A Few Recent Client Headshots (C&C Appreciated)

[Letterbox]

Those are shots and they have heads in them so, yes, they are head shots. But they are not headshots.

Headshots are the simplest photos there are, and the most boring too, but there is a reason for that. Their purpose.

Considering what the purpose of a headshot is, "going by the book" in this case is the biggest favor you can do your clients.

Do you have any idea what the purpose of a headshot is? Do you have any understanding of how a casting agent looks at a pile of a 100-150 headshots and what he does when he comes across a horizontal one every 50 vertical ones? He couldn't care less that YOU thought you had to be creative and he skips to the next one without turning the pile around.

So, if your work is suppose to help your client get a job, how does your attitude help them?

Go learn.


And you are welcome to read my previous posts about headshots.

First, I haven't said what my clients were using these shots for. Second, these clients (specifically 1-3) hired me because they liked the style I'm offering. The biggest favor I can do for my clients is give them what they hired me for, in my opinion, and probably theirs.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Those are shots and they have heads in them so, yes, they are head shots. But they are not headshots.

Headshots are the simplest photos there are, and the most boring too, but there is a reason for that. Their purpose.

Considering what the purpose of a headshot is, "going by the book" in this case is the biggest favor you can do your clients.

Do you have any idea what the purpose of a headshot is? Do you have any understanding of how a casting agent looks at a pile of a 100-150 headshots and what he does when he comes across a horizontal one every 50 vertical ones? He couldn't care less that YOU thought you had to be creative and he skips to the next one without turning the pile around.

So, if your work is suppose to help your client get a job, how does your attitude help them?

Go learn.


And you are welcome to read my previous posts about headshots.

First, I haven't said what my clients were using these shots for. Second, these clients (specifically 1-3) hired me because they liked the style I'm offering. The biggest favor I can do for my clients is give them what they hired me for, in my opinion, and probably theirs.

Go learn.

You don't need to say what your clients are using those for. If you are shooting headshots, they only have one purpose: getting their foot in the door to the interview/casting room.

Anything else is a portrait. So, either call it that or learn what a headshot is.

And I couldn't care less that the client liked your style. The fact that the client knows even less than you is no excuse to give him something that will do him/her no good.

 

[ANDS!]

Go learn.

Now I remember why I took a break from this place. . . The OP may come off dismissive of your comments, but you come off needlessly condescending. And I'm not sure why you're assuming all of these guys are actors. I mean the guy in the doctors outfit could be acting as a doctor. . .or he just might be a doctor in need of a headshot for his practice.

So then rely on photoshop then, not the group of people telling you that they are overexposed/blown/ or whatever adjective you want to use to satiate semantics.

So far all you've done is moan like a cow about "Blooooooown highlights -" You haven't actually pointed out where on the mans face detail has been lost. You've simply parroted what the overwhelming chorus (of what. . .two people) have said.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Go learn.

... The OP may come off dismissive of your comments, but you come off needlessly condescending.

Maybe because I know what a headshot is.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Well, I recently did a head shot session for a theater student. He specifically told me to shoot some horizontal and brought some samples.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/292780-actor-headshots.html

 

[jamesbjenkins]

First, I haven't said what my clients were using these shots for. Second, these clients (specifically 1-3) hired me because they liked the style I'm offering. The biggest favor I can do for my clients is give them what they hired me for, in my opinion, and probably theirs.

I really don't know why you bothered to ask for C&C if you're just going to make excuses for the technical and compositional errors that are pointed out to you.

Your clients probably know exactly 0 about photography in a technical sense. They care about one thing and one thing only...getting a callback. They are paying you as a professional, assuming that you know what's best for their image. Judging from the images you posted, you're not there yet. Now are you here for a generic pat on the back and an "atta boy", or do you really want honest critique from people who have a lot more experience doing this than you do?

There's nothing wrong with your style. It's just your execution that's a little off.

 

[o hey tyler]

Maybe because I know what a headshot is. And YOU don't. And neither does the OP...

Arrogance at its prime. Interesting for someone who talks such big game, but never posts any of his own work.

 

[ANDS!]

Maybe because I know what a headshot is. And YOU don't. And neither does the OP...​

​

/slapshead


I totally forgot. That best way to impart advice is to be condescending and demeaning to the recipient.


