How to take Headshots: Photography Head shots Tips
Head shots are one of the fist things I added to my samples way back in the 80′s when I was asking teachers questions like how to make a photography portfolio. I think it was Drucker, my burnt out hippie Greatfull Dead loving instructor who told me how to take headshots. I remember him telling me how he made money just by doing headshot photos one year. (This got my head buzzing about all the money I was going to make taking a bunch of actor headshots)
I heard enough, I was on my quest to shoot the first of many,”great headshots,” for my soon to be semi-professional all leather,high end and high priced, professional photography portfolio. I was loving this hippie Photography instructor. (*Even if he did cancel class for three days when the dead were in Philadelphia.) *At one time, cancelled photography classes upset me quite a bit, now not so much. I must have a bit if hippie in me.
It was easier for me to be a modelling photographer being that I was in the area of Philadelphia and well, there were plenty of girls and guys needing quality photography headshots as well as some images for their fashion photography portfolios.
Find a pro headshot photography pro and Learn all about Headshots
Study great head shot photographers like La and New York headshot photographer Peter Hurley. See video on his ”The Art Behind the Headshot DVD,” Photography pro and headshot master Peter Hurley talks expressions and a whole lot more than my Art School instructor every did or could. Headshots Photographers like Peter Hurley are hard to come by and it makes sense too. His talents came from many years of study both behind and in front of the camera. It helps that he is a total go-getter too, Peter competed and made it on the Olympic 2000 Olympics US Sailing Team.
Sharing tips for great photographic head shots
Before Peter Hurley was a Pro Photographer, he was a pro model. It's no doubt paid off having this background and it's also no doubt that my students should listen to the man. *Photo by Bruce Weber for Abercrombie & Fitch
Learning from masters like Mr. Hurley will teach you the “real tips” for great headshot photos as well as making money with your camera by shooting headshots. He and others will explain how lighting is important with headshots and posing as well of course, but it’s the “look” and expressions that make the image go boom. Making the Head shots Pop!
Over the years I’ve seen countless headshot reproductions and I can tell you that finding the right headshot photographer is no simple task. Unless maybe you live in a city filled with the likes of professional photographer Peter Hurley.
Fashion photography portfolios, actor portfolios and models headshots are needed and used by professionals daily in the world. So weather you’re shooting headshots for an Actors picture portfolio of sprucing up the latest models headshots, always shoot your images (and talk to your subjects) like “each one of them will one day be in the famous headshots category.” Photogs like Peter Hurley make average ho-hum pictures incredible, make them sizzle with just a few well thought out common sense techniques. (And yes, some super cool lighting)
When you learn from the masters of "any craft," you gain the important details that others often miss. (You are who you hang with..) Train your eye to see what Peter Hurley sees. Here is a shot of Peter working on location on the beach in the sunny and beautiful Bahamas (Been there done that)
