then pony up a little cash for consideration. It will also make a difference if the job is for a publication where new models might get something called a "tear sheet" for their portfolio. Tear sheet started out as models tearing out the pages from magazines with their photos and has since grown to include internet articles, so don't forget to print off a copy and send it to your talent.

Most name models have what's called a "day rate" and the really big names will have a laundry list of extras they need at the time of the shoot. That may fly in New York or Los Angeles, but in most areas it won't be that defined. You can post your jobs and the rate you're paying in some place like ModelMayhem and see if the responses you get meet your expectations. You can always go higher on the pay rate until you start attracting the kind of talent you're seeking.

Like with anything where other people are involved, there are going to be the occasional snub, personality conflict and difficult shoot. Consistent success will be easier if you pay a decent day rate, are clear about your expectations and insist on professionalism.

Can You Become Rich If You Take Photography As Your Profession?

Do you want to be a professional photographer? If you love taking pictures then I bet you do. Isn't it cool to be holding a big camera with a long lens connected to it and you are shooting events, artistic shots and what not?

At the back of our mind however, we might be asking, "can I survive if I do Photography alone as my job?" Maybe you can but again you might be thinking, "can I become rich if I'll be a professional photographer?"

I remember the time when I was going with a professional photographer for a wedding shoot. We were inside the elevator with the bride and her maid of honor when they asked, "Is a photography business good?" Then the photographer said, "Well, you cannot actually survive if you do photography alone." As someone who is dreaming to be like him someday, I was a bit discouraged for what I heard. I thought becoming a professional photographer is really great but why is it that this photographer said that you cannot survive out of it alone?

In the Bollywood movie "Three Idiots," there is a line that I can never forget. It says that choose your passion to be your profession and the work will become play. A student in that movie gave up his career in Engineering and he chose to be a photographer because it is what he wanted in life.

I admit not every photographers are not given the opportunity to become rich. Some made it to the top, some are low, and most I think are in between the two. If photography is what you like to do in life, then I suggest that you just follow this passion and it will surely give you success. Whether it will give you more money or however not is up to you.

But who does not like to make more money out of his or her passion anyway? Of course we do. And that's where marketing skill comes in too. It is nice to be a very good photographer but without the knowledge in marketing, we might not make big amount of money. So if we want to make photography as our profession, we must also learn some business skills.

I suggest that when we are still beginning, it is good to have another job first while building up our own career in photography (unless you're lucky to have a day job as a photographer immediately). You can start by documenting small events among your friends and relatives. You can volunteer in documenting their son's birthday for example and then give them a big discount. This will save them from spending a lot in hiring a professional photographer. Then from there, your career will soon grow as you continue it.

The good thing nowadays is that photography business is not just limited in documentation, print and broadcast media, and others. Internet opened more ways on how to make money in photography. Stock photography is a very good opportunity for photographers to make money. This works by joining any stock photography websites and selling your photos online through them. You also don't need to have a big amount of money to start in this business. Both amateurs and professionals also have the opportunity to join.

So if you ask me if it is good to take photography as a profession, then I would say yes. But whether you'll be successful or not still depends on you. All you have to do is be patient to work it out. Just like in any other career, it's not an overnight matter to be successful. Just continue to pursue your career and don't quit. If you fail now, just take that as a lesson to be learned to perform better. As a line in the movie "Three Idiots" says, "Just follow your passion... and success will soon chase you."

Different Types of Portrait Photography - Tips & Suggestions

The term portrait may refer to Portrait Painting and Portrait Photography both - here, the facial expression of the subject is captured by the painter or the photographer. People interested in a career in portrait photography should know the basics of this subject and maintain these guidelines while taking pictures of people.

Portrait photography has many branches; let's learn about them first.

Different types of Portrait Photography:

Portrait photography is further classified under four main sections:

1. Close-ups
   


2. Facial Shots


3. Upper Body Shots


4. Environmental Portrait

Professional photographers always try to capture the true self of a person through photography. However, with a camera focusing on the face, people become nervous and make faces that do no represent their real personality or the mood. And the photograph looks artificial.

