My career in photography started with my inability as an actor to find a good headshot photographer who didn’t charge an arm and a leg for a session. The reason the cost can be so high is that a legitimate headshot is the perceived reflection of how serious you are about your career. You can always have your friend with a DSLR take your photo, but the casting director or agent will know you tried to cut corners. It’s a superficial aspect of the industry that I am not too fond of, especially when the focus should be on one’s acting ability. But alas, a headshot is like a passport, and it’s one of the first things that will get you in the door.

Jamie Mann with Shirley Grant Management, shot by Pasha Kalachev

Because of the necessity of all actors to have decent headshots and the market value of these valuable career tools, many people have unjustly coined themselves photographers to capitalize on the demand. This has led to an over-saturation of the market and has left actors confused as to with whom to shoot. Headshots are an investment, but I personally don’t think you should cost upwards of $1000+ as the first few results of a google search would indicate. Word of mouth is hard to come by. So what to do?

5 Tips for Choosing a Headshot Photographer 

1. EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THE MARKET

If you are running around on auditions, many casting offices will have boards where photographers post their adverts. Take a look, collect the ones you like, see if you notice any similarities among your favorite photographers. Otherwise, take a look here:

Backstage.com’s Headshot Photographer Guide

2. HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS OF PRICE

On average, a good headshot session will cost around $400–$600, although the market value is slightly lower in LA. Anything above $600 and you are either paying for artistic branding (i.e. a stylized shot from a well known photographer) or a bunch of features (i.e. a headshot AND     lifestyle shoot). Lower than $350 and you are likely dealing with a novice photographer and the results will be a hit or miss.

Nelly, by Pasha Kalachev

3. VET THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S WORK

Consistency is one of the biggest indicators of a good photographer. When looking through their portfolio, do all of the headshots have a similar style? Do they all look like they were shot by the same photographer? Is the cropping similar? Is the white-balance the same across the portfolio (i.e. are some images warm when others are a bit cooler). Consistency will reveal what type of images YOU will be getting and you can trust that no matter how the shoot goes, you will be in good hands. Inconsistency is indicative of a photographer that is still experimenting, hasn’t settled into his/her own style, which will likely result in you getting a hodgepodge of images that may or may not be useable in a professional environment.

4. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING 

a. Getting a properly lit headshot is only half the battle; you still need to retouch it! Retouching is a crucial part of the process. Regardless of whether or not you have flawless skin, the finishing touches on a headshot are what really make it special. Make sure that the photographer offers some sort of retouching service that is inclusive of the session price. If the photographer doesn’t offer retouch, he is just trying to nickel and dime you.

b. Will you be receiving the bulk “negatives”? (i.e. are you getting all the shots in full-resolution from the shoot). You paid for the shoot. You should be due all of the images, even in RAW format if you so desire.

c. Any additional features? I personally back up all of my client’s images for an entire year. Make sure your photographer has your back.

Sable Boykin, by Pasha Kalachev

5. GO WITH YOUR GUT     

Browse the photographer’s site. Check out the descriptions of the packages. How does he/she present their services? Do you get a good vibe from them? Reach out. Ask questions. How do they respond? Is it warm? Or is it “just business.” Remember, a headshot is a BIG INVESTMENT and a   key factor to how successful a shoot will be is how comfortable YOU FEEL on set. A typical session with me is mostly just casual conversation and joking around and then capturing all those naturally human in-between moments on camera. I’ve been shooting for long enough that a session feels like something second-nature. A headshot is a sincere enterprise and not everyone is capable of curating a safe environment. If you don’t click with the photographer from the get-go, I would seriously reconsider shooting with them.

Alex Boniello, by Pasha Kalachev

Finding YOUR headshot photographer is a tricky endeavor. It takes a bit of time and perseverance. Word of mouth can be misleading as anybody who spent over a thousand dollars will surely tell you that their photographer is the best in the world, regardless of whether or not it is the case. If you do find someone who you really want to shoot with but can’t afford them, start a conversation and see if something can be worked out. Perhaps you can barter for services? Anything is possible. It’s a bit of an adventure, but once you find the right person, you will get the images that can open up some serious doors for your career!

If you have any additional questions, feel free to shoot me a line at pasha@pashakalachev.com. I’m always open to answer questions or give tips! I also blog at www.losthopefully.com

Keep the hustle strong everyone! ️

Yours truly,

Pasha

Editor’s Note: If you are an actor or stagemom looking to harness as much creative energy as possible from every moment of every day, have Pasha shoot your family portraits at the same time as he shoots your/your kids’ headshots. His portrait photography is stunning!

