Nick Gregan - Actors Headshots Photographer

john testing

Nick Gregan — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:47:24 GMT

nice blog

john

Nick Gregan — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:18:26 GMT

john testing

Jenny Powell Shoot

Nick Gregan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:11:24 GMT

I photographer the well known TV presenter Jenny Powell today as she needed an updated headshot for her commercial work and her presenting.

We had an absolutely great time and more to the point we got some great headshots.

For me it's particularly gratifying when one of my clients especially someone who has been photographed by so many other photographers tells me how 'easy it was to be photographed by me' and ' they were surprised at how much I drew out of them'.

A big thanks to Jenny for the compliments and a great shoot.

Bad Actors Headshots - Mean Little Or No Success

Nick Gregan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:24:40 GMT

Only yesterday I had a shoot with a woman who'd had several actors headshot sessions with other photographer both here and in the USA. She'd contacted me a few weeks ago in in a state of desperation and without much hope. She showed me some of her previous shots and explained to me that she wasn't getting any auditions even though her agent was sending her up for jobs. To be honest she was fairly despondent and not very hopeful that I could get her a great actors headshot. But I knew better.  

She'd asked me to look at her previous headshots and comment on them. There were two things that jumped out at me, firstly there were so many different looks, from short hair, curly hair, long hair and hair that had strong highlights in it. I wasn't sure which hair style was going to show up for my shoot and knew that any casting director would have the same problem?  

Secondly and more importantly her eyes were flat and lifeless. Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know how much emphasis I put on the eyes and having some form of emotion and connectivity in them.  

I am very pleased to say how� happy my client was with her results, especially after her somewhat trepidatious start. She felt that she was doing something wrong, or not doing enough until I explained to her what to do exactly. After all that is what a client pays for; my skill, my knowledge, my encouragement and most of all results! 

We were both really happy with the headshots and I am looking forward to following her future when using the new headshots.

I'll keep you all posted!

john

Nick Gregan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:02:49 GMT

Test file
actors headshots

The Business Of Acting - Actors Headshots

Nick Gregan — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:03:18 GMT

This ia an article I came across today in the Irish Film Magazine called 'Film Ireland'
Although it is aimed primarily at the Irish Market it contains some salient points from an established casting director. However I do not agree with the point of getting 'actors to at first play around with a digital camera in the back garden' as this has no relavancy to what an actual headshot session is like. In my many years experience as an actors headshot photographer in London I can't think of one instance when an actors has told me they'd done this. Neither will it prepare an actor to meet a stranger ( photographer ) and feel comfortable with them. ( This is one of the reasons I insist on talking to my clients befoere they book a session so the can get a feel for who I am. This is another reason why I don't like the automated faceless way of booking online, I think it's imperative that some connection is made before the shoot). I believe that a large part of my skill lies in the fact that I can draw out or encourage or direct an actor into the right state to get a great headshot.

Casting director Thyrza Ging has cast the feature films Satellites and Meteorites and Savage and the television miniseries Prosperity, and is also guest tutor on the Acting for Film and TV training course in Filmbase, giving advice to actors on the business side of acting.

So you�ve photographed yourself in the mirror using your phone, is this enough?

Headshots
�Your headshot is your calling card,� explains Thyrza, �and the most important thing with a headshot is to give a true and fair view of who you are as a person. Some photographers say, �Please don�t smile� but if you are a very smiley person it isn�t going to be a good representation of who you are.� Prices for professional headshots range from �80, where you may just receive your photos on a CD, to �200, which may include multiple A4 copies and personalised business cards with your headshot and contact details on them � very handy for schmoozing opportunities at industry drinks receptions, glamorous film festivals and in the Filmbase basement.

