The Elusive Headshot

If you are a parent you know how unpredictable kids can be. Just when you think you have them figured out they zig when you thought they’d zag. You think “wow how lucky am I to have such a great sleeper” and they become a night owl. Don’t even get me started on clothes and food! Now, can you imagine making a living doing something that is dependent on being able to predict a child’s action or reaction? It takes a VERY special person to be able to capture great children’s photos. We have been so fortunate to have met a handful of them and when you find one that you like and one who clicks with your child it’s like winning the lottery. This is particularly true if you have a child interested in the entertainment business and you will need photos for marketing.
Although the interacting is perhaps the most important piece, you also need to consider flexibility, affordability, and of course , product.
A head shot for a child interested in print work or theater is their most important marketing too. A casting director or booking agent can get hundreds of pictures submitted for a project and you want to make sure your child stands out for the right reasons. In this blog I’m going to talk mostly about theater head shots but many of the same principals will apply to pictures for children who are more interested in print work. The biggest exception is that head shots are typically shot from the shoulders up and for print work the child will also want to have a 3/4 body shot, or mid thigh up, to offer a clearer idea of body type.
To begin with you need to work with a professional. An iPhone snap shot or a picture off of Facebook is not going to be the quality you want to bring to the table. Occasionally a casting director or booking agent will state that an iPhone photo is fine for initial submission , which is great, but you need to have a professional head shot ready should you be called.
Children change quickly. It is recommended that they have their head shots updated at least annually but every six months is even better, particularly if they are in a phase where they are growing and changing quickly. We’ve heard ,through friends ,of photographers who will offer special pricing for children knowing that if they do a great job and are affordable they will be sure to have added some frequent flyers to their business.
A great head shot should offer a true representation of the child. The picture should capture the child’s youth. These should not be glamor shots with a lot of make up or with fancy hair. Most casting directors are looking for a more natural look. Some light lip gloss and clear mascara will do the trick. The emphasis should be on the eyes so make sure nothing takes attention away from them. Children’s eyes are very expressive when they are relaxed, comfortable, and being themselves. It’s ok for a boy to have longer hair just make sure it is kempt. This is not easy! Believe me, I know. Girls can try hair up off their faces or have it falling more naturally, whichever best emphasizes their eyes. Hands should not be in the picture, nor should there be any props. I have a hard time with this one. My boys look absolutely adorable in hats. I just LOVE pictures in hats! There are many places pictures in hats are great but a head shot isn’t one of them. Get some shots in hats and have copies of these made to display at home.
Clothing choice is always difficult. I have trouble dressing myself most days! How am I supposed to manage getting my child dressed for something so important? Here are a few tips that we have been given and found very useful. Children should wear simple solid colors. Choose bright or soft colors that go well with their skin tone and bring out the color in their eyes. The outfit should create a warm feeling; try to avoid black and white clothing. They shouldn’t wear prints or any logos or graphics. Try not to be too dressy. Remember children should look like children. An older child who appears younger is a great advantage when auditioning because older children are allowed to work longer hours.
There are a lot of differing opinions about natural outdoor lighting vs. indoor studio lighting. Personally I love a child outside. Let’s face it, most children love to be outside and they will relax quickly and act like a child which makes for great pictures. Some of my favorite shots of our kids have been at the park in our downtown and at our friend’s horse farm. The background in a great head shot is blurry, however, so as not to take the focus off of the child.
A good photographer will work with you on finding the time of day that will offer the best lighting and work well with your child’s personal schedule. If your child is an early riser then after supper probably isn’t the best time for pictures and the same is true for a night owl who probably wouldn’t do well at an early morning shoot. Midday is difficult due to the high sun and squint factor. Two of my children would be tomato red in the noon day sun due to their fare skin. An ideal day is slightly overcast, just warm, and maybe a slight breeze but what are the chances of that happening on the exact day you are scheduled? If the weather isn’t cooperating you’ll have to bring it inside but make sure the background and lighting don’t take away from the child.
If your life is anything like mine your children will be sick as a dog, cut their own hair, or run into a wall and bruise their foreheads the day before your pictures are scheduled to be taken. I swear this happens to us every time! Send a snap to your photographer and see if they are able to photoshop without taking away from the natural quality. If they’re not able to with confidence then reschedule. It’s not worth spending the money on something with which you are not going to be happy.
Sticking with the topic of money, don’t allow yourself to be talked into an overpriced photographer or a photo package by an agent or agency who is suggesting this will increase your child’s chance of being represented by them or increase their chances of getting work. If you are not happy with the photographer’s work, spending more money than you can comfortably afford, or the chemistry isn’t right, then, again, don’t waste your money. You will regret it. If the agents really wants to work with your child, they’re also going to want to be able to put the best pictures out to the potential clients.
A final thing to consider is black and white photos vs. color. Most people have trended away from the classic black and white head shot but there are still a few hold- outs. When I have our children’s head shots taken, I work with the photographer to make sure we have a great smiling, color shot and a more pensive shot that will be in black and white in case there is an occasion to need one. We have one lovely local theater who is true to the classics and we always need a black and white for their cast board.
Now that I have given you a lot of my opinion based on our personal experiences. I’ll share with you a link to our favorite photographer. Amy Bean was fairly new to professional photography when we met her and through much research and lots of practice she quickly has become a “go to” person locally for head shots and print photos. We were referred to Amy by a few different theater friends when we were admiring their wonderful head shots. Referral is a good way to find a great photographer! Amy has such a great chemistry with the kids. My children get as excited when it’s time to update their head shots with Amy as they do for an ice cream date with their cousins. Check out her gallery, https://amyb.smugmug.com/. These are not all head shots or 3/4 shots, but look at them and see if you can pick out some of each that you would consider to be “great” shots. You’ll know them when you see them! It’s always in the eyes and sometimes it happens when you least expect it, not even when you’re thinking a single thought about a head shot. When you see one, you’re heart will melt a little, even if the child doesn’t belong to you.
We recently had a call back in NYC for a big show with Zack. The casting director knew him well, as she had seen him several times at that point, and she both noticed and appreciated his new head shot right away! It makes a difference!
I think that’s enough for this week! I will be back next Friday with the next topic. Have a great week everyone!