Focusing On The Technical - Focus Breathing & The Nikon 70-200vrII / July 26, 2017 by Christian Webb

I received the following message from a follower on my Facebook business page:

So first things first: I need to preface this post by saying that I have zero problems with the person who sent me the message and I actually appreciate it. In addition, because he mentions Tony Northrup and his YouTube video on the subject, I need to make it clear that I have nothing against Tony's opinions or expertise on the subject. I think he's a very knowledgeable photographer and have a lot of respect for him. I will say that at the 10:31 mark in the video, is where the video gets interesting and in my opinion, relatively absurd based on the example he gives. But again, It's all just my take on the data and very technical stuff regarding the subject.

OKAY...all of that out of the way...

The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII has a focus breathing issue and at the long end is not truly 200mm. Here's a link to one of the many blogs/forums that discuss this if you are not sure what I'm talking about: FOCUS BREATHING.

That said, the Nikon 70-200VRII has been my workhorse lens and the ONLY lens I've ever shot my headshots with! It is literally the lens I've used from day one of shooting headshots and I have built my entire headshot business, brand with it. So whatever I'm doing, however I'm doing it and with whatever gear I've been using...it's been working in my favor and hasn't hampered my images or progress in the least. I have yet to have an issue with the "true focal length" and my headshots haven't suffered as far as I can tell. (if however someone wants to analyze my work and describe to me in details the issues with facial features and distortion and such, by all means please feel free.) . Whatever that TRUE length may be and whatever is going on technically has never been a factor to me. I set my lens to the maximum focal distance or....shall I say...I zoom the damn thing all the way out and I shoot. It varies sometimes - 200mm, 185 etc. as I zoom in and out some while shooting and I move back and forth changing the distance between subject and myself. (see image below) . So imagine, if I were starting out and came across Tony's video prior to purchasing my lens/camera set up. I may have thought "WHOA, according to this video, there's no way a headshot photographer could use that Nikon lens" and I'd NEED to go with Canon. Judging the way he is talking, it would seem that a bulk of his photography work is headshots/portraits. ? Now, I checked his website which is GREAT, however, not a single headshot on there. I'm not saying that he doesn't shoot headshots ever. I'm saying he's NOT a headshot photographer by profession in the least. The video and that particular segment seems to suggest that you'd be screwed as a headshot/portrait photographer if you used the Nikon. I am here to say once again...the lens has been the workhorse of my brand and has served me well and I AM a full time headshot photographer.

Now the real crux of this post has to do with getting caught up in the technical. To reiterate once again....the math, the science the data relative to this discussion, this lens.....is probably all correct. I get it. The person who sent the message informing me that I was misleading any of the people I teach/guide...is technically correct and perhaps I've been responsible for ruining a few people's photography work based on the incorrect data I've provided them. (Apologies!)

**I typically shoot 5 to 6 feet away from my subjects give or take.**

Here's the thing - I SUCK at math! I suck at all the little technical details of photography. Ask me about the inverse square law and I kind of know it instinctively but probably couldn't describe it to you technically very well. I don't know every detail about a camera sensor. I don't know every detail about a lens and it's elements. I don't get caught up in DXO ratings and all of that. Call me a professional fraud. I just know how to shoot! I know what I need to get the job done and that's it. That's not to say that I don't understand the basics and fundamentals, I just don't get caught up in all of the deep, deep technical stuff and analysis of things. I know what works, what looks right, what should be and I know enough to have a career. I've had conversations with "photographers" who can tell you EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING photography related in such detail you'd think they were the head of Nikon and part of the development/engineering/design team of Profoto!! YET....they don't shoot at all and/or...when they do....they're not even any good at it.

Getting back to FOCUS BREATHING...when I was looking into all of this I came across a bunch of discussions and debates on the subject, specifically for the Nikon's 70-200vrII. The following, from Bob Atkins seemed to sum up my own thoughts:

So in conclusion, because it's not something that's ever been pointed out to me and because it's not something I obsessed over when first getting my lens, I haven't even noticed! I agree that there most definitely is a lot to pay attention to when it comes to gear and photography. There are things that matter and it's important to have some understanding of the technical aspects of the craft. But please, know when to get beyond the technical and to not let it influence you too much. And more important, learn how to shoot, how to light and the art of photography without getting heavily invested in issues concerning gear and technical data.

Christian Webb - Atlanta Reloaded! / July 19, 2016 by Christian Webb

Atlanta 3.0

So I headed back to Atlanta for the 3rd time. 2nd time in 2 months. (Hey, they love me down there! I love 'em back! Well, they love my headshots at least!) No workshop this go 'round. This time nothing but shooting clients. 15 people paid their deposits and booked me for headshot sessions. Whoa! 4 days, 15 clients. Okay, I got this. No going back. Instead of putting this story down in typical blog format, I’m going to go with the good ol’ stream of consciousness writing and just…share my experience and all as pure streaming thought from my mind.....as it all happened.......

Here we go:

Packed gear and all 1 day before heading out and of course, still wasn’t sure I had everything. Think Tank makes a great bag. The Airport Security 2.0 is my first and I love it. Also, the Artificial Intelligence laptop bag is a nice addition. Configuring the contents of the bag and where to put what was a slight task.

Gear:

3 camera bodies (Nikon) – 2 D800's, 1 D610. Lenses - 70-200mm f/2.8VRII, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.4. Flashes: 2 SB 910’s 2 SB800’s. Multiple Pocket Wizards – 4 Flex TT5’s, the AC3 Zone Controller and the MiniTT1, set of PW Plus II’s. Cables, cords, chargers etc. TONS of Eneloop batteries and chargers. Bunch of memory cards, Extra camera batteries. Gitzo blower. Wacom Tablet and accessories, Profoto 3’ RFI Octa, Profoto RFI Speedlight Speedring , Lastolite 24x24 Ezybox softbox. Etc, etc, etc. A bunch of other stuff and of course clothes. Most important – 10 black tees, 1 pair black Converse CTAS Suede, 1 pair black Vans SK8 Hi Reissues, 1 pair black Vans low top Authentics, 1 pair white Vans Sk8 Hi Reisssues.

I ordered 3 new Impact Heavy Duty lightstands from B&H and had them shipped to the hotel.