�It�s very important to get it right, and for you to feel comfortable in front of the camera,� Thyrza continues. �I recommend actors to at first play around with a digital camera in the back garden because it is important that you feel comfortable in front of the camera before spending hundreds of euro on a shot. The standard in the Irish industry and the uk is a black and white A4 photograph. In America it�s colour, but a lot of actors here, especially red-headed actors, get colour shots done.�

varis

Nick Gregan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:06:55 GMT

varis memon
actors headshots

How Much Would You Invest In Your Acting Career? - A Great Blog post That I Found Today

Nick Gregan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:42:08 GMT

I came across this really cool blog post today and thought it would be useful to everyone who is serious about being an actor.

Many actors don�t work as often as they�d like. But what do they do when they�re not working? Let�s face it, in the UK, the answer is � some kind of crappy part-time, temporary, casual, flexible job and little else.

But to those resting actors, here�s my advice. You should be investing in your acting career every day. You should be doing something to invest in your acting career every day.

Now here�s the thing, when I say invest, I mean time. How much time are you willing to invest in improving yourself? Many actors leave Drama School and never take any classes or try to improve their chances of getting work. But not in the USA, actors are always seeking the edge, the advantage and the actors that I know that do that, they get cast, they work, but when they are not working, they are still learning, acting, writing or training.

Imagine the athlete who never trained between competitions. We would laugh at them, because they would be ludicrously out of shape. But actors never give it a second thought�

Here�s my suggestion for ways that you can invest in your acting career on a daily basis. Below is a sample week; of course, it may not match your actual week, but stands as an example of The Actor�s Week.

Monday: Acting Classes

There are plenty of acting classes for professionals these days, you may need to travel to a city, but it�s worth it. Use this resting period as a way to learn a new approach or skill, improve your existing skills or simply keep the engine running.

Tuesday: Exercise

Love it or loathe it, we all NEED it, so whether you go for a swim, do Pilates or yoga, you need to stay fit and healthy in order to enjoy a long career as an actor. My tip is that three days per week of exercise is quite enough, but if you vary the type of exercise, you�re more likely to stick with it.

Wednesday: Be Among Your Peers

If you can be among actors as much as possible, it will help you to keep the motor running. It�s not just a chance to moan about not working or directors you can�t stand. London has the Actor�s Centre, Scotland will have one soon too, but it already has The Actor�s Kitchen (Edinburgh) and The Actor�s Bothy (Glasgow) as places to spend time with your peers and solidarity keeps you strong.

Thursday: 1-2-1 Acting Coaching

It�s difficult to prepare for auditions by yourself. Most drama schools don�t teach methodologies that can be applied to this situation, that�s why acting coaches can help the actor to stay on top form and prepare them for their auditions. Always look for an experienced and qualified acting coach, not someone who is looking to make a few quid outside of high school teaching hours or another out of work actor/director.

Friday: Check for Jobs

Your agent is busy, so you have to look for work too. So today you trawl the Internet, Casting Call Pro, Mandy, The Stage � well � anywhere, use this time to look at the jobs available and consider new directors or production companies in your city that you could send a CV and headshot.

Saturday: Watch a Film/Go to the Theatre

Support the industry, enjoy a good play or film, remind yourself why you act.

Sunday: Talking Out Loud

This is simple, costs nothing and is fun. Grab a stack of plays or poems and read aloud to yourself. Get used to different forms of language, rhythm, and how punctuation changes how something is spoken. Get used to speaking aloud, get used to enjoying it, no matter whether you�re faced with Shakespeare, Sheridan, Mamet, Duffy and Auden.
To You, The Best!

Mark Westbrook is a Professional Acting Coach and runs Acting Coach Scotland, a private acting studio offering acting classes in Glasgow, masterclasses, workshops and audition coaching for actors at all levels. His acting studio is based in Glasgow, Scotland, although he teaches all across the United Kingdom. All Blog Posts � Mark Westbrook 2009

Call Of The Hunter Premier.

Nick Gregan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:26:52 GMT

What a resounding success the Premier of 'Call Of The Hunter Was' last night. With a full house and all of the cast and most of the crew present the director Anthony Straeger was thrilled to see the audience enjoy the film so much.