Mann Family Holiday Portrait, by Pasha Kalachev

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Guide to finding Acting/Commercial Representation If you are interested in acting and commercial modeling, the process of finding an agent is different from that of fashion models (as are the agents you will approach). Seasoned actor, teacher, and acting coach Jenny Mercein generously offered to guest blog and give you this invaluable Guide to Finding an Agent Actor and Acting Coach Jenny Mercein Acting Classes and Workshops Getting an agent is extremely challenging at any age. Although it can be frustrating to pay money to meet with industry professionals, pay-to-play places such as One on One and Actors Connection are a legitimate way to obtain representation. In fact, that’s how I got my agent! It may not always seem like it, but the majority of agents and managers who agree to give these classes and workshops are genuinely interested in finding new talent. Agent Connections Be selective in terms of who you target. If you have any personal connection to an agent or manager, however tangential, try to sign up for a session with that person. A mutual friend or a friend who is a client will be good fodder for small talk. And talent reps are not just casting you for a specific role, they are looking to form a long-term relationship. If you have a friend who can follow up on your behalf and attest that you are an honest, reliable person, that is just as important as picking a great audition piece. On the flip side, don’t presume friends with fancy agencies will open doors for you. Use your best judgement in terms of asking for a referral, and don’t be offended if your friend declines. This is a tough business. If you are just starting out, you might be best served by a smaller agency. Casting Director Referrals The best referral for an agent or manager is a casting director. The first question agents or managers will ask you is “Which casting directors know your work?” I would strongly advise you to take workshops with casting directors. If you can afford it, take a multiple-week class so you can form a relationship and the casting director can really get to know your abilities. Again, be selective in terms of whose class you invest in. Pick five television shows or movies that you feel you could be cast in, look up who was the casting director, and see if that person or someone from his/her office offers classes anywhere in NYC. Don’t expect that the casting director will offer to refer you to an agent, but when you meet with an agent (through a referal or a paid session), you will have a few casting directors to mention who know your work. This is incredibly important to agents and managers. Referral-Only Agencies You won’t have any luck at referral-only agencies such as Innovative or WME unless you have a referal. You will waste your time, energy, and money by sending in unsolicited material or cold calling /emailing. Again, my advice is to form relationships with casting directors. Take classes and workshops with folks who cast for projects you’ve loved (film, television, or theater). Volunteer to be a reader for a casting director. If you are fortunate to make a strong personal relationship with a casting director, you can ask advice on how to obtain an agency or ask for a referral to a specific agent. But tread lightly! You can undo all of the good work you’ve done in building a relationship with a casting agent if you become a nag or have unrealistic expectations about what he or she can do for your career. Follow-Up When you meet any industry professional, ask them how they prefer to keep in touch. Some will give their email or phone number, others still prefer postcards. In either case, keep in touch. Almost five years spanned between my first meeting with Abrams Artists Agency to signing with them, but my patience, persistance, and periodic postcards paid off! Eventually, I signed with their commerical department. They’ve been loyal and amazing agents for almost ten years now.

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If you missed Part I, Read Bicoastal Fitting Models

What size is a standard fit model? 

Standard fit models today range from size 4 to size 8, even size 10, with size 18 being the main fit size for the Plus industry and 32 or 34 waist for Men with a 40 chest being the Men’s standard. The most interesting thing I have observed over the years is the shift in the fit business from almost all Women’s Production fit being done on size 8s to the range of sizes now. Many contemporary brands led the way fitting on size 6 or 4 so a company could save money and have samples that were smaller and therefore thought of as “cuter” in the showroom by making the fit and showroom sample the same size.  Alternatively, they could cut samples in an 8 for production and a 4 for sales (to hang in the showroom or shoot on the models) but these requires more work and therefore more expense. Fitting on size 8 was the standard because it was generally the middle of a size run… companies producing garments in size 2 up to size 12 usually.  You would only fit on the one standard fit model, and then grade the pattern up and down for other sizes.  By being mostly in the middle of the size run, the margin for error is slimmer between sizes. If you fit on a size 2 or 4, by the time you grade up to the 12 garment you are pretty far away from the body you made the clothes for and possibly not fitting those larger sizes as well. Though, of course, companies spend a lot of time determining the best math to perfect their grade.

Print and Fit Model Ashley Sumner

How much does a fit model generally make and how often do they work?

We have fit models making great 6 figure salaries, and maintaining their careers between and after pregnancies into their 50s if they maintain there specs. Keeping your measurements consistent is a top job priority.  Represented Fit models generally take home anywhere from $100-$250/hour depending on experience level and location (prices vary dramatically in the locations we have booked fit models which include Boston, LA, NYC of course, and Hong Kong).  In NYC for instance, many fit models are making between $100,000-$250,000 year working anywhere from 8-20 hours a week on average.  Of course, there is travel time between accounts that is not considered in those hours, and time working out to maintain specs, and other general image maintenance (Mani-Pedis, Waxing, Skin care, etc).

