Category:

Headshots

Headshots for artists, actors, professionals and entrepreneurs

Fin

by Ally April 9, 2019

I have a real admiration for young people who know what they want to do later in life, and who go out there and try and make it happen. They are determined to achieve their dreams.

There is something really special about photographing young aspiring actors and models, and I always feel privileged knowing that I am somehow able to be part of their journey by taking some of their first headshots.

Fin came into my studio a few months ago, because he wanted to join an acting agency and needed some headshots. His photo session was a blast! Here are just a few of the images we captured!

Fin was confident in front of the camera and took direction really well. A quick learner, he was able to pick up new poses easily. He also had a great command of his facial expressions, which is very impressive, especially for someone so young, but obviously a very important skill for an actor.

His serious and gloomy poses are some of my favourites!

This is what Fin said about his photo session:

Hi, I’m Fin, I’m 14 and I am an aspiring actor. I went to Ally to get some head shots for my profile at the acting and modelling agency I’m registered with. I really didn’t know what to expect.

However the shoot was in a really comfortable and relaxed environment and Ally gave me lots of direction about where to put my arms, where to look and how to ‘sqwinch’! I really enjoyed it, it was a great experience.

I am looking forward to seeing what Fin gets up to next on his next acting adventures and achievements.

Meanwhile, if you have a teenager at home who is keen to try their hand at acting or modelling, and they need some headshots, and portfolio photos, give me a call.

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April 9, 2019

Headshots

Headshots – posture is (almost) everything

by Ally March 26, 2019

In case you missed my pretty little face … here’s a blog post with plenty of photos of me, but it is actually all about you and your body language!

Good posture is incredibly important for our physical health, but it is also says a lot about who we are as a person and makes an important impression on the people we meet every day.

I am very aware that sitting in a photography studio, with a big flash and a camera pointing at your face can and does quite often evoke fear! It’s not something we are used to, and most of us are very self-conscious having our picture taken. So what do we do when we’re afraid? We withdraw, and we hunch over to make ourselves as small as possible …

We know we have to smile for the camera, because we’ve been told that pretty much ever since we can remember – “say cheese!” … but we’ve never been told what to do with our bodies.

What do you think sitting hunched over says about you?

This is a photo of me where I am deliberately sitting hunched over … my hair looks pretty, I’ve put some make up on and I’m wearing a nice top. I’m even smiling … but do I give the right first impression?

I don’t think I do … My face may look friendly, but my body says I’m tired, I’m bored and I’m not very exciting …

The sideways picture of me looks even worse! I might as well just go back to bed and wake up with a better attitude tomorrow!

By just straightening up our shoulders, we can create a completely different image of ourselves – and a much better first impression! Straight shoulders radiate confidence, enthusiasm, energy, good health and positivity.

Doesn’t this look so much better?

My hair is slightly messier, but my posture is straight, my shoulders are straight, you can see my body shape … my body language is open and I look confident.

When you come into my studio to have your photograph taken, I will always remind you to sit up straight, pull your shoulders back and make yourself as tall as possible. It will probably feel uncomfortable … in fact, it will definitely feel uncomfortable! But your photos will definitely give the right first impression.

What’s more, you don’t have to only do this during your photoshoot. When you go into your next meeting, or if you’re going along to a networking event, or going out for a coffee with a friend – check your hair, your clothes, your smile … but don’t forget to check your posture!

Do you need a new headshot? Give me a call …

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March 26, 2019

Headshots

Headshots – what to wear

by Ally March 12, 2019

Some of you may remember my blog last month, written in collaboration with Vicky Booker, about headshots – and what not to wear to your headshot session.

If you enjoyed last month’s blog, you’ll enjoy this one even more – because it’s all about what you should wear to your headshot session, and how to look your best in your photographs. After all, your headshot image is often the first impression you make, and as we all know, first impressions really do matter.

So here, we go back to our lovely models, Louise and Inci, but this time they have been styled by Vicky and they are wearing different clothes – ones that you would expect to wear for a personal branding photoshoot.