Sold out tonight - Friday the 13th - a great night for a horror movie, but there are still limited tickets available on Saturday and Sunday 14th & 15th.

I must admit I was impressed with my steadycam work and it did feel good to see my name roll by on the credits.

Buy your tickets here

http://www.callofthehunter.com/Pages/Ticketbooking.htm

See the trailer here

http://www.callofthehunter.com/

Call Of The Hunter London Premier

Nick Gregan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:58:38 GMT

Hi Guys

I just wanted to let you know about a great film that premier's on 12/11/09 in London.

It's a horror movie called ' Call Of The Hunter ' and it's a film I co-produced. I also did the steady camera work - which was a first for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it I might add.

My long time friend Anthony Straeger has directed it, and I think it'll be a great success having already been picked up by several distribution companies both here and in the US.

If anyone wants to come and see it, that would be fantastic, tickets are �10.00 and the director and crew will be there for Q&A every night. It only has a limited run of 4 nights due distribution dates, tickets are SOLD OUT for 12th November and limited tickets are available for the other nights.

Come down and see a cracking movie.

Get your tickets here: http://www.callofthehunter.com/

Role Playing - Another Source Of Income

Nick Gregan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:23:36 GMT

I came across this article on a new website today and thought it might prove useful to some of you guys looking to broaden your experience and earning capacity.

The site is called ArtsOracle and the web address is below. Go and check it out especially as I am going to be doing an advice colum where I might end up as the 'Agony Aunt of Actors Headshots' - perish the thought!

http://www.artsoracle.com/

By Nick Gasson

For most jobbing actors, traditional acting work makes for only part of the income we need to survive and carry on paying the rent. For other income, we try for work associated with acting, like doing murder mysteries or other corporate entertainment. And for many, corporate role-playing is also an interesting and lucrative source of income.

If you haven�t been involved in corporate role-play before, it can be difficult to get started: we role-player providers prefer to use experienced people. But the biggest role-play companies do provide training days and conduct workshop auditions to take new people on.

For the other companies, there is little point in applying if all you can provide is your acting CV and a covering letter saying how keen you are. As a medium sized role-player provider, we�re always looking for experienced people only. So here are a few tips to help you get your application considered, hopefully successfully!

Do�s

Always have an up to date role-play CV ready to send out

Include a photo that can be copied and pasted, or a link to your Spotlight or Casting Call Pro page

Include companies worked for and role-play companies worked for

Include your playing age within a five-year window

Include where you are based

Include any specialist skills or qualifications, like NLP for example

Email your application with your CV as an attachment

Have a short covering email � two or three paragraphs only

Include your mobile number

Don�ts

Never apply for role-play work just using your acting CV unless you�ve never role-played before

Don�t call the role-play company. Write only, preferably by email. This gives the highest chance of your application being looked at and considered

Never leave a voicemail asking the role-play company to call you back

Don�t write your life story in your covering letter. Be concise and to the point, outlining the breadth of your role-play experience

Once a role-play company has used you and likes you, there are various tips for continuing to get work from them. With the recession pressurising profit margins, the most efficient way to run our businesses is electronically. This means you need to be on broadband and access your emails several times every day. Companies will email or text you in the first instance to assess your availability for jobs, so you need to be able to respond quickly. Role-play materials are also sent via email attachments. You need to be able to print these quickly. Many of our role-players now have Blackberries which makes responses even quicker. Role-play companies quickly grow tired of offering work to actors who take days to respond to an availability check.

Professionalism is also a must. Actors should treat a role-play engagement just like an audition or a rehearsal for a play: arrival 10 minutes before your call time is expected. Actors who prove to be unreliable in this regard are quickly dropped.