DAY 1:

Uber pick up at 5am. Great driver. (although he was slightly late picking me up as he got pulled over by a cop for speeding!) The speeding thing worked out well though for my trip to the airport. Checked in, checked my bag. Decided to upgrade my seat for the flight. Hit up the security line. Pretty damn long but nowhere near as bad as last trip. They use dogs now and it sped the whole process up. No shoe removal. No removing laptop and sticking in another bin. Just toss the Think Tank on the belt thingy and walk through. Of course, they held my bag for a second check considering all the electronics and gear I was carrying.

On toward my gate. Stopped for quick breakfast and coffee. Got to my gate only to realize, I must have not completed my upgrade purchase as I thought. Must have missed something in the menu options. Ended up in group 5 (the last to board) Announcements were made explaining that by the time they got to my group, there would be no room to store a carry on in the overhead bin and my bag would need to be checked. Can’t have that. Spoke to agents at desk explaining I had over $20k worth of equipment in my bag and there’s no way I’m checking it. Charmed them....sort of. Madd attitude they had but they let me board with group 1! All is well. For now.

**And all I ever think of when it comes to boarding agents and such is THIS chick here from Meet The Parents!**

Scheduled to leave at 7:05. Plane sat on tarmac until 7:50. Flight was miserable. Like being on Denzel’s plane in Flight. TON of turbulence the whole trip. No snack, no coffee, nada. All good. Landed safe. Sped through airport like O.J to Hertz. Grabbed rental. Sped toward Buckhead. Arrived at JW Marriott. Upon check in, immediately explained that I needed my package which was confirmed delivered the day before. (my lightstands.) Took them 20 mins to get my package upstairs. WTF? Mind you, was a 60 year plus little woman that carried my package to the lobby. ? WTF ? There were no MEN available to bring that upstairs? Moving on. Running behind. First client at Noon. Shooting next door to the hotel in a parking garage of Lenox Mall. First client arrives…dope dealing begins. Next clients are women. My ATL make up artist, Naja arrives. (check her site out!)

**No matter what DOPE I do...gotta have a DOPE ass MUA or it's aint DOPE at all!**

My make up artist is talented. My make up artist is the truth. My make up artist is a trooper! My make up artist Naja! The rest of the day goes well. Wind is an issue for the clients with long hair. Wind is a pain in the ass with hair and with gear. Didn’t have the time to grab sandbags from PPR that morning. Wind is a pain in the ass. Lights blown over at least 2wice. Could have sworn things broke. Nothing broke. Nikon and PocketWizard...take a licking and keep on...flicking! All good. Back to hotel to back up images. Head out for dinner at South City Kitchen Buckhead. A bit overrated. They don’t serve mac & cheese? HUH? What? Long story from manager regarding this leaving me still like…”Huhhh?” “What?” Drinks later at Whiskey Blue with fam and friends. Back to hotel. Room upgraded to top floor with city view plus access to the executive club/lounge. (all that for the morning’s mis-steps and holding me up some.) Okay. Cool. Back up day’s images. Sleep time.

Go ahead wind,  mess with that! — Go ahead wind, mess with that!

Day 2:

First things first. Head to PPR to rent some sandbags. First client at Noon. Wind was again a pain in the ass for the women with long hair. Mall parking lot security rolled up on us while shooting. Explained that I had obtained permission to shoot there from the management office on my previous trip. No go. He had to make some calls. 10 mins later…all good. All cleared. Back to shooting. Moved location to another part of garage to see if wind would be as severe. Sort of worked. Took me from my favored background though. No biggie. Back to hotel. Dinner alone at Houston's. Really good steak and a glass of Cab. Drinks with little brother. Off to bed eventually.

DAY 3. (shit hits the fan)

Set up at location for first client. Security rolls up on me (different than the day before.) I proceed to explain that all is well and I’ve got permission to be there. Several calls ensue via walkie talkie and phone. Feedback. Bottom line: The head security supervisor on duty THAT day is unaware of the previous arrangements made with the actual management office. And…the management office folks I previously dealt with aren’t in on weekends. SO…..was ordered to pack up and leave! 10 minutes prior to first client of day showing up. Start packing up gear. Stressed. Gotta find another location QUICK. Get a call that 2 clients (booked by the same person) won’t be able to make it that day due to unforeseen circumstances.) Deep sigh of relief actually. Get another call from my first client of the day….who tells me she’s got a flat but cabbing it to location. We all have issues. Cool. A bit more time to think. Call my mua – “The only spot I know about where I may be able to get what I want background wise and possibly be under shade is on the BeltLine! Please tell me how I get there!” She gives me directions. First client shows up…I proceed to explain the location change. I break everything down and pack back in the rental. We drive about 10-15 minutes to the new location. Entrance to the BeltLine behind Trader Joe’s. It’s 100+ degrees! I have no idea where I'm going. Whether the spot will work. I've got a client with me, another showing up later and 4 to shoot the next day. I'm fucked.

Out of focus test shot of a wall on the BeltLine right behind Trader Joe's.  Colors are okay but...ehhh, I'm not really feeling it and there's far too much foot traffic to shoot there. — **Out of focus test shot of a wall on the BeltLine right behind Trader Joe's. Colors are okay but...ehhh, I'm not really feeling it and there's far too much foot traffic to shoot there.**

Get to Trader Joe's...park in back. Head to entrance of BeltLine. Find an overpass with shade. It may work. Take some test shots. This may work. Too much pedestrian traffic and bicyclists. No way in hell to set up and be out of the way. This won't work. Head back to car. It's 100+degrees. Stop to ask park officer about other locations on BeltLine. He tells me of a spot behind the skate park in Old Fourth Ward. I'll have to check it for tomorrow. Behind Trader Joe's...at the end of the shopping plaza...is a recessed corner. An abandoned store of some kind. Complete shade. Dark, almost seedy, homeless alcove of some type. Across the way is a bunch of other stores. I spot some mildly greenish, bluish glass. Do some test shots. This may work.

