Monday, June 29, 2009

Business Portraits 1A

In today's competitive business market and the use of Twitter and Face Books, reaching a broader audience is easier than ever. Just one click of a mouse and you're reaching thousands of eyes. Key words and direct product information is paramount to your customers. However customers also want to visualize who you are and what the person who they'll be throwing their hard earned money looks like.

This is where having a visible-dynamic business portrait is more important than ever. This small investment provides potential customers who have already be driven to your product via the Internet get a comfortable idea of who you are.


Weather it's for a small business site, Realtor business card or a Fortune 500 companies annual report, bringing your confidence and presence to the forefront makes perfect marketing sense.

How does having my picture of me on the Internet make a difference in my business? Simple. It puts a person behind the product. It shows you're real and you are using the Internet as a media to drive business in our direction, not hide behind its anonymity.

What kind of picture to customers prefer? That depends on your key audience. If you're local to the West Coast or only attract customers close to your proximity a business look with or without a tie is perfect. If you're more global and seeking customers internationally, a more conservative look with a tie or business suit is preferred.

The three tier-dress method works well for IT and software professionals. Casual with a nice smile and friendly pose for employees. Casual with a sports coat for middle management and the classic suit and tie or non-revealing business suit for the executives. Dark colors are always preferred since the focus is on you-the person not your clothes.

For real estate, mortgage and banking professionals the classic business look works great, but outdoors. This adds a natural element to your picture, extracting stuffiness that is stereo-typical in those fields. Most realtor pictures are taken in front of a home, adding that one more edge to the Realtors confidence.

Portraits for professionals in the graphic arts and design fields have better results with casual attire and a relaxed smile. This ensures clients that not only are you easy going, but serious about presenting your best quality to your clients.

Professional camera ready make-up is always preferred for Women and a good idea for Men as well. This make-up is to be worn on top of daily wear make-up and extenuates your natural features. By adding to your lips, eyes and cheeks, camera ready make-up will make the picture pop to give you and added edge above your competition.
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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Awesome Headshots

Headshots 1A

With recent changes in the main stream job market, it's no wonder Hollywood is tightening their proverbial belt. due to the thinning number of movie investors and moreover lack of bank funding for movie productions. Tighter budgets lead to paying actors less and less for performances that would have landed them 3-4 times that amount in 2005. Additionally, judging by most economic barometers, the film and motion picture industry has no immediate relief any time soon.

This is where having a dynamic headshot is more crucial than ever. Casting directors need to be more frugal and picky when choosing an actor. One wrong cast could mean their reputation and career in the industry. You think finding an admin position at a fortune 500 company is tough? Try shopping your resume as an out of work casting director and count the number tumbleweeds that roll by. The trickle down effect here goes to the actors themselves. Notice how many familiar faces you'll see acting in promo and commercial work. "Hey, that was that guy from that show we loved".

So how do you get the parts? Networking with casting agencies is a great start. Updating your headshot is a great start as well. Providing a casting agent with an old, outdated or non-flattering headshot is the fast track to no call back.

I see more and more out of work actors marketing themselves during the industries down time than ever before. The amount of updated headshots, comp cards and zed cards have quadrupled over the last 9-months.

This is where finding a good headshot photographer is relevant. Apart from using a badly cropped wedding picture, your best foot has to be put forward. This includes Google searches and local searches on headshot photographers in your area. Most close
metro areas have a good selection to choose from.

But what to look for. There are several variables to add in your search criteria. The first being does the photographer have a good portfolio. Not a cool Myspace page but an actual link that is the photographers company or name. Then look at their work t
o determine if this photographer has
done headshots before and if they have a good amount of samples in their portfolio.

Once you've found 2-3 that meet your criteria, check for their prices. An average headshot photo session should cost between $150.00 and $350.00 including prints, CD and at least 25-pictures to make your selection from.

Your next step is to call and talk with the photographer. This is one of the most important steps since communication between you and the person who'll be taking your picture is paramount. Getting a good vibe and being engaged in the conversation is what should happen. If the photographer seems as if they're timing you or distracted, chances are that's how
they'll be in the studio.

There's no such thing as a stupid question. Only stupid answers and vague responses. If you feel either uncomfortable or the photographer has money on the mind and not your best interest, go to the next photographer. Be picky and be persistent with your questions.

A casting director or model agency's not going to look at the "quality" of the photograph or the photographers portfolio. They'll call you based on what they see in front of them.

Making a small investment in a headshot is highly recommended by casting directors, modeling agencies and industry professionals.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Resources 1A

Resources 1A

There are several good resources to find modeling and acting jobs. One of the best resources on the net is Craigslist. This covers most cities with audition and casting information. Below is a short list of modeling and acting resources. Please visit the sites with caution. This will help ensure you’re not jumping the gun with your Amex.