Some jobs outside of London will require travel to be booked up-front and on occasion, a hotel bill to settle on check-out. You need a credit or debit card that isn�t �maxed out� for this. Of course, these costs will be reimbursed. The role-play industry standard for settling an actor�s invoice starts at 30 days. Our company sticks with this, although you should be aware that many role-play companies won�t pay actors until they have been paid by the client. This could be anything up to three months, and in the worst case scenario, even six months later.

Many actors find role-play work extremely rewarding and, for some, their skills become honed to the extent that role-playing becomes a career. Many help with facilitating the sessions with the client�s own facilitators, and clients request actors by name because they are so skilled and respected. However, this is not an income stream that actors who are working frequently in theatre and television should pursue! We are often approached by well known faces having a small blip in their successful acting careers. But they tend to be less experienced in role-play, and are more likely to be unavailable for jobs. Worse, they are more likely to drop out of a role-play commitment when they are suddenly offered the next big thing at the Royal Court, or Spielberg comes a-calling!

Nick Gasson

Nick Gasson is proprietor of Nick Gasson Associates, provider of Training Consultants and Role-Players to business. See www.role-players.co.uk

A New Squidoo Page - Headshot Photographer.

Nick Gregan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:08:20 GMT

Hi everyone,

I just thought I'd tell you about a new web page I have called Headshot Photographer. It's a Squidoo lens ( page ) and it has loads of info and tips on actors headshots and everything involved in them.

Give it a try, leave a comment and you can even rate it if you want to.

I'd appreciate any comments on ways to improve it. This is the link.

http://www.squidoo.com/headshot-photographer

Mariah Carey Admits Her Failed Acting Career Almost Sent Her to the Grave.

Nick Gregan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:56:01 GMT

I saw this post by foxnews and thought it was interesting.

By foxnews.com

Mariah Carey may be relishing in the rave reviews and Oscar buzz surrounding her new drama �Precious�, however her 2001 film disaster �Glitter� still brings some painful memories to the surface.

The film (and Carey�s performance on screen and on the soundtrack) was slammed by almost all critics and labeled as one of the worst of all-time, eventually prompting the pop princess to be hospitalized amid an emotional breakdown.

However Carey isn�t accepting full responsibility for the �Glitter� gaffe.

�Being here is definitely a milestone. But I had one milestone that almost had me under this stone,� Carey told us as the AFI screening of �Precious� on Sunday night. �I didn�t realize you really have to be selective with the people that you work with and you have to have that support system and you have to work with people that you feel are geniuses.�

Speaking of genius, Carey�s physical transformation into a run-of-the-mill, unglamorous New York social worker for the flick is quite a work of art in itself. And coming from a pop diva who imposes a monstrous set of rules when it comes to filming her (on one recent occasion where Pop Tarts was present, Carey refused to be shot from the waist-down and had her own Director of Photography on-hand to ensure the lighting and frame size were exactly as she wanted), this was quite a personal challenge.

�When it first saw the film I thought I looked hideous, I felt completely rancid. I�ve kind of gotten over it� Have I gotten over it?� she motioned to hubby Nick Cannon, who was quick to disagree.

�Not really,� he laughed, shaking his head. �But the performance was phenomenal. I love her in every look. It�s Mariah!�

And hey, at least Ms Carey was bold enough to admit she needed a break from fame and glamour and come back down to earth and look a little �ordinary�.

�This was such a liberating experience and yet humiliating. But I needed that,� Carey added. �We all need that, we need to understand how to be humble and it�s a difficult business to do that in. But I�m definitely inspired to work out of my comfort zone after this.�

Where Have All The Professionals Gone? - PART TWO

Nick Gregan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:44:36 GMT

In a business where first impressions really count, an ultra competitive business of fragile confidences and easily bruised egos, where very few people are keen to help somebody out. In a business that is incredibly difficult to get �one rung up the ladder�, and that even �getting in� to see an agent is a major hurdle to overcome. How on earth then are these, often-young talented performers going to get anywhere when the headshot they are using is hampering their chances of success without them being aware of it? When it should be making people sit up and take notice of them it�s encouraging agents and casting directors to dump their headshots in the trash and ignore them.

