While living in New York I shot a LOT of headshots for actors, dancers, writers, musicians and many other artists.  I love photographing artists and I often  make special trips to NYC just to work with them.  As people back east continue to contact me for shoots, it got me thinking about the process of how one goes about choosing a headshot photographer especially when there are so many to choose from.  I know when I was acting many many years ago, I so wished there was a place I could go to that talked about this process.  Now I am sure there are many opinions on how to choose the right person for you but I just wanted to share some things I have learned through my own experiences from in front of and behind the camera.

1. Find a photo style that speaks to you. There are some photographers that like shooting in natural light and others that like a more controlled studio environment. Some do a bit of both.  Make a list of your favorites and check out their work on their website.

2. Make an appointment to meet with the photographers face to face. I think this is extremely important.  You have to know how you are going to click with your photographer and be sure to ask them any and all questions in regards to the shoot.  If you get a bad vibe or just don’t feel comfortable in general, that uneasiness is going to read in ALL of your pictures.  If you can’t meet face to face, try to arrange for a phone conversation.  Because I am on the west coast, I talk to a lot of people on the phone or even via Skype.  Communication is an integral part of this process.

3. Get recommendations from people you know. Talk to your friends, your teachers, casting directors, agents, anyone you think could offer some advice in regards to helping you make a good decision.  So many of my shoots are word of mouth and I love that.  Listen to your friends, they are the ones looking out for you the most!

Here are pictures from two shoots I did recently. Aimee is a repeat client and we get along famously and Matt is a friend that she recommended to me.  He was such a delight to work with and he just killed me with those gorgeous green eyes!