Fit Model Joe Vollen

Is there more flexibility regarding height and age for commercial models than in the fashion world?

The Commercial world has a huge range of requests and thus a huge range of talent.  What we seem to lack on our boards would be professional models/actors who are 40 to 70. In the 20s market, there is a lot more talent and a lot more competition amongst talent.  There are far fewer “older” models available for things like Pharmaceuticals, Insurance Companies, Cruise lines, and other ads we have submitted to (so better odds of being booked). The great thing about the commercial market is that anyone can roll the dice if they are near a market, such as NYC, invest in a good headshot, which can be as little as $150-$200, and find a good manager/agent to submit them. Why not? If you have the time or interest, there may be a casting director who needs someone just like you! But, making commercials or commercial print your main source of income is a bit more challenging and you are still statistically in the single digit chances of booking a job when most casting directors cast with a several reps and then call in dozens of options to pitch to their clients. Nonetheless, if you are selected it is generally high pay for a short amount of time so I would say think positive and explore this avenue to anyone who was interested.

Plus Model Suzette Green

Where are your offices located?

Our office is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and we work from there on our bookings for both domestic and international clients.

How do you scout models?

We scout models all over… we have found models on the subway, on the sidewalk, in gyms, waiting on our table at Balthazar, via other models who refer their model friends, and via clients who refer models who need representation. It is always fun to start working with someone new!  We get a lot of email submissions, as well.

Tell us about your modeling background?

I modeled here and there as a teen (think mall modeling) and then while in college found my first agent and began doing showroom gigs once a season. As a 5’8″ size 6/8 I was not going to book runway or fashion work, but I was referred into Fit. It took a while to establish myself as a fit model, but after a year of near misses I booked Ralph via Jones New York and Tommy Hilfiger and things snowballed from there! While pregnant and a new mommy I shot an ad or editorial or two, but I always ended up finding Fit work as my mainstay. I liked that there was longevity to it and that you were often expected to contribute to the process and really be a part of the team!

Advice for aspiring models?

Give it time. Test shoot as much as you can with reputable photographers… get to know your best angles. Stay positive. Stay in touch… we like when our models/talent email us to let us know they are eager and ready to work! And when booked, show up on time, hair/nails/clothing clean and look your best!  Be friendly but don’t chat too much with clients, they are working and probably super busy so know you are there to help them do their job and your professionalism is also required.

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My 10-year-old son got an agent in New York at age 8 and we were thrown into the high-pressure, unpredictable audition process in sink-or-swim fashion. We’ve had to learn everything by trial and error. If I’d read casting director Jen Rudin‘s book then, I could have saved my son from a lot of heartache and humiliation.

Inside the Casting Process

The casting process is almost always entirely mysterious and this book works magic: taking the reader behind the scenes of the casting process and into the head of a casting director. It’s an easy and engaging read, covers every question a stage parent/actor might have, and is written by an expert who has been on both sides of the casting table. My son and I loved the “Epic Success” and “Epic Fail” audition sidebars, in which actors shared their audition experiences. All the direct quotes from other experts in the field were illuminating as well.

Jen Rudin’s Mock Audition Boot Camp

Thanks, Jen, for giving actors and stage parents such a useful tool and fun book to read (I read it in one day—could not put it down). I also highly recommend Jen’s acting workshops, which my son has attended. Instruction from the people who actually cast actors in major movies and Broadway shows—it doesn’t get better than that.

Buy “Confessions of a Casting Director”

I get many requests for info about commercial modeling. Aspiring models who don’t hit the 5’9″ fashion modeling standard often figure they’ll go the commercial route. “Commercial” does not mean just doing TV commercials, though that is part of it. “Commercial” is a term used to describe a more girl-next-door (guy-next-door), real person look, versus a more extreme editorial look.

Commercial Modeling and Acting Prep

Those same aspiring commercial models who write to me sometimes think this whole commercial modeling thing is a snap. Actually, you need to hone your craft more in this field than you do with straight-forward posing and catwalking. Take some acting classes! Take acting classes before you even think about approaching agents. If you are near New York City, you can attend workshops with actual casting directors, like Jen Rudin. My son participated in her Mock Audition Boot Camp this weekend and got valuable feedback from someone who casts kids for a living. You will NOT get feedback from actual castings or auditions; casting directors are too busy to hand out personal critiques. It can get frustrating wondering what you are doing wrong when you don’t book jobs (half the time you probably just aren’t the right look for the part, but you won’t be privy to that self-confidence saving nugget of truth).

Jen Rudin’s Mock Audition Boot Camp

Stay tuned for a review of Jen Rudin’s book, Confessions of a Casting Director, hitting stores on December 31!

