During a rehearsal break recently, a colleague shared a sad story with me. She had just finished a production in which one of the cast members did not have a headshot. Because there was no time for a professional photo to be made, the singer used a casual snapshot taken during another show’s performance. The snapshot was blown up, red eyes and all, and displayed with the rest of the cast’s professionally done headshots on the lobby’s billboard—a regrettable situation that could have been avoided by a little preparation.
So much—casting decisions, audition outcomes, contest placements—is outside a singer’s control. Therefore, it makes sense to be diligent about those things over which we do have some control. A good headshot is one of those things.
An attractive headshot demonstrates professionalism, and a knowledge of and respect for a vocal career’s key business practices: marketing and public relations. In the commercial world, both marketing and public relations rely heavily on products and services being immediately identified by their brands. Brands also imply a guarantee of quality and suitability to meet a need. So it is with your headshot. It is your personal brand—your statement of who and what you are as a singer.
To a young singer just out of school or to those of us on a tight budget (as most singers are), having a professional photograph made may seem like one more expenditure added to a checkbook already strained by the expenses of lessons, coachings, scores, CDs/tapes, audition/contest fees, etc. When you consider how long you will use your headshot, its cost actually decreases over its lifetime, making it one of your more cost-effective expenditures. As photographer Lisa Kohler says, “[Singers] need to understand that this is your only piece of PR—especially when nobody knows who you are. This is what hits people’s desks first; this is what’s there during the audition; this is what goes back with them after they’ve heard your audition. That photo had better be working just as hard for you when you’re not there as you worked when you were singing that audition.”
Because a headshot is a singer’s strongest marketing and public relations tool, it is an investment that requires time and thought in addition to money. Fortunately, there are guidelines to help singers as they go through the process of acquiring a headshot that represents them, and their art, well. Five photographers shared with Classical Singer their insights into why a headshot is necessary and offered suggestions for getting the best shot possible. Here are some of their recommendations to keep in mind as you develop your personal brand—your headshot.
What Is a Good Headshot?
Besides the obvious technical requirements of a high-quality picture, photographer Richard Blinkoff looks for professionalism, energy and intelligence. A good headshot, in his opinion, should “reflect what that person really is or can be.… [It] must give the impression that you are a professional.” To those singers who want to know “What does a headshot have to do with whether I’m a good singer?” Blinkoff replies: “…If you don’t understand what a good headshot is and how you represent yourself in public, then you’re sort of like a loose cannon….We’d all love to say that it’s only talent that matters, but that isn’t really true. It’s the entire package, and professionalism is a very, very important part of that package.”
For Blinkoff, energy and intelligence in a headshot tell the viewer that the singer can deliver a good performance—one that will make him want to buy the ticket.
For photographer Nick Granito, a good headshot makes the viewer ask “Do I want to get to know this person?” A favorable answer means your photo is doing its job: it helps you in your bid to be considered for the gig.
How Much Does a Headshot Cost?
A good headshot can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand. Fees for makeup artists and hair stylists are usually separate from the cost of the photo session and pictures.
Getting a clear understanding of the standard or basic package is critical when you are looking for a photographer. Photographers’ standard packages are similar, but they vary enough to make comparison shopping necessary. One photographer may offer a basic three-roll package while another may shoot four or more rolls in his standard package. Ask what the standard package and its fee include: how many poses, how many master prints, how many copies, etc. Ask if there is a payment plan. Many photographers are sensitive to the economic stringencies of a beginning career and are willing to work with singers and their budgets.
How Do I Find the Right Photographer for Me?
A good headshot, one that “works for you,” results from the creative collaboration between you and the right photographer. “Technical skill, creative talent and passion make a world-class performer—and a photographer,” according to photographer Chris Dei. Even if you are just beginning your career, it is worth taking the time to find a photographer who understands and complements your career goals and can produce a headshot that helps promote them.
To build a list of potential photographers with whom you could work, talk to friends whose pictures you admire and get their recommendations. Ask hairstylists and makeup artists you know for their suggestions. Visit the websites of photographers and look at their portfolios.
As you shop around, think about the values and approaches—even a photographer’s background and specialty—that are significant to you. How important is it to you to work with a photographer who shoots only
classical singers? Would you prefer working with someone who shoots professionals from a variety of fields (business as well as performance) and synthesizes the approaches from those disciplines in his or her photographs?
Once you have your list of candidates, talk to them—on the telephone or, if possible, in person. See how interested they are in you—your roles, your plans, etc. Ask them for references. Look at examples of their work. Do you like their style? Is it serious, casual, or sophisticated? Does the photographer have pictures of subjects who are in your age range, demonstrating his ability to understand and work with your particular needs? How does the photographer conduct her photo sessions?
Photographer Jeffrey Hornstein advises singers to talk with photographers to determine if there is some “chemistry” before making a final selection. He believes that good chemistry is “very important” to an effective shoot and its end product: a strong and attractive headshot that will work several years for you.
What Happens Before the Photo Session?
Once you have decided on a photographer and have set a date for your session, some preparation on your part is needed before the shoot to ensure a successful outcome. Chris Dei says “[You] should have some idea of what you want—don’t leave it all to the photographer.”
