Your photo has seconds to catch the eye of an agent or casting director, and your eyes are the most important part of creating that special spark of imagination, as casting agents, producers, and directors pool over thousands of photos, looking for that special someone to call in for the role. Wardrobe plays a major part in making sure your eyes pop, and feeling good in what you are wearing, brings out a confidence in you, and in your body language that electricity along with proper complimenting colors, are really were an image pops. Make sure your clothes fit who you are and what you want to be portrayed as, even if most of it isn’t in the resulting shot, it’s what they contribute to your personality, that is conveyed through the lens.

Posted By Nicholas Paulos

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headshots photographer, actors headshots, professional headshots

Acting in New York and looking for a free event this Saturday to have your headshot and resume evaluated by talent agents and casting directors.

Have your headshot evaluated by top Agents and Casting Directorss

The TVI Headshot Evaluation
Have your headshot evaluated by a top TV/Film/ Commercial agent and award winning TV/Film casting director. (These guests will keep your headshots).

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Acting Headshot, Acting Headshots, Acting Schools, Free Acting Event

New York Casting Director James Calleri and renown Theatre Professor Robert Cohen at UCI’s MFA program have a new book that every actor should read.

“Acting Professionally” Raw Facts about Careers in Acting offers practical information on how to enter the show business as an actor, and is now completely updated, It supplies key factual material from how the business is run to preparing your resume, and deals with career opportunities from Hollywood to voiceovers. Authors are Robert Cohen and James Calleri.

This is an essential handbook for anyone interested in a career in acting. No matter if you are in the US, UK, Australia, the EU or any other market where a person can have a career as an actor this new book should be on top of your list.

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actorpreneur tips, New York Casting Director, TV Auditions, TV Casting Directors, Yale School of the Arts, ROBERT COHEN, James Calleri

About the authors from the publishers, Palgrave Macmillan….

ROBERT COHEN is the founding chair of the drama department at the University of California, Irvine, where he now serves as Clare Trevor Professor of Drama. He is author of the defining text Acting Power, and many other theatre books including Acting One, Advanced Acting, Acting in Shakespeare and Creative Play Direction. In 1999 he received the Career Achievement Award for Education from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. He is a veteran stage director for Shakespeare festivals in the U.S. and abroad. JAMES CALLERI is President of Calleri Casting, and one of the most prominent casting directors in America. His casting credits include Broadway productions of Chicago, 33 Variations, A Raisin in the Sun, and The Dead. His TV credits include Lipstick Jungle, Monk, Ed and Hope & Faith. He has been awarded five Artios Awards for outstanding achievement in casting, and is a member of the Casting Society of America.

FREE LISTING OF ALL CASTING DIRECTORS WITH THE CSA

There are so many ways actors seek casting directors contact information. Probably the most effective and free site is the Casting Directors of America, CSA web site. While not every working casting director is a member, the majority are.

And this does not mean that the Casting Directors that are not members are illegitimate as many of the world’s most respected casting directors have not joined for one reason or another. But it’s a great resource to use.

So if you are seeking casting directors contact information look here.

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Casting Director, Casting directory listings

Sometimes, when I’m retouching a photo, I have to make a decision: do I remove something that can possibly alter the way a person really looks, or do I leave it (even though the actor or performer has specifically asked for it to be removed). It’s a conundrum.

A photographer is only as successful as his recommendations… if other actors like your headshot, you might send them my way. The same goes for agents, managers, and other industry pros. A lot rides on how you look… for you and for the photographer. So of course I want your photos to look great, but removing something from the picture that truly exists in life makes me look bad, and ultimately, it makes you look bad too–your reputation, anyway. Look at the flap caused when Katie Couric had too much retouching done on a publicity shot. Or when Jennifer Lopez had her rump altered.

In a headshot session, the goal is to get a truthful representation of who you are… not on the best day of your life ever, but as you will look going into auditions or on set. When I’m retouching, I remind performers that I am mostly looking to correct what I call “temporary flaws”. Things like blemishes, zits, hairs, fuzz stuck to a sweater, redness in the eyes, puffiness or sleepiness under the eyes, a wrinkle on the neck from an awkward position… things that could be gone tomorrow in real life.

Keep that in mind when you’re getting your final shots made–should you really remove that scar? Or take out those age wrinkles? For headshots, personally, I think no. The only time you should manipulate something that permanent is when the situation of the photo (lighting, shadows, makeup, etc) exaggerated the element. If the light made your scar look more prominent than it actually is, then by all means adjust it–but don’t take it out completely. Or risk looking like a dolt when a casting director called you in off your flawless headshot, only to ask “Oh my God what happened to your FACE?” when you come in for the audition.

Want to see some celebrities pre-airbrushing? Check here…

-N-

/// Coleman Photo/Graphix ///
Nick Coleman – Photography | Design | Graphics
nick[at]colemanphotographix.com
www.colemanphotographix.com