An expert photographer would follow his own tricks to make the person feel comfortable and relaxed so that the right facial expression is captured. As a photographer you have to make the subject feel easy and not worried about the camera. While taking pictures of professional models, you don't need to worry at all as they are quite trained on how to face the camera. But general people become very much camera-conscious during photo shoot. Hence, to capture natural photographs, you have to take few snaps without making them aware. You may go through portrait photography tips to know more about such tricks.

Some easy and widely practiced tricks are stated below:

Ask your subject to get ready for a photograph; let them prepare for the snap; and then take a
picture. Now as the shutter moves up and down and your subject starts to relax, take few more
snaps very fast. This would help you capture their true persona.

Some professionals tell funny jokes while taking pictures to ease up the situation; some ask the subjects to engage in some easy and fun activities and take the snaps when the person is unaware of the camera.

The activities may depend on the age of the subject. For example, if you are taking portrait of a child, ask him or her to look at a picture and count number of circles in it. OR ask them to play with toy, solve a puzzle or copy an easy illustration.

Tackling children is quite easy than adults. A matured person is very much aware of the situation and knows that you are trying to distract his mind from the camera. Hence, you may need to choose some other tricks.

Some professional portrait photographers prefer to chat with their subject for hours before taking them to the shooting floor. You can engage someone to talk with the subject when you prepare your camera, lens and lights. You can also ask them to continue talking when you take pictures.

You can also think of some tricks of your own OR consult professional portrait photographers for more effective ideas. Many such methods, tips and tricks of portrait photography are available online. You can go through online photography tutorials or attend workshops to know more about portrait photography.

What Is in Store for Students Who Take Up The Science Stream?

Exams are coming to an end. It's time to relax and have a little fun before the results are out and you starting running around colleges for admission in the stream of your choice. "What to choose after 10th?", comes the next question. This is by far the most asked question by many students. This is the most common question found in many forums and discussions. Choosing a stream after 10th is not an easy task. There are so many questions which are to be asked, answered and then a student agrees to make up his/her mind in taking up a certain stream.

Our Indian Education system follows 10+2+3 pattern, in which 10years of schooling followed by 2years of pre-university education (also known as foundation course) and later 3 years of graduation is followed. After class 10, you are given 4 options from which you can choose. They are Science, Commerce, Arts and Diplomas (JOC). Since there are many choices, let us explore each stream individually. Since the science stream is considered as superior(which is not true) to the other available streams, we shall start with it first.

Subjects:

The subjects which a student can choose in science stream are - Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Computer Science, Zoology.

1. Physics, Chemistry Mathematics
2. Physics, Chemistry, Biology
3. Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science
4. Physics, Chemistry, Technical Drawing(new subject being introduced).
5. Physics, Chemistry, Zoology

These are the combination's which are available in many schools/colleges, in the science stream.

Career options:

So, what after choosing the science stream? What can you achieve? What are the options available after your 12th to help you build your career? Well, the career options available for students in science stream are given below:

1. B.Sc - Bachelor of Science (3yrs program). You can choose a specialization, such as Biotechnology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Statistics, Banking and Finance, Nursing, Information Technology, Computer Science, Clinical Research. There are many new specializations offered, for which you must check with your college.

2. B.Tech - Bachelor of Technology (4yrs program). This course is offered by any colleges with specializations such as ECE, EEE, Computer Science, Information Technology, Biotechnology, Civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering. The subjects concentrate on imparting practical knowledge to students, than only theoretical knowledge.

3. B.E - Bachelor of Engineering (4 yrs program). This is considered as a professional course and specializations are the same as in a B.Tech course.

4. BCA - Bachelor of Computer Application (3yrs program). This course offers students an opportunity to various areas of computer science, programming, database designing, software engineering and networking systems.

5. M.B.B.S - Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (4yrs). This is a professional course, which one can take up to become a general physician, dentist. You can also chose to do your Bachelor's in Unani medicine(BUMS - 5yrs), Homeopathy (B.H.M.S - 3yrs), Ayurvedic/Siddha Medicine (B.A.M.S). After completing your basic course in medicine, you can diversify to being a surgeon in heart, eye, general surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, neuro surgeon etc.

For professional courses, one needs to appear for a Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by their respective States to seek admission to the colleges. There will be a counseling session, where you will be given your options and the list of various colleges from where you can complete the course. Once you have completed any of the above courses, you can apply for a job in your related field or continue over to your Masters for better prospects.