Here’s what Vicky says:

The most important thing is to wear something that represents YOU and your personal brand – in other words, what you and your business stand for. If your business is in holistic therapy working with children, for example, a sharp black tailored suit and white shirt is not likely to give out the best signals to potential clients. Similarly, if you want to pitch your business in the corporate world, a casual hoodie isn’t likely to cut it! Obvious extremes perhaps, but the key is to go for the best version of your true self.
In terms of the actual outfit, I always talk to my clients about “The Power of 3”. These are the three key style elements that when you nail all three at once, will mean you are looking and feeling your absolute best – essential for your photoshoot.

Power 1 – Colour! The colours we wear can make a massive difference to our physical look (and our emotions and psychology – but that’s a whole other blog!). When we wear colours that are in harmony with our natural colouring – our hair, eye colour and skin tone – it makes us look healthy. Our eyes shine bright, our skin looks more even and fresh, and any natural shadows or lines appear minimised. Who wouldn’t want that?

In last month’s blog Louise was wearing soft shades, but notice how the blue top in the next photograph really emphasises her beautiful blue eyes.

Power 2 – Fit! your outfit should fit your well – sounds simple, right? But in reality, finding clothes that fit really well can be tricky. Off the shelf pieces aren’t made to specifically fit your body lines, scales, proportions, leg length, etc. In a profile shot – things like neckline are important as this is what you’ll see most of. Take into account your face shape and shoulder line when choosing your top.

Also in last month’s blog post, we saw Inci wearing a strapless top. Once the photo had been cropped, and you could no longer see the top made her look like she was wearing nothing at all. Just wearing a different top makes all the difference.

Power 3 – Your Personality! If anything, this one could be the most important. This is what makes two friends with the same colouring, shape and size, try on the same outfit and one looks amazing and one it just doesn’t work for. This fascinates me! It’s great we can reflect our personality through what we wear – in fact our clothes are part of how we communicate with people. And with your photoshoot outfit, this is going to communicate with your potential clients, so make sure it’s “you”!

If you’d like to find out more, Vicky is currently running some style workshops in her studio. You can book your space here.

And now that you know what to wear and what not to wear … well, it’s time to book your headshot session. Give me a call by clicking on the button below, or just send me a quick email.

Call Me

March 12, 2019

Headshots

Sue’s headshots

by Ally February 26, 2019

Have you ever wondered what happens during a headshot photoshoot?

Today’s blog is about a real headshot photo session with a real person. If you’ve been wondering what happens during a photoshoot, and what to expect, this is the blog for you!

Sue is a marketing professional – she is the director of SBL Media, a fantastic marked company based in Worthing.

Here’s some info about Sue and her company, in her own words:

We work with business owners across the UK to help them find reliable sources of new customers. In practice, that means we’re helping them to make sense of their marketing data and know what works and what needs improvement. We then deploy marketing tactics, such as web design or edits, pay per click advertising, lead generation, brochure design, book publishing and more to test how to make their marketing more effective. “

Sue knew that her profile picture needed some updating, and she was referred to me by another previous client. She got in touch and we booked a date and time for her headshot session. We also had a chat about what kind of job she does, the image she is trying to get across through her photographs, what clothes she should bring with her, etc.

As a director of a marketing company, Sue’s photos needed to look professional, but also fun, to illustrate both her creative and her friendly, fun side.

Most of my headshot clients take a little while to relax, get used to the studio environment and enjoy the photoshoot. This was definitely not the case with Sue whose photos were fantastic right from the start!

This is one of the first photos we took …

My aim is to get the more professional photographs done first – the kind of portrait on a light background you would find on a corporate website. They may not be your favourite, but inevitably they are the kind of photo you will be asked for at some time and you’ll be glad you have them.

Once the professional outfits and photos are done, it is time to have some fun, and take some less formal but still professional looking photographs – ones that reflect your business and your personality.

Sue had brought with her some smart casual outfits with her too, and we decided to take some natural light pictures as well as the studio ones.

If you were ever worried about having a headshot photo session, here are some more images of Sue to prove just how much fun they really are!

Here’s what Sue says about her photoshoot:

Ally immediately put met at ease. I’m a marketing professional, but that doesn’t make me confident in front of the camera, in fact I hate having my photograph taken. I never expected to laugh as much as I did – it was genuinely good fun and the results were spot on.

In just 90 minutes, we photographed 4/5 outfits, had a blast and a few days later I was able to send Sue 40 images for her to use on her LinkedIn profile, website, press releases and other social media platforms.