To get that idea, talk with your teacher and/or agent before you have your headshots made. Their comments will help you decide what types of photos will meet your business and artistic needs at this stage of your career. You should consider questions like:
What kinds of poses do you foresee needing in the next few months or years?
What image do you want to present?
Are there roles or facets to your personality that you want to explore or show to directors and agents?
Do you want to project a different image? If so, what is that image? Why do you want it and how do you think it will help you? For example, do others think of you as humorless? If so, you may want to change that perception through your headshot.
What Do I Want My Headshot to Do?
Think about what you will do with your pictures besides handing them out when asked for them. Are you planning to increase your exposure to agents and directors? Are you going to do more auditions or contests? Having some plan before the shoot for how you will use your headshot will help determine what types of poses (formal or casual or both) and how many of each you will need.
In addition to being a promotional tool, Lisa Kohler sees headshots as an opportunity to photographically address audition problems.
“If you are tall, brunette, serious and sing soubrette roles, maybe you need to be portrayed as extra perky and cute.” Or perhaps you were a mezzo and now you are a soprano. How can your headshot make you credible in your new persona? Maybe you seem cold, nervous, or without a strong stage presence. Your photo can make you look approachable and engaging. While your headshot cannot totally dispel perception problems, it is an indispensable ally in helping to create an effective image for your package.
What About Clothing and Make-up?
Singers should bring several changes of clothing to the photo session that will allow them to suggest different images and characterizations. “Seven changes of clothing are not too much,” says Chris Dei. If you are a mezzo and sing primarily pants roles, you may want to bring dresses or blouses that make you look softer, as well as clothing—an ascot or a scarf—that evokes your operatic niche. Women should bring an assortment of necklines and simple jewelry from which to choose. Dark colors, especially black, work best. No busy patterns, please. Line is important, according to Jeffrey Hornstein. Include both formal and casual items.
Discuss with the photographer how your make-up and hairstyling will be handled. Will you have your hair and make-up professionally done before the session or will you engage someone to be with you during the shoot? If you do not know anyone, the photographer usually has someone he or she can recommend.
Dei suggests cutting your hair two weeks before your session, to avoid that just-cut look. Men with facial hair may want to consider whether they want to shave halfway during the shoot, to have some pictures with hair on their faces and some that are clean-shaven.
What Should I Expect During the Shoot?
The answers to the questions you explored before going to your photo shoot will help you and the photographer develop a common goal for your session. Expect to have pictures taken in a variety of poses and from different angles, giving you and your photographer a wide range of photos from which to make your final selections.
Plan on spending at least two-and-a-half to three hours during the session. Lisa Kohler allots four to six hours for her shoots and spends part of that time talking to her subject, getting a feel for the singer and her career aspirations.
Nick Granito likes to work within the “rhythm of a session.” He finds that good headshots—ones he considers “open and honest”—come from the time he spends at the beginning of a shoot building an atmosphere that “allows for a greater level of relaxation” on the singer’s part. Experimenting with different poses and angles along with the session’s rhythm tell him when the right shot has been captured.
Some photographers prefer to have a makeup professional present during the shoot. This frees the subject from worrying about falling hair or a shiny nose and allows her to focus on cooperating with the photographer. Some people are uncomfortable with having their picture taken, so some photographers prefer that only the subject be present during the shoot. In those cases, the singer should come to the session already made-up.
How do you feel about either of these approaches? Your reaction to a photographer’s preference should guide your decision of whom to work with.
Are There Any Final Points to Consider?
• How long should you use your headshots? When should they be replaced?
Change determines when you should have a new headshot made. Have you had a significant weight gain or loss? Is your hairstyle radically different now? Unless your appearance has undergone a major transformation, your headshots can last two to seven years. A rule of thumb: You should resemble your photograph when seen in person at an audition. If you cannot meet that requirement, then consider having a new headshot made.
• Who owns the negatives?
Photographers differ in how they handle ownership of photographic negatives. Some may let the singer have them; others may retain ownership. Explore this and other contractual questions when you are interviewing photographers.
• What about re-touching?
Some re-touching is expected in a good headshot. Do not make the mistake, however, of asking for so much to be done that the vitality is leached out of your photograph, making you appear artificial.
• Which is better—digital or film?
Some photographers prefer film; others like the versatility and speed that digital photography offers, especially in providing instant proofs for a client to examine. Both methods yield high-quality products. Which do you prefer to work with?
• Which pose is better—formal or casual?
Singers often need both types of shots. Therefore, it is good to get both during the photo session.
• Is one length better than another?
Photographers sometimes shoot three-quarter or full-length poses during a session, but the head and shoulders shot is the most commonly used length.
• Can a session fail?
In that rare instance when a headshot falls short of its objective, try to determine what did not work. Do you look older than you are? Were the clothing choices not flattering enough? To save money, did you do your own makeup, confident that you could meet the demands of close-up black and white photography and, unfortunately, the results did not match your confidence?
If you are not satisfied, talk with the photographer and see what can be done. After all, the photographer’s art and reputation are on the line, too. No photographer wants an unhappy client or a poor representation of his or her work in the marketplace.
In the singing profession, nothing is guaranteed. But by taking control of your photographic image—your brand—and following these suggestions, you will get a headshot that works for you. And your memoirs will not include a photographic horror story.