**That little abandoned nook in the corner there became my studio.**

And THAT is what I pointed my lens at.  Those three windows there with the funky artwork on them. — **And THAT is what I pointed my lens at. Those three windows there with the funky artwork on them.**

And THIS is what those windows look like out of focus.  Now we're talking the Christian Webb look! — **And THIS is what those windows look like out of focus. Now we're talking the Christian Webb look!**

We're out of the way and could set up and shoot for hours. No issues. It's a 100+degrees but somewhat cooler in this corner. I set up shop. We shoot. We do dope. It works fine. Helps having an extremely cool and patient client.

Unedited test shot of Amanda.  Storefront windows behind and out of focus.  There were only 3 panes of glass back there so, I had to be mindful of which direction I pointed my lens and how much room I had side to side.  You can see th… — Unedited test shot of Amanda. Storefront windows behind and out of focus. There were only 3 panes of glass back there so, I had to be mindful of which direction I pointed my lens and how much room I had side to side. You can see the red/brown wall creeping in camera right there. That's a NO GO. Did I also mention how freakin' crazy cool this woman is?! (you can view the edited image on my IG: @christianwebbphoto

My MUA shows up ahead of the next client. Slight problem - No where for her to pull her suv into with shade so she can lay out her tools and work. It's 100+ plus degrees. She's a trooper but how to get this done without her and the client both melting? The next client shows up. I make a decision to move the final client to tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll have some shit squared away by then. She's cool with it. We all head over to the Mexican bar for a drink and some nachos and some revealing and funny adult convo. All good. I gotta boogie to PPR to return their sandbags and get my $300 cash deposit back before they close at 5. I make it in time. I purchase 2 fifteen lb sandbags for the rest of my gigs and to just have when I'm in ATL. Hit the road. Head to the mall and grab some more Vans and some gifts for my sis, nieces and nephew. I'm off to my sister's an hour away. Great night with my nieces, nephew and my lil' sis' in her new house.

DAY 4:

The BeltLine.  CW location 3.  Love the artwork here.  A bit too many colors for my style but...it'll have to do. — **The BeltLine. CW location 3. Love the artwork here. A bit too many colors for my style but...it'll have to do.**

Up early to hit the road and go scout this possible location by Old Fourth Ward skate park. I get there.....it's 100+degrees already. Park the car and walk a bit to the BeltLine. Passing the park, I get nostalgic thinking on my BMX vert days. Find the spot I need. Not bad. There's shade from the overpass and it's out of the way of pedestrian and cyclists. Also, some decent backgrounds that might work. Talk to a cop parked. He gives me more suggestions and is madd cool. I decide this spot will have to do. Head back to the car. Naja arrives. We grab gear and all from the cars and head back to the location. It's 100+ degrees. Naja has no real place to set up. She can't use the back of her suv as usual. There's no tables or anything. On top of all...the ground is a mess. Dirt....not even decent grass. Just...dirt and dust and blah. In between all of this, I'm trying to text, call, email the clients scheduled for the day to tell them of the location change...all while realizing my battery is at 20%! I call my brother Patrick to make sure he's still coming through for the day to help me out. First client shows up. Gotta make this work and get shit done. It's hot. Cool cop directs us around a corner from where I'm setting up. There's a picnic table and benches there. Cool. That'll work. Naja and client head over. Table is a mess but will have to do. I get set up and prepare to do dope.

First client is ready. I get started. All good. Where to change tops? There are some large stone columns....she can go behind there...out of the way and undress. Works fine. Second outfit change....Naja and client discover a random folding table has been left leaning against one of the columns. Can't make this up. A table. A brand new long folding table. We bring it up place it where I'm shooting, open it and all is good. Naja has a place to work now and lay out her stuff. It's a freakin' miracle! SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO WHOEVER LEFT A BRAND NEW FOLDING TABLE ON THE BELTLINE BEHIND THOSE COLUMNS! (hit me up...I owe you drinks!) It's freakin' HOTT out! Patrick shows up. Thank god. Needed the extra hand to make some runs back and forth to the car. He's a big help. Grabs case of bottled water, my sandbags and miscellaneous. Gotta get him to take my phone to the car and charge it some. Toss a few bottles of water to some local photographers across the way doing their thang who asked to "buy" some bottles from me. (shout out to those folks) Toss bottles to some skaters grinding in the park. Hey, I had a whole case of water....you gotta share! That ATL heat is no joke!

Clients show up, one after the other....all goes pretty well. A client, Terrence, from my first day shooting comes through for some quick follow up pics in between and hangs around to help me out some. I shoot 4 clients back to back. Naja has to leave soon. The last client is running late. She finally shows....Naja gets to work. Suddenly, the weather changes. Winds whip up, sky darkens and that smell of hurricane and rain is in the air.

Monday's client Terrance was cool enough to stick around and lend a hand here and there.  Oh, and I axed the reflector stand for my brother..  Photo: Michael Morris — **Monday's client Terrance was cool enough to stick around and lend a hand here and there. Oh, and I axed the reflector stand for my brother.. Photo: Michael Morris**

Meanwhile...Naja works her magic. I inform the client...who brought her lovely mom, her boyfriend and her uncle to the shoot that we may have to reschedule due to the weather conditions. Then, I find out at that moment....they booked me and drove 4 hours from Alabama just to shoot with me. Can't just reschedule them for my next trip to ATL. This has gotta go down....NOW! Waiting for the sky to open and shit to get worse. Naja finishes and I we get to shooting. A few shots in....the wind is nuts. Sand, dust and whatever flying around. Lights tumble. Things get crazy. Not too much later....the weather just......chills. (not the temp though!). The wind stops. The sky brightens. Things calm down. All is well. We keep shooting and finally.........it's a WRAP! I'm exhausted to say the least. It all feels good though. Break everything down with my brother and Terrence and then hit the road. Little bro' and I hit up Little Five Points and had dinner at an Ethiopian spot called Kimi's. After, we headed to airport, dropped off rental and had drinks before my flight. Oh, and this time, I upgraded to first class! And this time....I got it right! Too tired to actually enjoy the flight and honestly....wasn't any big deal. I just wanted the extra leg room and to be able to board first!

So, that was my trip. Had a blast! ATL has shown me so much love and continues to! I'm still getting hit up with requests to return and people are still booking me in advance without even having a guaranteed date. LOVE YA'LL! I'll be back soon! Oh.....and now....it's all about dealing with all of those client shots and edits. I'm waaaay backed up but getting it done!

SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS: My brother Patrick, my MUA Naja, Terrance Davis, PPR Atlanta and most especially to all of the people who put their trust in me to shoot their headshots: Terrance, Nadine, Mitzi, Serwa, Robin, Cheryl, Amanda, Lamardea, Crea ("Meg"), Brea, Adrienne, Auburn and Amaris.

Photography: Competition & Success. / June 29, 2016 by Christian Webb

Christian Webb-Headshots-Actors-Cinema-Blues-MAIN-2.jpg

Someone asked me recently about my thoughts on competition to which I replied “What competition!?” Let me explain:

I don’t see competition. I'm in my own zone. I simply do what I do and do it the best I can. I strive to shoot the absolute best headshot my client can get and use for their career purposes. That has nothing to do with being better than other photographers, it’s just me….telling myself, committing myself to being the very best at my chosen profession and then, working at it to make it sure I deliver. If anything, I'm in competition with myself and my personal visions/goals. It all goes back to what I always tell people when they ask about how to market or get clients:

"GET REALLY F'IN' GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO! DO DOPE SHIT & THE CLIENTS WILL COME TO YOU!"

I shoot how I do, provide a service.... and if people like it and keep booking me…that’s all I see. There’s room for everyone to do what they do. Some will succeed a little, some a lot. Some won’t at all. None of that affects what I do. I just keep shooting, keep on my game and stay booked. One of the components to our own success, is putting out the right energy and wishing success for others. Anyone feeling that I’m competition for them or feeling a certain way about my success because it’s infringing on theirs…..isn’t competition, they’re usually just people who haven’t put in the same effort I have and are having a hard time finding their own success. So to those folks I say…”I wish you all the success you can imagine.”

You’ll notice that the truly successful are usually madd cool with each other while the less successful….will often just…be on the sidelines, throwing shade or being bothered. Think of it like this: If a band and artist has risen to a level and is to the point of selling a ton of albums and/or selling out arenas, all they need to do is keep up it up as long as they can. If a band isn’t selling records or selling out arenas in different cities, it’s not because of the other bands out there, it’s because…well…..they’re just not that good. So in closing I say to you….don’t worry about the next person doing what they do. If you want success….get better at what YOU'RE doing and focus only on that. If you find yourself still not successful……work harder and show more love! It'll eventually all come back to you!

In the words of Jay-Z:

"Respect the game, that should be it. What you eat don't make me sh-t!"

How do you see it? If you found this interesting, feel free to LIKE/COMMENT and even SHARE. (just try not to steal or rip off my words then pass as your own.)

UPDATE: So just to update and add to this post, it's truly amazing that some of the so-called "competition" or shall I say, "wannabe competition" trying to compete with me comes from Atlanta - A city that I don't even shoot full time in! Atlanta is my 2nd city and I'm only there shooting every few months or so during a year. Yet, there's always a clown or two wanting to compete with/for my business. LMAO. That's got to be the most comical thing considering I should be of little threat to anyone who resides there and does full-time business. The few times I'm in town, I'm fully booked, I shoot and leave. If the 20-30+ clients I shoot each trip are taking away from some other person's business, well then, that photographer has issues that go beyond me being in town. For real though, that's not even me trying to be nasty, it's more a statement about the attitudes of people finding it necessary to compete. JUST DO. Shut your mouth and shoot! If you're THAT good, Christian Webb coming to town every now and then to shoot his clients won't have any effect on your business! Not to mention, when it comes to headshots/photography in general, there are different styles, looks and price ranges. The people paying me for my level of work are a totally different class of people than the the people looking for bargain basement specials. I'm not going to get those clients paying my prices and a photographer shooting semi-professional, cheaper quality work isn't going to get my clients. It's just balance and reality. People, photographers.......try and live and get along.

The Actor's Headshot-Workshop-Atlanta Reviews / May 12, 2016 by Christian Webb

The Actor's Headshot Workshop Atlanta 2016 -Day 1 students

Below are some reviews from my latest workshop in Atlanta. The feedback from my students is incredibly appreciated and really means a lot to me as I want to know that I'm actually giving them their money's worth and truly providing my best. It still baffles me that people would show up.....even travel from other states....to come have me teach them. I wouldn't call myself an educator per se'.....but more of a person just sharing my passion and eager to improve the work of those around me. I'm looking forward to my next workshop. Headed to L.A. this time....stay tuned!

DAVID BRIMLEY:

Dope Master,

First, the course was very fun and very interactive. You had a group that had very different skill sets and capabilities and I thought you broke it down to the bare elements and built a fantastic headshot result around that. You covered the equipment and why you used what you did. You covered how to set up the lighting and why that set up worked and how to tweak it. You had very very high quality models there that were easy to work with and did an exceptional job. Than you demonstrated how to work with the model, how to fine tune your exposure and how to get the results you wanted. All in a very easy to understand format and one that everyone one could test. The only comment I really had on the shooting and posing side is that it would have been nice to have a full set-up (lighting) for Cannon shooters where we could have traded models and everyone could shoot their own gear. Not really a big deal but the more time with the set up and the model the better prepared the student is going to be to leave with the skill set to replicate what you did there. The shooting side was so well done. Anyone that understands lighting with speed lights at even a beginner level should be able to replicate that lighting set up very quickly and produce a very professional image. Without exception. Only a real true beginner with lighting and posing would struggle and I don't really think your class was trying to cater to that type of student or photographer. You had to have a little background in lighting to really get everything you wanted out of that class - and even than it was a super simple and easy to set up lighting set up.

You did a great job Christian. I am 100% sure I have been to more photo work shops and seminars than anyone there. I started going to PPA and WPPI when I was 20 years old and assisted and work with some amazing people like Don Blair, Dave Newman, Don Busith, JP Morgan and Dean Collins. Some names you have heard of and some I am sure you have not. You have very friendly and relaxed teaching style that encourages people to ask questions and interact with you without the fear of being judged or criticized. I was really impressed. You are a true professional and I am confident could be a name in the teaching world if you want to do that one day - you have the personality and the skill set to do that. Thanks again for letting me be a part of the class. It was a true pleasure to meet you and learn fromyou. I wish you all the success and prosperity in this great profession you have chosen. I don't know if I will ever make my full time living in Photography again, but it will always be a passion of mine and something I will never stop trying to improve my skills in. Talk with you very soon.

