A composite consists of one large photo on the front with three to six - usually four - smaller photos on the back. In Hollywood, composites are mostly limited to commercials.
But save your money. A good commercial headshot will get you interviews with agents. Wait until you sign with an agent - or even get one or two jobs - and then work out your composite with your agent's help.
Do a commercial composite before signing with an agent and we guarantee you'll hear: "We like you, but your composite, well ..." If it's not the photos, it'll be the layout, and you'll wind up spending more time and money getting a new one. That's why composites are listed farther down on the budget.
PRACTICING
It's one thing to know what you want to project; another to project it - especially if you haven't worked in front of a camera.
Buy a friend a beer and convince him/her to do a mock photo session with you, using any camera capable of taking close-ups. Try different poses, outfits, attitudes, etc., and keep shooting until you get tired or your friend begins to seriously grunt. . .
What you get back from the drug store should tell you quite a bit about how to project yourself. No photographer can pull out "hidden charms" or get silk photos out of a sow's ear of a subject.
FINDING A PHOTOGRAPHER
Q. I've got a friend with a camera. Can he take my resume shots? A. We've got a friend with a scalpel. Can he take out your appendix?
In other words, get a pro who knows what the industry is looking for. Finding one is easy. They spend a good deal of time and energy trying to find you. Besides, you can:
- Ask actors. They know who's good.
- Check the trades. Shooters galore advertise in them.
- Scan bulletin boards of unions, acting schools and other places where actors congregate.
- Pop into photographic print shops. They often have photographers' calling cards, customers you can quiz, and employees with a lead or two.
CONTACTING THE PHOTOGRAPHER
First, some "lingo":
- Headshot session: It lasts an hour or two. Figure the photographer will take about 70 (sometimes more) shots of your glorious mug.
- Exposures, shots: Other words for "photo" (i.e., 72 exposures equals 72 photos).
- Negatives: Few photographers will give their clients the actual negatives, as this is the way they protect the copyright on their work. Rather, you'll get:
- Proofs, proof sheets: They're little copies of each photo (about the size you get in a video arcade) on sheets of photographic paper, about 16 to a sheet. You then choose the shots you want blown up into:
- Print(s): These are your 8x10's. One to four of these usually are included in the cost of the session. Beyond that, you'll pay a small fee for each additional print.
How does he work?
Very important. "Posing" you is perfect - for wax museums. You want a photographer who snaps away as you move. He should talk to you, coax you, and, yes, stroke your ego a little. (An actress we know went to her session, and the first thing the photographer said to her was, "Gained a little weight, have we?" Guess how her pictures came out.)
How much?
What does he include in his price for a headshot session (i.e., how many exposures and prints; how much for extra prints)?
How many costume changes are permitted?
To a photographer, a "costume change" means a change of street garb-type outfits - not cowboy hats and spurs. Four changes are about the most you'll need, but define terms. Taking off a tie is a "costume change" to some.
How long before you get your proofs? Minimum: a few days. Maximum: two weeks.
How long before you get your prints? Same as above.
Does he keep the negatives?
Expect a "yes," but a few will give them up.
What happens if you don't like your proofs?
Sticky question, but ask - before the first click of the shutter. Most photographers will schedule another session at no additional charge. A few give half or all your money back. We wish more would. How do you get good seconds if you tell a guy you don't like his firsts?
FIRST MEETING WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Besides checking to see if you're comfortable with him, you're really there to look at his samples. Don't skim. Scrutinize those shots. Remember, he thinks they show his best work. Notice . . .
Are they clear and bright, or "muddy"? Are the contrasts between light and dark clear and crisp?
The backgrounds: Are subjects in front of brick walls, traffic, spangly paper, etc.? That's distracting and the photographer should know that.
Do the actors jump off the page? Do they excite you? Is there animation in their faces? If it's a commercial headshot, does the actor have life and warmth, or is he just smiling? If it's a theatrical headshot, does the actor look interesting?
Do the subjects look stiff or posed? Do the same poses keep popping up? (Some industry veterans can guess the photographer from the poses.) Nobody's special on an assembly line.
Has the photographer called attention to himself by using tricky lighting, shadows, etc.? You're the star, dagnabbit!
Again, and above all, what is going on in the eyes of the actors? "The first thing I notice in a picture is the eyes, the eyes sell it," advises theatrical agent Sandra Siegal.
(By the way, use this same criteria when choosing your own photos.)
If delighted with what you see, talk to him a bit. Find out if he basically agrees with how you see yourself, and only give him a go if you think you can work with him. If he makes you feel defensive, irked, or just in the Universe of the Ungood, pass.
