WIL LUGO, PHOTOGRAPHER
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Tampa Headshots Blog

Tampa Headshots answers basic beginner questions regarding headshots. Questions like... What is a headshot? What is a headshot used for? How many images do I need? What should I wear?

 

I've received some inquiries from young ladies and men alike that want to give the modeling/acting career a try. Of course, they have questions about headshots and comp cards. Questions like... What is a headshot? What what are they used for? How many do I need? Basic questions that many have when starting out. So I decided to make this blog addressing some of these basic beginner questions.

 

First let's start out with... What is a headshot?

A headshot is a photograph of your face. The image should try to capture your character and what you truly look like. Which means go light on the makeup. You want your images to show the best natural looking you.

Also, consider the cropping of your photos. I've seen really tight close up shots, cropped at the head, and from the chest up. My preference is from the chest up. I feel showing from the chest and above gives agents and their clients a little more insight to more than just your face. This is especially true for actor headshots because they normally only use one image (a headshot) on the comp card versus models that get to show more of themselves with multiple photos on the back of the card.

 

Cropped head

Close-up

Chest and up

 

What is a headshot used for?
A Headshot is used as an actor/model's business card. Normally 8" x 10" in size and printed on thick glossy card stock. Actors/Models give these cards to their agents and agents use them to submit to their clients in order to book work.

 

How many images do I need?

There are two types of headshots: commercial and theatrical

 

 

Commercial headshots should convey a feeling of being friendly, happy, attractive and approachable. You should smile and show your teeth in these photos.

 

Theatrical headshots are more serious. They show your character and personality. Take these without smiling.

 

If you are a guy. You should have headshots showing a cleaned shaved face as well as additional headshot with a short trimmed and groomed beard.

 

What do I wear to my headshot session?

Keep it simple. Wear solid colors. Textures are fine. Try to avoid white or black unless wearing it underneath your main clothes. White can sometimes be challenging to photograph because it is easy to wash out. Meaning it can become too bright in the photo and black can become really dark. Try colors that bring out your eyes. Ultimately, wear colors that look good on you and make you feel great. Your positive attitude will show in the pictures resulting in great images.

I hope this information is helpful. I do want to stress that if you are going into the modeling/acting career, it is very important to have a great headshot. Ask a paid working actor/model. It really is your foot in the door.

If you guys have any questions, please comment below. If there are any topics you would like me to blog about also comment below. I'm always looking for a good subject to blog about.

 

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending Morgan Auto Group Charity Polo Classic. A Polo event benefiting three children charities, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children's Cancer Center and the Children's Dream Fund. These organizations are all amazing and do great things for kids. I snapped a few photos to give an inside look at this very fun event.

All the tables had gift bags filled with wine bottles and more.

There were many food vendors and plenty of tasty treats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you like or would like to help children along with watching a great game of Polo, dressing up, mingling, networking, eating and having a few drinks... this event is for you.  Even better... consider sponsoring.

 

I had never attended a real Polo game before and seeing the size and strength of the horses and how the riders handle them at very fast speeds was really impressive.

 

 

The divots stompping seemed to be one of the best moments in this event. Half-way through the game, most made their way out into the field to stomp divots while sipping on champagne served from the back of two Ford pickup trucks.

 

 

 

As you can see everyone was having a great time. It was great to see such support for these charities. I hope to make it back again next year.

If you attended this event and are interested in any of these pictures or want to see more click here to see more images. Contact me through my website on how to aquire any images taken by Tampa Headshots.

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Are you a musician/artist? If the answer is yes... When searching for bookings, you will need a headshot to represent you and/or your band. One mistake that musicians make is not having a gripping image that's compatible with their music. Don't take your image lightly. Consider having your headshot taken by a professional photographer. Although making great music is a big part to being successful, having the full package is key.
 
I recently did a photo shoot session of a young aspiring rocker who is prepping to search for work. Our session took place in an urban setting. See his final headshot to the right.
 
The photos below are not edited, nor are they headshots but definitely show how he jumped into character. His emotion, passion and style really show through. This will give bookies a good visual and sense of what he's bringing to the table. 
 
 


When you think of headshots, we tend to think of actors and models, because they need headshots to book work. This still holds true for their profession but nowadays with the popularity of search engines like Google and Bing, everyone is searching names to find information about individuals and their companies before they engage them. People want to meet you sort of speak and feel like they know you before they actually decide to meet face to face or pick up the phone to call. Think about that for a second. Let it marinate. If potential client wants to see you before they decide to meet you, don't you think that you should represent yourself in a professional manner?

People are more likely to do business with those they know, like and trust. A polished professional headshot should portray what you want others think about you and your business. Your headshot should reflect professionalism, trustworthiness and friendliness.