Very Best Regards, David

PHILIP SHORT:

Taking Christian's workshop was absolutely wonderful! He instantly made us feel welcomed and as if we were talking to an old friend. He took the time to let all of us get to know a little bit about one another, and how we came to be at our current place in our photography journey. From the jump it was clear this wasn't the typical photography workshop. This was a forum for us to improve. We weren't just given some lighting recipe and left to flounder. There was a dialogue about what we wanted to achieve both in the workshop, and moving forward. We got information and practice on setting up our shots, from background selection, gear/camera/lighting settings and placement. And most importantly we got practical experience interacting with clients. Finally we moved on to an in depth look at his workflow and retouching methods. By the end of the day, not only had I taken some new images for my portfolio, but I was able to better analyze my previous work, and knew how to make it better.

This experience was exactly what I needed to take my work to the next level! The time and financial investment in this workshop is an investment in oneself and ones craft!

KELLE MAC:

Christian, I wanted to let you know how very much I enjoyed your workshop, your great delivery, down-to-earth style and just YOU! I left feeling inspired and rejuvenated~and I thank you for just being REAL!

MARLO DELANEY:

I want to give a “Shout Out” to Christian Webb, an outstanding NYC photographer who orchestrated a great actors headshot workshop in Atlanta last weekend. It was a great opportunity to learn hands on how to get that film still look that I love in his work. I’m always up for learning new techniques so I packed up and flew to Atlanta. It was DOPE (as he would say) It was a bonus that Christian was such a class act guy. Loved his humor and the honest straight up talk, no chaser. It was a great experience, everyone in his crew was so professional and on top of their game. It was a comfortable environment so everyone felt free to ask question. The hands on shooting portion really helped.

Thanks Christian for the tools, advice, real talk, techniques and guidance. Looking forward to shooting DOPE actors headshots in Tampa Florida.

ALLEN WILSON-MYERS:

Your workshop was nothing less than AMAZING! Everything was perfect! It was hands on and step by step. I've watched videos, attended workshops and worked with a few photographers but the way you put it all out there has made me excited about shooting my next client. More importantly, I am confident that I will be capturing a headshot that both the client and I will be proud of. I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. Thank you for sharing your talent with me.

CORDELL CARTER:

Thanks Christian, I truly enjoyed the energy you brought to the Atlanta workshop. It's always educational and spiritual for me to be surrounded by talented and passionate photographers like yourself. I look forward to staying in touch with you as well and applying the techniques I learned. If you're ever here again look forward to reconnecting. I will also recruit a few for your next Atlanta session!

CEDRIC GREENWAY:

Thank you Christian Webb. I have to say this class was Well Worth Taking! I have taken workshops and when it's over you say to yourself what a waste...You took your time, explained step by step the how to's. You could feel your passion and energy you gave to your students. All I can say is I want more!! Next time you're in the A!

LYNDA LOUIS:

Thank you so much Christian Webb for coming down & showing us how to create DOPE Headshots and such a great experience! It was so great meeting you! Until next time!

SHANNON McCREARY

"Christian Webb's workshop is a must. Loads of practical information. He saved me a year or two worth of experience in one sitting (day). "

Reality Check - The Road To Mastery isn't always pretty / May 9, 2016 by Christian Webb

Give it to ya straight!

I think it’s important to choose your mentors / instructors wisely these days. Besides making sure to find professionals who are actually qualified to teach you something, it’s vital that they truly commit to your learning by giving nothing less than 100% truth.

I’ve been hard at times on a few friends, fellow photographers looking to learn and get better. Not mean or malicious and never discouraging, but always real and always to the point. It’s not always received well by those who don’t actually know me. But those who do know me, know that my toughness truly comes from a place of caring and wanting others to achieve success. I don’t bullshit people or sugar coat my assessments and approach to teaching. I’m not the “politically correct” dude who will kiss your ass and give “positive feedback” just to keep one happy and not hurt feelings. I think it’s terribly irresponsible to do that just as it’s ridiculous to treat everyone as if “they’re a winner” no matter what. Especially when you get to a point where others are looking up to you and you take on a mentor type of role. This doesn’t mean getting down on anyone and making them feel as if they CAN’T do something. I’m just really to the point when it comes to letting them know what it’ll take to get better. If a photographer is asking me questions and wanting to learn, I’m always going to give them my time, advice and guidance. However, if they’re not putting in the time themselves to get better and are not passionate about what it takes to advance….at some point I let them know:

“If you want to do this…HERE’S WHAT YOU GOTTA DO and THIS is the ONLY way to get better!”

I think it’s important to encourage, support, show love and be as giving as possible with people when it comes to teaching others. However, I find it more important to truly be honest with them and never short change their learning by worrying about whether they can handle truth. Nine out of ten times, those who can ‘t handle it will run and accuse you of being too hard when in reality, they’re just not strong enough to face real challenges. I’ve always believed that the strongest types of people will always gravitate toward people stronger while the weaker types will always avoid and resent those stronger than them. To get stronger, to get better, people HAVE to work with, surround themselves with people better and stronger than themselves and they have to find people who will always keep it real with them. Finding a few friends to support your efforts and kiss your ass no matter what you do, is not the way to make sure you’re actually improving and really getting good at what you do. Claiming that your friends, family and your clients all think you're a photography genius doesn't actually make it so. You gotta check the sources. You have to get realistic appraisals and feedback on your work from qualified and respected professionals who will give it to you straight. Or, you can tell yourself whatever you need to tell yourself in efforts to discredit those trying to keep it "real" with you and make yourself feel better. You can look at those keeping it "real" with you as being the bad guys when in reality, they're the best ones to help you get to the next level. But, I find that it's easier for most to avoid the truth and reject any attempts to burst their bubbles. That act can go on publicly and on social media, but all alone, truth sets in and the reality of their skill set will plague their minds. Now, for some people, this is good. It's motivating and empowering. But for some, it just causes them to be miserable.

