How to Get That Head Shot the Agent Will Remember

Today we’ll talk with a talent agent to find out what it takes to get your child noticed when that photo crosses their desk. We’ll follow the photographic progress of Jennylyn Hart, the mom of a very talented, beautiful young actress. After landing her first role, the studio told Jennylyn that her daughter needed head shots. What’s a mom to do? We’ll look at Jennylyn’s photos and explore both how to make your amateur photos stand out, and why you may want to consider hiring a professional photographer for those head shots.

The Talent Agent’s Perspective

Susan Acuna of the Encore Talent Agency in Chicago was very excited to help me teach parents how to showcase the beauty and personality of their kids.

This will get your head shot noticed as it crosses her desk:

• The personality of the child should shine through in the photos; their eyes should speak to you
• Complete info written on the back of the photo (name, birthdate, date of photo, height, weight, eye and hair color, clothing and shoe size)
• Attached cover letter showcasing the skills and interests of the child
• Proper size photo – 5×7 or 8×10 only
• Self addressed stamped envelope included with cover letter

The part about the SASE surprised me. Susan said that inclusion of the prepaid envelope almost guarantees a response from the agent because you’re making it easy for them. It also shows the agent that you, as the parent, are easy to work with and that you do your research ahead of time. If you’d like your photo back, make sure you include enough postage for the photo as well.

This will get your application tossed almost immediately:

• Snapshot of a group of kids (with directions on the back as to which one is the child they should look at)
• Photo taken in front of distracting background or where it’s difficult to see the child

Remember, this photo is your foot in the door, and as such should really showcase your child’s personality. Don’t airbrush any distinguishing characteristics in the photo. Classic looks are in right now. Freckles are fine.

As a rule of thumb, she said, children younger than four do not necessarily have to provide professional head shots. Older than that, if you are hoping to be taken seriously by any studio, professional photos are a must. If you don’t already have a photographer you trust, a reputable agent can give you recommendations for several photographers.

Amateur Head Shots

When her daughter first landed the role, Jennylyn took this head shot:Well, as I told Jennylyn, this makes a very nice “before” shot. Her daughter’s spunky personality does show through, but so does the shower curtain. And the digital noise in this photo is unacceptable. The noise was probably caused by the camera kicking into high ISO in the low light of the bathroom.

Jennylyn and I spoke at length regarding how to take a decent photo when all you have is a point and shoot camera. Most likely, all you are going to get is a decent shot, but it’s worth a try. Here are some tips to take that head shot with your point and shoot:

• Wait until a sunny day, you want as much natural light as possible
• Position your child in your sunniest room with the sunlight shining in front of them, or off to the side
• Get every single lamp in your home, take off the lampshades and plug them in that same room on that sunny day
• Turn off the flash on your camera and leave it off
• Have your child stand in front of a solid colored wall (preferably not white as it can wash them out)
• Without a tripod, use a bookshelf or something else approximately face height to rest the camera
• Turn on the timer and take several shots

You want to use a tripod (or equivalent) because without the flash, the shutter will stay open a very long time. Holding the camera will result in a blurry photo. Turning off the flash prevents harsh shadows, red eye, and basically ugly photos. The timer is used because pressing the shutter will cause camera shake (blurry photos).

Taking an outdoor photo would make the lighting a whole easier, but it’s February and I doubt the agent is looking for a photo of your child dressed as the abominable snow man.

After using these tips, Jennylyn gave it another try:This photo is still noisy; no lamps were available on this dreary winter morning. But that can be fixed a bit in Photoshop. There’s also the lovely wall outlet in the background. Other than that it’s a decent shot.I brought the photo into Photoshop and cropped out much of the background. Next I added a 3 pixel surface blur. It’s not ideal but the reduce noise filter was still too noisy and blurry. Then I used the clone stamp to cut down on the harsh shadows to our model’s right. It’s still obviously an amateur head shot, but Jennylyn’s daughter is clearly the subject, rather than the wall or shower curtain.

Professional Head Shots

One of the key things Susan Acuna mentioned was the need to bring out your child’s personality in their photo. Although it’s certainly possible for a parent with a flair for photography to capture that perfect photo, you are far more likely to get that perfect shot from a professional photographer. Why is that?

Photographer Kristyn LaPres of Muskegon, Michigan points out that a professional photographer will give at least one to two hours of their time getting to know your child, both from behind the lens and in front. This time allows the child to relax and show their personality.Children don’t need to be directed to have fun, when given enough time on the photo shoot. Any photo session slated to take place in 15 minutes or less, is usually going to be a high stress affair, whether those photos are taken by a pro or mom.

Professional photographers also know how to light and compose the scene to bring out your child’s best features.

Photographer Neil Colton of Warrenton, Virginia points out that children are usually better behaved for strangers. As the parent, it’s pretty hard to expect your child to behave for the camera when you’ve just reprimanded them for not completing their homework.

Neil points out that portrait photography is about developing a relationship with your subject. It’s a people business.He says that self-effacing works for the photographer, as does bringing an assistant. Allowing the assistant to make fun of the photographer can really get the kids laughing.

Neil usually sets aside about three hours for a portrait session, allowing plenty of time for changes of venue, relaxation, potty breaks, etc. He shoots his photos to tell a story. The photographer needs to have a gameplan, but be flexible enough to capture that special moment.

Make certain to choose a photographer who is a member of the PPA (Professional Photographers of America). They have strict standards of membership. Someone who clicks the shutter in a 15 minute photo session at a big-box store may happen to catch a good photo occasionally. But you’ll most likely spend almost as much on those photos as you would to hire a true professional photographer.

Getting your child noticed by a professional agent can be simple if your little star’s unique personality shines through on that well composed photo. You need to decide if it’s worth it for you to invest in the high quality of a professional photographer or as a first try, you’d like to be the photographer. Either way, don’t forget the self addressed stamped envelope!