Thursday, January 1, 2015

Advice on getting your modeling or acting photos!



If you want to book many modeling and many acting jobs with legitimate paying clients your photos and the way they are presented is your main selling point.

Often when I submit talent the client quickly will scan through my best submissions and pick out their favorites. I have witnessed over the 25 years that I have been booking models and actors it is not just the so called best looking model/actor that get’s booked. It is usually the talent that fits the image the client visions. This is where it get’s very tricky for talent to know what to use to promote themselves.   

I would highly get a recommendation from an agent that successfully books hundreds of jobs with a variety of clients.

Usually this is your only or first chance to show professionalism, your level of expertise based on what they see in your photos. If you have little experience with professionals this can get you the leg up on models with more experience! If you have some experience but your photos are either outdated or wrong it can severely hinder you.
If you photo’s are not overly photo shopped but  still have that “wow factor”, paying clients will be more likely to want to book you and pay you. The client wants to know what you really look like, but you still have to stand out from the crowd. 


I cannot tell you how many people submit to us cell phone, portrait, glamour, amateur, family, pageant type, or photos from people willing to shoot them for free for some reason and expect to book paying jobs from them.

The most important photo is your main headshot. This can also be a half body shot. Many times that will be the first and only photo they see.  Variety is important in a portfolio. When creating a portfolio, the photographer you work with should be willing to think outside the box. The last thing you need are photos that make you look exactly like everyone else. I have seen so many photos taken by photographers where the model doesn’t really matter at all in the photo but they concentrate on the background or scenery because they think it is artistic. It may be cool or artistic but it is not selling the model or actor! You want to use photos that show you, your diversity, and what you are capable of.

When creating a portfolio it is very important to show variety but also consistency! Just because a model has many photos does not mean clients will book them over someone that only has a few images. Only show the absolute best photos, even if that means having just a few in your book. Most clients do want some experience but will judge you often on your consistency. If you have ten photos in your portfolio and only 2 are good you will not book as much as someone with 3-4 but they are all amazing. They usually judge you on you best and worst photos.

The last but equally important step is to have a professionally printed card made of your main photo or photos! I have cast or attending many castings and it amazes me how many people try to just print there photo on a home printer, kinko’s or copy machine.  There are so many things that are red flags to most paying clients when they see these types of photos. It shows amateur right off the bat. Usually it is on a flimsy piece of photo paper, colors are off, lighting looks wrong your name and agency are not properly presented etc, etc.
 
Get a top professional grade photo card and graphic design done, then get at least 100 made so the price go’s way down. In the long run it will cost less and actually give you the chance to book jobs! You may be able to get in an audition and show inferior photos, walk out of the casting and think my advice is wrong. Having booked 1000’s of talent what I have found in a casting usually happens behind closed doors is this. The clients just toss your photos, shakes their head and go’s on to the next person knowing you are not a pro and not worth the risk of booking you. You usually never get a second impression. Don’t make this mistake!!!

Getting the correct photo is complicated but worth the time and money because it is the ultimate best way to get your foot in the door and book paying jobs! I see to many potential talent try to take short cuts on this vital necessity in our industry. Be smart, don’t pay to much or to little and get honest advice from people that have a proven track record of booking people for numerous types of paying jobs in the modeling and talent industry.
Best of luck and if you need more advice email us at craze@crazeagency.com or go to our site at www.crazeagency.com