A photographer that owns lights and barely knows how to use them, has a decent dslr and hardly knows it's settings, has little understanding or skill with post production and standard programs like PS and LR, has limited understanding of photography in general and yet...has a studio and sells themselves as a professional photographer.......well........this is a person that needs a serious reality check. Do I think it's cool to "make fun of" or not encourage them? No. But I think sometimes these are the types to put themselves in the situation for ridicule specifically because of their attitude and inability to let go of their pride and to accept truth and reality. They actually get defensive and lash out at those who they know are way more professional than they are. It's as if they their only remedy to feel better is to tell themselves that they're great and keep themselves surrounded by folks who will help to empower their inflated and often fictional assessment of their skills. This doesn't help them in the least and at some point, reality will catch up. At the end of the day, you kind of have to let those type do what they do and wish them well.

That said, I just want to share the following passage from Robert Greene’s book MASTERY. It pretty much sums up my thoughts on the subject and most certainly does a better job:

To reach mastery requires some toughness and a constant connection to reality. As an apprentice, it can be hard for us to challenge ourselves on our own in the proper way and to get a clear sense of our own weaknesses. The times that we live in makes this even harder. Developing discipline through challenging situations and perhaps suffering along the way are no longer values that are promoted in our culture. People are increasingly reluctant to tell each other the truth about themselves, their weaknesses, their inadequacies, and flaws in their work. Even the self help books designed to set us straight tend to be soft and flattering telling us what we want to hear, that we are basically “good” and can get what we want by following a few simple steps. It seems abusive or damaging to people’s self esteem to offer them stern, realistic criticism, to set them tasks that will make them aware of how far they have to go. In fact, this indulgence and fear of hurting people’s feelings is far more abusive in the long run. It makes it hard for people to gauge where they are or to develop self-discipline. It makes them unsuited to the rigors of the journey to mastery. It weakens people’s will. Masters are those who by nature have suffered to get where they are. They have experienced endless criticism of their work, doubts about their progress, and setbacks along the way. They know deep in their bones what is required to get to the creative phase and beyond. As mentors, they alone can gauge the extent of our progress, the weaknesses in our character, the ordeals we must go through to advance. In this day and age you must get the sharpest dose of reality that is possible from your mentor. You must go in search of it and welcome it. If possible, choose a mentor who is known for supplying this form of tough love. If they shy away from giving it, force them to hold up the mirror that will reflect you as you are. Get them to give you the proper challenges that will reveal your strength and weaknesses and allow you to gain as much feedback as possible. No matter how hard it may be to take. Accustom yourself to criticism. Confidence is important, but if it is not based on a realistic appraisal of who you are, it is mere grandiosity and smugness. Through the realistic feedback of your mentor you will eventually develop a confidence that is much more substantial and worth possessing.

You Look like an Actor or model - A Random Connection With a Stranger / April 19, 2016 by Christian Webb

As a headshot photographer, I tend to look at the faces of people I find interesting and/or good looking. Both women and men. It’s just what I do. I speculate as to whether someone is an actor, a model or both. I sometimes see people and think howI’d LOVE to photograph them. So, not too long ago, while at my local Trader Joe’s, I'm ready to check out and this 6’5” fifty something year old gentleman guides me to his register which was just opening. Now being 6’5” myself, I tend to notice other tall people. This guy though looked as if he just stepped out of a GQ issue featuring mature, smooth dudes. Or some type of prescription drug commercial or something. He just had that…look. I figured, he must have been a model/actor probably back in the day. Who knows. I definitely thought to myself “wow, be great to shoot that guy!” Speaking of actors at Trader Joe's, about a year ago, I was making small talk with a different cashier that I was familiar with. On that day though, I found out she was an aspiring actress. Of course, I explained what I did for a living and gave her my card. We've spoken a few times about her headshots but she hasn't scheduled yet as time and travel have had her wrapped up.

Moving right along. A few weeks back, I get a call from a guy named Doug. Normal call from someone inquiring about headshots. He and his fiancée talk to me about wanting to take pics and maybe get into modeling and or commercial print/television. He had no clue what to do or where to begin. It was really his fiancée that initiated the whole thing and wanted to pursue everything. She was convinced he could be and should be doing something with his height and looks. After a discussion about how the business works and what he needed photography wise and explaining what it is I do specifically….we settled on shooting his headshot and maybe setting up a commercial, lifestyle type of shoot another time.

A week later, we spoke to shore up the details and schedule his shoot. During this discussion, his fiancée was speaking more about his look and she mentioned how tall he was and that he had white hair and all. He then speaks of his co-worker at Trader Joe's and how she gave him my info. Then, suddenly…it hit me. At that moment I finally put 2 and 2 together and realized exactly who I was speaking to. It was the white haired smooth gentleman cashier. I explained the whole story about how I had wondered in my mind if he actually did model or act at some time and we all had a good laugh at the randomness of the whole thing.

So, we scheduled and I shot him this past weekend. Even though he had zero experience and was a bit uncomfortable at the start, after some coaching and explaining what we needed to get, he settled in and pretty much knocked it out of the park.

**Tell me this guy isn't getting cast for a WHOLE bunch of stuff!**

The best part of this story for me, beside the sort of…serendipity of it all…is that I offered to try and get him an agent through my connects. Sure enough, I submitted a few photos from his shoot to my contact at an agency in NY. She got back to me right away and now he’s scheduled to meet with them in a few days! I recently wrote on my Facebook page about people sometimes thinking that as photographers, we’re not “saving lives” or having any “real impact” on the world. I spoke about how I like to think that what I do as a headshot photographer definitely has impact on my clients and their careers. Most likely the agency is going to sign Doug. From there….who knows. We have no idea. I’d like to think though, that in some way, if this all turns out positive and he finds some true calling or even just has some fun for a while, I had some type of impact on someone’s life in a meaningful way. Hey, you never know!

UPDATE: Last week, June 25th and 26th 2016, after being signed to an agent for only a few weeks....Doug booked his first job. He's playing a medical doctor in a pharmaceutical ad! This is only the beginning. Not bad for a guy with no experience ever!

Shooting A Don / April 7, 2016 by Christian Webb

If you're a Brooklynite or someone who at least keeps up with the Caribbean dancehall and Reggae music scene, you no doubt know the name DJ Ron Don. For the last 25 years, Ron Don has been a staple in the music scene dj'in numerous parties across the globe and putting out probably THOUSANDS of "mix tape" cds and party mixes. So, having the opportunity to photograph him for some recent promotional materials meant having to capture Ron Don as the only way I could imagine - Capture him as...a Don!