So if you too are thinking you need a new headshot, and are feeling inspired by this blog – give me a call!

Call me

February 26, 2019

Headshots Uncategorized

Headshots – what not to wear

by Ally February 11, 2019

Some of you may remember my most unflattering photograph last month, when I deliberately gave myself a double chin. You don’t? You can check out the blog here. But for now, it is February and therefore time for another headshot tutorial blog.

Recently, I teamed up with the fabulous Vicky Booker to work on a collection of blogs about headshots, and how to make sure you look your best in your professional portrait. We took some bad photos to illustrate what not to do, and then some pretty awesome photos to show you just how fabulous you can look with a bit of make up and the right clothing.

Vicky is a fabulous stylist. She can advise you on what colours suit you best, how to do your make up and what to wear. If you haven’t yet popped along to one of her workshops, you really should. I’m already booked on one in April and I can’t wait.

Would you like to come along? Click here to book on to one of Vicky’s workshops.

Meanwhile, this series of blogs is for you.

In today’s digital world, a professional headshot is essential … Your headshot is your business card, your brand and your first impression all rolled into one. Whether you are self-employed, employed, a blogger, a vlogger, a business owner – a good professional headshot is a must.

Today’s blog tutorial is aimed at the ladies. Don’t worry, gentlemen, we will have blogs for you too.

So here goes: What not to wear to your headshot photo session.

Vicky says:
I hate giving “rules” and telling people what they should and shouldn’t wear – BUT there are a few guidelines that if you choose to follow, will mean you’ve got one up on those who don’t give much thought to this important area.

Avoid wearing something that’s vastly different to what you would normally actually wear. Just because it’s a photoshoot, doesn’t mean you try and look like someone else. Interestingly, a lot of women fall into this trap on their wedding day …!
Be careful of wearing too much make up, or as above, different make up to what you’re used to. It can look a little overdone or false. When people meet you in real life you do want them to recognise you after all!
I love accessories and jewellery, but again the ‘less is more’ mantra can be useful to have in mind here. You want your profile picture to really show you; too much adornment can be a little distracting. Of course, if you business is selling chunky jewellery and scarves, then by all means add a little product placement!
Super low cut tops! You may want to show off your assets and good for you. But people will make a subconscious judgement when they first see your profile picture. So if you don’t want them to be distracted, keep cleavage to a subtle hint. And if you’re wearing a strapless top, it can look like you’ve got nothing on at all – especially if the photo gets cropped by the media you are using. Take a look at our lovely model above, and you’ll see what I mean.
Something in a colour that doesn’t suit you. In the photo below, Louise is wearing some lovely soft and light shades, but they don’t really do much to emphasise her amazing bright blue eyes and red hair. She’d look much more “alive” in stronger warm shades – perhaps a lovely emerald green or warm red. Colours can cast shadows on our face and highlight any imperfections, so wearing one of your best colours will always naturally give you a lift – perfect for your photos.

If you’re struggling to know what colours and styles will suit you and your personal brand best for your photoshoot (or in general!) then get in touch with Vicky to find out more. Vicky is currently running some style workshops at her studio. To find out more please visit Vicky’s Facebook page or her website.

And when you’re ready to book your headshot session, give me a call.

Call me

February 11, 2019

Headshots

Jack’s headshots

by Ally January 29, 2019

When you hear the word headshot, do you automatically think of a LinkedIn picture of a business man or woman? Or do you think of an actor headshot?

When I first started photographing headshots, I thought my target market would be the business men, the entrepreneurs … and of course, a lot of them are. But I also photograph a rather large number of actor headshots, and they are so much fun!

Jack came into my studio a little while ago with his younger sister Evie for some photos for their acting portfolios. what I particularly like about working with talented young actors is their enthusiasm and excitement. They have endless amounts of energy and are adventurous enough to try different set ups, even if they might not work.

From the first photo I took, Jack was a natural in front of the camera. He knew when to smile and when to look moody. Posing came naturally to him!

Jack was not only great in front of the camera but behind it too, when he doubled up as my assistant. His sister Evie has beautiful long hair, and we wanted to give it an extra dimension by making it look like it was blowing in the wind … hair dryers are great for this. So Jack helped out with this too! I think he quite enjoyed it.