Gosh there is just so much that has changed. Not the least of which is that in a medium as subjective as photography, that ones aesthetic impression/appreciation can be wrong. What a brave new world -

To the OP, it's pretty obvious you aren't going to be getting much constructive criticism here; at best you'll be receiving mild to good criticism overloaded with misplaced ego, snark and hubris. Might I suggest POTN; hotbed of Canon users, but don't hold that against them.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Well, I recently did a head shot session for a theater student. He specifically told me to shoot some horizontal

In that case you shoot both and explain why the horizontal ones are no good. Then it is your client's choice... and his/her problem.

Dude.... lighten up!

 

[tirediron]

...If you are shooting headshots, they only have one purpose: getting their foot in the door to the interview/casting room... anything else is a portrait...

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree with you here CCloud... what about corporate head-shots? I know one photographer in Vancouver who makes her living almost exclusively off of headshots and 99% of her work is for corporate "Who's who" boards; almost none of it is for talent agencies. Be careful of being too absolute about anything!

 

[Ballistics]

So far all you've done is moan like a cow about "Blooooooown highlights -" You haven't actually pointed out where on the mans face detail has been lost. You've simply parroted what the overwhelming chorus (of what. . .two people) have said.

You are a real professional, mature even.

I quoted Derrel and agreed with his post. Sometimes, redundancy is unnecessary and pointing out that you agree with a very detailed post shows that there are others that feel the same way. Just because I hopped on a bandwagon, doesn't make it any less true. To complain about people who are agreeing with a discrepancy shows your intent to do better. You are off to a great start. Next, instead of applying these critiques to your work and seeing how they come out, you should post up more photos of the same thing and ask for more CnC. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

...If you are shooting headshots, they only have one purpose: getting their foot in the door to the interview/casting room... anything else is a portrait...

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree with you here CCloud... what about corporate head-shots? I know one photographer in Vancouver who makes her living almost exclusively off of headshots and 99% of her work is for corproate "Who's who" boards; almost none of it is for talent agencies. Be careful of being too absolute about anything!

I'll totally agree and disagree wth you.

The head shots you are talking about are not headsots. They are portraits. Corporate BS portraits...

Yes, the term has been over abused to the point that we think of what you are talking about as headshots but they are nothing more than head shots.

As I said to the OP, GO LEARN.

Head shots are NOT headshots.

 

[manaheim]

God this forum drives me buggy sometimes...

1. Op posts images.
2. Old schoolers beat on op for doing something that doesn't fit this or that model.
3. People with no experience cry foul on the old schoolers.
4. Op defends choices, citing either some other pro, what the client wants, or both.
5. Someone with no experience says that pros stuff sucks.
6. Repeat on 4,000 threads per day.

Etc.

Painful.

 

[o hey tyler]

God this forum drives me buggy sometimes...

1. Op posts images.
2. Old schoolers beat on op for doing something that doesn't fit this or that model.
3. People with no experience cry foul on the old schoolers.
4. Op defends choices, citing either some other pro, what the client wants, or both.
5. Someone with no experience says that pros stuff sucks.
6. Repeat on 4,000 threads per day.

Etc.

Painful.

What group of people do you fit into? Old schoolers, or people with no experience?

 

[tirediron]

...If you are shooting headshots, they only have one purpose: getting their foot in the door to the interview/casting room... anything else is a portrait...

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree with you here CCloud... what about corporate head-shots? I know one photographer in Vancouver who makes her living almost exclusively off of headshots and 99% of her work is for corproate "Who's who" boards; almost none of it is for talent agencies. Be careful of being too absolute about anything!

I'll totally agree and disagree wth you.

The head shots you are talking about are not headsots. They are portraits. Corporate BS portraits...

Yes, the term has been over abused to the point that we think of what you are talking about as headshots but they are nothing more than head shots.

As I said to the OP, GO LEARN.

Head shots are NOT headshots.

Okay... so then, (and I mean this seriously): Could you explain to me what makes one a head shot and the other a headshot? Let's assume they're both head and shoulders image. One is of a young actor starting out, the other a lawyer with a large firm. One goes to a talent agent, the other on a board in the firms lobby. What'sthefrickin'difference?