The location was a lounge in Canarsie called Trendz. I had zero opportunity for pre location scouting and the only available images to give me a sense of the place were from their Facebook page which didn't give me too much. So, we hit Brooklyn on a cold NY Sunday and just figured we'd wing it as best we could. Had 2 hours in the place and had to work quick.

1 Profoto head via octa for key and a Profoto Ringflash for some fill.

The lounge wasn't too big of a space to work in but there was enough room for me to try and get the shot I needed. The walls were all white, stucco and had a few round mirrors hanging. For furniture, there was a bunch of faux leather red chairs and two seater love seats. The tables were painted black wooden boxes with some dark tile of some sort for tops.

That plain wall and all back there just didn't work.

What was I going to do with those empty walls? There were of course a bunch of large speakers sitting around. My first thought was to create a wall of speakers right behind one of the 2 seater chairs and sort of surround Ron with the speakers. Figured that would be great but as the speaker count wasn't what I thought, we couldn't get get it to look uniform enough for it to work. So, I scrapped that idea and instead, figured....."hmmm...perhaps I can make a wall of tile using the tops of those box tables!?" Okay, let's try that. Dave and the other dude from Trendz who was helping us out gathered every table there and arranged them as I wanted behind Ron. Wasn't as easy as we thought but we ended up with something that may in fact not be too bad.

Needed more tables to fill in those blank spots to the left and right there.

D. Mack on the metering. (still haven't figured out why he holds a meter that way!)

Got down to business and started shooting. Few adjustments here and there wth Ron and we were jamming.

But really though, gotta be all about them socks!!

And here's the natural light portrait shot I got before leaving.

Was a good day overall. Ended up getting pretty much exactly what I wanted to get. We did do some work on white seamless but I decided to scrap that stuff for now as the main shot nails it. Got out of there and hit my old neighborhood of Ft. Greene for some seriously needed food! Many thanks and shout outs to my assistant David Mack for the hard work and the bts shots. Had him moving mad furniture around in addition to the photo stuff.

Professional Photographer - Assisting? / February 29, 2016 by Christian Webb

Hey, I made it to Broadway! On the Hamilton stage!  Side note: The Editor-in-Chief of Arrive magazine thought I was a dead ringer for the actor who plays George Washington in the play.  This was co-signed on by the art director, Lin's assi… — Hey, I made it to Broadway! On the Hamilton stage! Side note: The Editor-in-Chief of Arrive magazine thought I was a dead ringer for the actor who plays George Washington in the play. This was co-signed on by the art director, Lin's assistant and ......Lin himself! "Dead ringer!" When asked if I could sing I shamefully had to answer "not at all! But I'm a hell of an actor!" lol. Not sure that's enough for a musical!

If you're an aspiring photographer with or without any formal training, one of the best ways to gain experience and learn the craft as well as business of photography is to assist an already established and professional photographer. For students coming out of photography school (do people still go to school for photography?) seeking an internship or assisting gigs with pro photographers is a good way to put their classroom training to practical use as well as get their foot in the door of the industry. But what if you're already an established professional photographer, do you ever actually assist another professional? Is that taking a step down? For me, the answer is no, that's not taking a step down and yes, you should most definitely assist if you have the opportunity and the situation makes sense to you.

Last year, I had the pleasure of connecting on social media with editorial photographer Brad Trent who's work I very much admired and have been following for quite some time. If you don't already know who who I'm talking about, I suggest you go see for yourself and discover the dude behind Damn Ugly Photography. While I do follow a bunch of other notable photographers, most aren't following me back. So, imagine my surprise to get an Instagram notification that read: Brad Trent is now following you. Cool. I kind of figured for a minute that perhaps he just had a bunch folks running his social media and by some random chance, they added/Followed me. To my surprise, that wasn't the case. I contacted Brad via messenger and he actually confirmed that yes, he followed me and the reason was because he admired my work. Well I'll be damn! Cool! We corresponded a bit more and I insisted that I shoot a headshot for him. While he sort of agreed, it still hasn't happened but it's an on going campaign that I assure him will eventually take place. More important, I made the offer to assist him if he ever needed anyone. Wasn't too long before I received a message from Mr. Ugly himself asking if I was available for a shoot! Heck yeah!

Meeting Brad and team was quite an experience to say the least. I tried to explain to my wife what it's like by telling her "Imagine being a decent guitar player, relatively successful and you're asked by John Meyer or Jack White or Paul McCartney to do some gigs with them?!" Yes, for me, it was like that. What can I say, I'm not so egocentric or too proud to admit being a fan. You should find photographers, mentors or whomever in whatever industry you're in and admire them, study them, learn from them and respect them. On that note, let me move this conversation beyond Brad Trent being a rock star and focus on the real message behind this posting. (sorry man!)

Annual Barron's Roundtable shoot. 1 day just to set up 3 different lighting set ups.  Only a few hours to shoot 10 people in each of those three set ups a day later.  An assitant's dream! lol.  You can read more on Brad's blog here: D… — Annual Barron's Roundtable shoot. 1 day just to set up 3 different lighting set ups. Only a few hours to shoot 10 people in each of those three set ups a day later. An assitant's dream! lol. You can read more on Brad's blog here: Damn Ugly Photography

As I expected would happen, a few friends and such asked about me "assisting" and wondered "why?" Their take on it was that I was pretty damn decent of a photographer and knew a whole lotta stuff about shooting, lighting and most things photography related. I didn't need a job and I have assistants working with me sometimes. I'm the one teaching. lol. Why on earth would I go and spend time assisting a photographer as if I were some photography freshman? Well, here's my answer - Because I'm still a photography freshman! Regardless of how much I know or THINK I know and regardless of any tiny amount of success I have managed to achieve so far, I'm still just a guy learning, staying on my grind and eager to get to the next level! That is something that will never end and it shouldn't. If you talk to any real worth while photographers, successful photographers, the ones cool enough to keep it real, you'll find that most are always in a state of learning and continuing to grow. Old saying - You can never know enough! As artist, we'd be dead if we knew it all anyway.

Whole lotta lights!  Setting up to shoot 140+ people.  I think Brad brought me on board for my height and sheer brute strength! — Whole lotta lights! Setting up to shoot 140+ people. I think Brad brought me on board for my height and sheer brute strength!