I asked Jack to tell us a bit about what made him decide to go into acting and what he liked about his headshot session:

The reason I came into acting was that from a young age I was always brought up in the way of watching shows in London or at the Mayflower and I always thought to myself how amazing it would be to stand up on that stage and do what they do, experience what they experience … that thrill of the warm loving audience getting ready to watch what you have practised for so long, perfecting to get this far. When I was 8 and driving to my cousins who lives in Eastbourne, I said to my mum: “Mum, I really want to do what the people do on stage.” and my mum said “You want to do acting.” I said “Yes, acting. What do I have to do to start?” And she replied “I’ll sign you up to a drama club.” I was over the moon, I remember all this in the finest detail, every single thing of that conversation. I joined a nearby acting, singing and dancing club called StageCoach where I practised all the skills of becoming the best actor. This is where my passion for acting really kicked off. I joined the Chichester Festival Theatre and got my first agency at the age of 10. When I was in Year 6 I did my first show (101 Dalmatians) and made so many friends and I have been fortunate enough to do the Christmas shows ever since then.

When I entered the room to do the photoshoot I felt overwhelmed with excitement. I couldn’t wait to get in front of the camera and have a great time. That hour was so fun, we had great laughs, and Ally took some incredible photos. I can’t wait to do it again the future.

At the moment I have nothing planned for acting as I’m waiting for some auditions, but I would love to try some modelling and to be able to work in front of the camera on a short film to see what it is like. I’ve always liked to try so many new things and this has been of great help to me, as well as allowing me to add more things to my CV, which is great!

Since this photoshoot, I have had the pleasure of watching Jack on stage at the Chichester Festival Theatre a few months later as part of the cast for Sleeping Beauty, the Christmas production by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. If you saw the show, you will no doubt agree, it was different and great at the same time. The Chichester Observer reviewed it as “Bursting with talent, huge on imagination and visually stunning.” And Jack was amazing in it …

The acting world is a tough world, but Jack is already making his mark on it, and that is really great to see. I am looking forward to seeing where his next acting adventures will take him …

If you also have a child at home who would like to try a career in acting or modelling, and they need those ever essential headshots to get started, send me a message or give me a call. You know where to find me!

January 29, 2019

Headshots

Does my chin look big in this?

by Ally January 15, 2019

How to avoid having a double chin in your photos

You’d be surprised how many people enter my studio and within the first few minutes, say to me: “Can you get rid of my double chin?”

Even more surprising is that actually, none of these people even have a double chin.

So why the fear?

I guess we’ve all been, at some point, caught off guard, in an unflattering pose and ended up with a photo of ourselves where we might appear to have a double chin. It has certainly happened to me … Which is even more frustrating since I spend a large proportion of my days telling people how to pose, and how to position their chin.

In my history of photographing people I have heard a multitude of ways to reduce the so-called double chin. One involved a complicated pony tail (which I imagine would be quite difficult if you have short hair!). Another suggested to have someone literally hold the skin of your neck back and then photoshop their hand out of the picture (sounds so painful and a total photoshop nightmare). Or, the one I have heard the most is to put your tongue to the roof of your mouth. The latter is probably the easiest, but not my favourite, as I think it distorts your mouth and makes you look like you’re talking.

So here is my method, which I have shamelessly copied from the amazing American headshot photographer, Peter Hurley!

I call it the Chicken Neck!

The chin and jaw are a very flexible part of our face and it is extremely easy to either give yourself a double chin or to show a beautifully defined jaw line. In the first photo, I have a glorious double chin, all because I have pulled my chin back, reducing the space between my chin and my neck. Not flattering at all!

In this photo however, I have extended my chin forward, and then brought it down a bit, therefore stretching the skin under my jaw and chin. I now have a beautifully defined jaw line.

Here are the photos from the side, just to give you an idea.

Double chin

No double chin

My photos above are slightly exaggerated, of course, to showcase my point of view. It is in fact a very subtle posture move, with incredible effects. And if you don’t believe me, check out all the famous actors and celebrities when they walk on the red carpet … and suddenly you will notice them doing it too!

Because, just like you, they are also afraid of the double chin!!!

So if your LinkedIn profile picture is not up to date, or if you think you have a double chin, then send me a message or give me a call and we can have a chat about portraits, headshots, or personal branding photos, all without any extra chins!

January 15, 2019