BOOKING A HEADSHOT OR PORTFOLIO SESSION
What should I consider before booking a session?
As I am sure you are aware, booking a headshot session can be a daunting experience and you might be feeling a little apprehensive or uncertain as to how your expectations might match the actual experience of the session. Fear not. I make every effort to engage with you in a relaxed informal way focusing on the creative potential and allowing you to experiment with different visual ideas you might have from before the shoot and during. I have two time frames available.
What kind of session should I book?
For those who are familiar with a headshot session a 2 hour session is ample. We can do studio sessions starting early so we can do both natural and studio light photography. There will be time for discussion, reviewing and sipping tea or coffee as we work. For those of you who have never been through a headshot session or who have a particular dislike of your face in a photograph I'd recommend a 3 hour session. Three hours tends to be the natural organic time frame required. I can show you how to position yourself in relation to the camera and light source. We can explore the different angles of your face in the frame and what these angles achieve in terms of expressiveness.
Remember casting headshots are not there to just make you feel flattered or to make you look like a famous person.
What should I wear?
Headshot photos are used to showcase your look and to maximise the potential of seeing your particular face in a myriad of roles. This is why we need to explore your face and its expressiveness in as many ways as possible. I recommend you bring along at least three sets of clothing with different colours as this will help bring a different ambience to each look. Wear tight fitting clothes. Usually baggy clothes create unwanted shadows and hide the natural contours of your body. I use both black and white backdrops and we can see what suits you best. Sometimes a theatrical prop like a hat or an object helps to bring an element of playfulness to the shoot and will help you relax as we progress. So yes bring those ray bands or a silly hat. We want that inner you to shine through. Not every shot will be a winner, however at least twenty shots per shoot can be used and I am happy to edit these and send to you via Dropbox in both B&W and colour.
What about make-up?
I do not supply make-up and I always suggest wearing less than usual. In fact it is sometimes worth starting with no make-up and then applying as we go along. We can capture you in your natural skin condition and move on from there. This applies in most cases to women however some men are happy to apply the subtlest of make-up to disguise any unwanted sheen.
EVENT & FESTIVAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Am I available for Events? I most certainly am. The key to being a great Event photographer is to be tuned in to the narrative before you. Finding the story and capturing the context and interactions before you with a sensitivity to colour and light. This is the improvisation that we photographers adjust to constantly. I also have my tent and outdoors equipment ready for last minute Festival gigs and I just love spending entire weekends camera in hand capturing those splendid moments.
WEDDING
PHOTOGRAPHY
Do I do Weddings? Yes. To me Weddings are grand theatre and I approach the select few weddings I do with an eye for the theatrical. I look for the quirky fun side of things and alongside the poetic beauty of shallow DOF bridal couple shots there will be loads of family shots and friends enjoying themselves. I take a modern twist on the wedding ceremony and embrace the whole spectrum of love expressed through the many different forms of partnerships we have.
THEATRE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Do I charge for theatre photography?
Initally I did not charge. Doing a good job on any production can take up to 8 hours of hard but immensley gratifying work. I am also aware that start-up theatre companies struggle for finances so there is the sense that with plays conveying a heartfelt message with dynamic performances and interesting choreography I am happy to form collaborations of a non-financial form.
Why do I like theatre photography?
I have a particular love for Theatre photography. It allows me enormous scope to capture human emotion with the dynamic help of colourful light and close-up interaction. I am available on call for most productions for primarily dress rehearsal performances. I need freedom to move around and the confines an audience puts on me is too restricting to get those vivid shots that jump out at you in production advertising on websites or fliers. One shouldn't underestimate the power of this marketing tool. I also timelapse shows and as part of a package, it forms a memento of the entire performance and gives a very clear global perspective of stage and lighting choreography.
Please contact me via my mobile or email address where we can discuss your individual needs. We can then schedule a time for your session. My contact details:
mobile: 07916136292
email:
Look forward to working with you and producing some fantastic photographs.
Your photographer