Audition Attitude

I can’t say it any better than Breaking Bad‘s Bryan Cranston:

See a listing of the top New York Commercial Agents

Don’t forget to enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search. Top agents like Elite, New York Model Management, Click, and Page Parkes have contacted me about the finalists. This is your chance to get discovered!

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(The 20 Wealthiest Supermodels on the Planet—these are the type who need managers! Try to guess #1. Hint: She built a brand and thus a fortune, and she is not either of the two people below.)

Cindy Crawford, aka Cindy Inc.

Supermodel Mogul Tyra Banks

Someone who is more interested in acting than modeling might seek a manager. My son, an aspiring actor/dancer, has a manager—or, more accurately, is repped by a management company, Shirley Grant (who is also a person, just to confuse you more). This means various agencies submit castings to Shirley Grant (for print, commercials etc.) and they also send him out on Broadway, TV, and film auditions. So today he went on a casting for Abrams Artists, even though his management company is Shirley Grant.

I did not specifically seek out a manager for him (or an agent for that matter). A casting director, Madelyn Burns, saw him at her summer camp and sent us to Shirley Grant. It was a “sure, what the heck” decision, not a calculated one. Theoretically a manager will give more personal attention and career guidance, but bookers are busy regardless. The main thing you want in an agency or manager is that they get the calls for the audtions/castings. In the beginning of a career, the goal is to get bookings. It’s unlikely you need someone advising you on how to navigate to the top. You might once you get so busy that you’re not sure whether to take that part in a feature film or go on a Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot.

Financially, here’s the difference. Say my son booked the casting he went on today. Then a percent of his pay would go to Abrams and a percent would go to Shirley Grant. The total would be more than if he were just represented by Abrams, with no manager involved. What you are paying for with a manager, according to a manager anyway, is access to more castings and auditions and some filtering of the ones that neither pay much nor do much for your career. But again, if you are a new model, you should be looking for an agency—a reputable one. If someone hands you a business card and says he’s a “manager” and thinks he can help your modeling career, I’d be suspicious . A “scout” or “agent”? At least they are using the right terminology, but you still have to exercise caution with all the scams out there.

See a list of top commercial/talent agencies.

Just a few more days to get in your Modeling Mentor Model Search entry and be eligible for April Model of the Month!

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Here is a list of reputable commercial agents in New York (representing adults, kids, or in some cases both):

About Face

Abrams Artists

CESD

Don Buchwald

FBI

Innovative

Jordan, Gill & Dornbaum

Stewart

Some of the talent in the Men’s Division at Stewart

 

Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search and start getting noticed by agents!

This is a cross-over zone between modeling and acting. Many modeling agencies work with commercial agencies, who will rep their models and send them out for commercials (assuming they can read a script, memorize lines when needed—basically have some rudimentary acting skills, but not necessarily formal training).

Dakota Fanning’s Big Break: A National Tide Commercial

J, my 9-year-old, is with Shirley Grant, a management company—which is similar to an agency (see Generation), but a manager gets castings for print and commercial jobs through various agencies (those agencies get a cut) as well as acting auditions. When I was modeling  with New York Models, I was also represented by Abrams Artists for commercials (and other gigs like pushing a gigantic fan onto the stage on Letterman and blowing feathers all over some random guy brought in from the street). J’s focus is acting, so we often skip the print castings (for standard modeling jobs, like catalogs and magazines), but we do try to go to commercial auditions. Commercials can pay well, especially the nationals, and they are good acting practice. Often J has to memorize “sides” (lines)—sometimes a paragraph, sometimes a page or two and several versions. Generally we get a day’s notice for castings, so he’ll have one evening and a train ride to prepare. Luckily he’s a quick study. You don’t know until you are in the audition room which scene or part of a scene you’ll be asked to act out. The only thing you can be fairly sure of is that you will be asked to “slate,” which means saying your name and agency at the beginning of a video casting (and sometimes your age).

Young Ben Affleck in a Burger King Commercial

Last week, J had a casting for a toaster strudel commercial, which involved attempting to master a German accent for the role of “Hans Strudel.” J can roll his “r’s” (“Das Strrrrrrruudel”) a lot better than I can, but probably not as good as the native German speaker at the casting. Perhaps that kid will advise the writers that it’s not “das” strudel; it’s der strudel. (Thanks German neighbor and accent coach

You just never know what you may learn preparing for an audition. What I can tell you is that it’s rare to have an open casting for a commercial. In other words, your kid/you need an agent. Often agents are given set times by the casting agent and can only send a select number of people (those who are given times often are requested by the casting agent based on talent headshots and skills, if applicable).

I also can tell you that at a national Kraft Mac n Cheese commercial casting, for example, you will find a waiting room chock full of kids with memorable faces (which does not necessarily equal conventionally cute). See this blog post on Kid Modeling for the other qualities your little actor will need to succeed!

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