In a manner of speaking anybody can take a headshot, you frame it across the shoulders and simply shoot away right � wrong, there�s a bit more to it than that. What about the important technical things such as, good lighting, correct framing and cropping, correct exposure, choice of background, choice of what to wear and advice on how to pose, of where to focus and how to get that all important wow factor in your shot to make it stand out. What about the bigger implications of a poor shoot, the damage and missed opportunities that a bad headshot can have on an actor�s career.

As a busy photographer shooting actors headshots in London all of these things are second nature to me, processes I do without consciously thinking about them, things I�ve learned to do over the years and shooting thousands of actors headshots. I think that as soon as some one wants to call themselves a headshot photographer and charge for their services as a photographer then they have a duty to behave as a professional and be aware of the consequences to some of their clients of their actions.

Furthermore I�m sure nearly all of theses self-proclaimed photographers have some kind of experience with some form of image editing software such as Photoshop and often spend as much time retouching or should I say recovering an image as they do taking it.
I strongly believe that it�s imperative �to get the shot right in the first place� rather than have to fix all the technical mistakes at a later stage on the computer. I have to say that these things should come naturally to an experienced professional photographer, as should the decision to use a reflector or not to pick the eyes up a little or bounce some extra light into the shot. When and where to crop a picture and how to crop that shot to give extra impact for a commercial headshot as opposed to a more serious actors headshot. There are many, many attributes to a great headshot and all of these attributes must work together in harmony to produce the perfect headshot.

When and if an actor gets that perfect headshot then they are generally much more confident about their career prospects. They will feel as though they are moving forward especially if they find themselves getting to the audition stage, having a chance to prove their acting ability at an audition rather than simply banging their heads against a brick wall with no forward motion. They�ll feel encouraged to apply for more roles and even feel as though they have a better chance of securing an Agent.

A great headshot has a wide-ranging effect on the psyche and the prospects of an actor in particular on the younger / inexperienced person. Therefore it�s crucial to get things right, give good advice and encourage them to express themselves in front of the camera.

This is the essence of being a professional headshot photographer.

Where Have All The Professionals Gone? - PART !

Nick Gregan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:58:32 GMT

Photography has always been a somewhat ephemeral profession in the sense that there has never as far as I am aware been a true apprenticeship or need to have a professional qualification before you can call yourself or practice as �a photographer�. For sure, years ago to get into the business the only way was to work as an assistant to an established photographer or in the newspapers thereby completing a form of apprenticeship / internship. Most often, this kind of on the job learning was specific to a particular type of photography perhaps, architectural, fashion, wedding, photojournalism, medical or even family portraiture. Whatever field it was, it was what you generally became a specialist in. And there�s the most important part of it � you became a specialist or an expert by default.

I myself have no �proper professional or paper qualifications� nor do I have any memberships to the �so called professional bodies� but do have almost 20 years experience as a full time working photographer earning my living solely by taking photographs. I have over that time built a strong reputation as an actors headshot photographer in London and the UK. This is because I am an expert at taking actors headshots � it�s my speciality.

However over recent years and with the introduction of brilliantly technological advanced DSLR cameras and the availability of easy to use, yet very sophisticated automatic cameras there has been a massive influx of people calling themselves photographers yet being nothing of the sort. Anyone can pick up a camera, advertise and start taking pictures and charging for their services. Is this right? I think not. How many people have had their wedding day or their prize giving ruined by under prepared and under qualified photographers. But more to the point, how many young and up and coming actors, dancers and performers are languishing in an uncomfortable limbo because of poor headshots. Unaware and not understanding why they aren�t moving forward, I�m sad to say that on many occasions it�s because their headshots are just not good enough and are in effect holding them back?