What about social media? Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linked in etc… These are a few of the largest social media websites out there in the world and almost everyone is subscribed to one, two, three or maybe all of them.  Your online appearance could possibly be more important than your day to day appearance. Your profile could be viewed by hundreds, thousands perhaps even more.  So make sure your putting your best face forward. 
 
Someone could be searching to hire for an amazing high paying job and your headshot might just be the thing to set you apart from the rest. While everyone else is submitting average resumes, yours could be the one they connect with just because of the great headshot you added. Hmm… starting to sink in yet? Here's another example. What if something big happens and a major television network, magazine or newspaper asked for a headshot? Don't scramble to hire a photographer. Success tends to happen when one is prepared.  Having your headshot taken by a professional photographer is smart and important. In my opinion it's a big investment with a small expense. For a couple hundred dollars and one hour of your time you can have a professional image that conveys to the world that you are trust worthy, hardworking, likeable individual. Doesn't getting that professional headshot feel like a smart decision?

This past Sunday morning I had the pleasure of shooting with a very popular local blogger, Farrah Estrella of Estrella Fashion Report. The goal was to capture a professional headshot she could use to present herself before all her followers and readers.
 
The shoot took place in downtown Tampa's Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. Farrah arrived early and prepared. She booked her own makeup artist and had her makeup done on location. She also brought some comfortable sandals to walk in, plus extra blouses just incase she needed them. The day was off to a good start. Coming prepared definitely set the pace. After the makeup was complete, the shooting began.
 
The day was almost perfect. The natural morning daylight was great but the humidity was not playing nice. Which brings me to a good point. Weather is always something to take into consideration for an outdoor shoot. For this reason it's always smart to check the forecast in advance. If all is clear... you're good to go but make sure you have a hair and makeup artist standing by for any touchups needed throughout the shoot.
 
In the end minor obstacles were overcome thanks to our MUA. The session lasted almost exactly one hour and we had a really good time. I was really happy with the outcome. We took some really great shots, but more importantly my client was very pleased.
 
The photos below were Farrah's favorite.
 
 
And the winner was...
 
 
The image above is the final edited version. If you want to hear more from the clients perspective, click here to read Farrah's blog on her experience.
 
Let me know what you guys think. Feel free to comment or ask questions. Thank you for reading.
 

So you decided to get into modeling, acting or perhaps both? You've done a little research and now it's time to take action. It's time to get your headshot done. For some it can be a little scary or maybe it makes you a bit nervous, especially if it's your first time. If that's you, DON'T WORRY... Take a deep breath, relax, it's really easy and can be fun too.
 
First and foremost, We want to say Congratulations! For making the decision to act on your dreams. Some people dream but never take the steps needed to achieve them. We wanted to write this blog explaining a little about the experience and what to expect when working with us.
 
Our process is simple, comfortable and quick!
 
It all starts with your initial contact to us, either through our inquiry form on our home page (www.tampaheadshots.com) or via phone call. The best way to contact us is through the inquiry form. From there we will guide you the rest of the way and answer any questions you have concerning the headshot service. We'll discuss location of the shoot, common questions about hair, makeup and what to wear. Then we'll schedule a date and time for your headshot session. Now that's pretty simple, Right?
 
On photo shoot day, we'll meet at the agreed location and take as many pictures needed until we get the right one. Don't forget to bring comfortable shoes to walk in. Even though I like to plan and know exactly where I'm shooting, often times some walking and exploring is involved.  The session normally last 30 minutes to 1 hour. After we're done, we'll shake hands and shortly after you will receive an email link to a gallery of your images taken during your session. This is where the really comfortable part comes in. You get to browse through all your photos in the comfort your own home. Once you know which photos you want, all you have to do is email us the corresponding number to the photos you chose and we will start the editing process.
 
Here's the quick part. Our turnaround time is two weeks from the time you respond back to us with the images chosen. More often than none, we will have your images ready within one week depending on the amount of photos ordered. I hope this blog eases your mind and encourages you to book an appointment with us.
 
Thanks all for reading this blog. Please feel free to drop any questions or comments.

New Face of Tampa Headshots

It's a new season for Tampa Headshots. Tampa Headshots has a new owner, WIl Lugo, and we are excited to show everyone our new website. For those of you that have never heard of us. We specialize in headshot and comp card photography. We service Models, Actors and professionals in Tampa Bay area and surrounding cities.

 

In honor of our new rebranding, we are offering a 50% discount on our headshot service or 2 for 1 headshots from September through October 6, 2013 .

 

We want to thank all of or clients for choosing us and a special thanks to all our returning clients. We wish you much success in your careers!

Blessings!

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