Another major reason for me wanting to assist has to do with a philosophy I live by which is to always try and surround yourself with greatness and the people in your field who are much, much more advanced than you. MUCH MORE! I say it all the time to people - If you're a a tennis player, you don't keep playing tennis with people who are as good as you or who you can beat regularly. You find tennis players much better than you with much more experience and much more skill who can whoop your ass with ease. THAT'S how you achieve greatness with your work eventually. So it is for ANY sport or whatever, so it goes for photography. Now, anyone reading this now may be thinking "but wait, Christian Webb shoots headshots, not editorial stuff like Brad." Yes, true, however, there's still much to be learned and the experience flows the same way regardless of the genre. And, truth be told, outside of headshot photography, one of the only other types of photography I'd ever be interested in would be editorial. So, with no question, I'm in incredible company. Brad's been in the game for over 30 years. His experience as a photographer and the work he's done serves not only as an inspiration but as an educational resource unavailable to most.

Richard Rodgers Theater.  Setting up for the shoot with  Lin-Manuel Miranda. — **Richard Rodgers Theater. Setting up for the shoot with Lin-Manuel Miranda.**

Since first assisting with the Damn Uglies, I've been privileged to work with some incredible people and be part of some amazing work. The highlight of which I'd have to say would be the day we were in the Richard Rodgers Theater to shoot Lin-Manuel Miranda for Amtrak's Arrive Magazine. Need I say more? Hamilton! Every bit as cool and personable as one could imagine. An absolutely bad ass day and a true privilege to be amongst such company and part of an incredible shoot.

Color check!  Broadway's brightest star (not me)...the other guy...the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda.  Photo: Brad Trent / Damn Ugly Photography — Color check! Broadway's brightest star (not me)...the other guy...the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda. **Photo: Brad Trent / Damn Ugly Photography**

**Photo: Brad Trent / Damn Ugly Photography**

Let me add one more story about assisting before closing. The Friday before the latest snow storm, Jonas here in NY, I got a call from Brad asking me if I wanted to assist. Not him, but some other photographer. It would be a favor sort of as there was no budget and obviously, they weren't paying an assistant. Okay, no problem, I'd be in the city anyway and fortunately was available. I made it to Go Studios early where I met some of the team. It was a fashion shoot for Ubikwist Magazine. Soon, the photographer, Patrick Ibanez arrived and we immediately got to talking. Took seconds to realize what a great guy I'd be working with and how incredibly cool he is. We worked a good 8-10 hours that day and it was a great experience. Funny thing was, the studio put together a Nikon D810 kit for Patrick to shoot with. He wasn't familiar with it at all and immediately told me his concerns and shared some of his anxiety. Being an experienced Nikon shooter myself, D800/D810....I ended up being just the person he needed to work with that day. Best part, I met some great people and connected with a fellow photographer who's really solid with his work and has an awesome eye. You can check Patrick's website here: Patrick Ibanez

Go Studios, NY.  Was a pretty simple set up for the most part. — **Go Studios, NY. Was a pretty simple set up for the most part.**

Overall, for me, it's about passion and loving photography. Doesn't matter if it's me shooting or helping someone else out. The experience, the immersion into the world and commitment to stay learning even the smallest things far outweighs ego or whether I'm being compensated. So long as the opportunities arise and so long as I have the availability and the photographer is someone I deem to be a true professional and whose work I admire, I'll always be open to lending my time, skills and experience. If you're a photographer, successful, semi successful, experienced, just starting out, finding the right photographers to align with and to learn from is one of the absolute best ways to enhance your own skills as well as build solid relationships within the industry.

Background & Bokeh! How They Affect Your Headshot. / February 26, 2016 by Christian Webb

One of my background test shots.  My usual preferred go to color and look. — One of my background test shots. My usual preferred go to color and look.

"Art, is the elimination of the unnecessary."

~ Pablo Picasso

As a headshot photographer who shoots primarily on location outdoors, I often have to contend with the environments I'm in and how they affect my backgrounds. Because I shoot on a NYC street, the random cars and such passing by provide for some really nice highlights and bokeh here and there, especially when I'm shooting at later hours and car lights, street lights and such become more prominent. Those lovely orbs of blurred reflective light of bokeh are what many photographers even strive to intentionally get in their photos. Now I'm sure most reading this know what bokeh is but just in case, there are probably thousands of articles you can pull up to study more about bokeh and get more in depth with it. For our purposes here, just know we're talking specifically about the points of light that get blurred and appear in an image background/foreground as blurbs of round light. Also, for purposes of this article, I'll be speaking on how that bokeh affects an actor's headshot only.

HERE'S A SHOT OF A CLIENT WHERE I DIDN'T MIND SO MUCH  AS IT'S NOT TOO BRIGHT.  BUT....REALISTICALLY JUST WANTED THAT CLUSTER OF GREEN BOKEH REMOVED. — HERE'S A SHOT OF A CLIENT WHERE I DIDN'T MIND SO MUCH AS IT'S NOT TOO BRIGHT. BUT....REALISTICALLY JUST WANTED THAT CLUSTER OF GREEN BOKEH REMOVED.

First thing first: Background! The background for a headshot is nothing more than the space your subject is framed in. I shoot actors, not environments and backgrounds. My focus is the subject in front of my lens, the actor. To that point, there are many notable photographers today and through history who shoot their subjects on plain white or grey backgrounds to isolate them on a an empty canvas. Peter Hurley of course being one of the more famous these days. It's clean, non distracting and the focus is 100% on the subject. There is absolutely NOTHING competing with the actor. If however you're shooting without a plain background and are indoors or outside on location, you'll need to give some attention to the direction you'll be shooting and what, even when blurred, appears as background with your subject.

WITH THE CLUSTER OF GREEN BOKEH REMOVED.   IT'S NOT ALWAYS A MAJOR THING BUT THERE IS A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT HERE AS A RESULT. — WITH THE CLUSTER OF GREEN BOKEH REMOVED. IT'S NOT ALWAYS A MAJOR THING BUT THERE IS A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT HERE AS A RESULT.

Real quick, let's talk about casting directors. They get tons of headshots. TONS! Whether submitted and viewed online or actual physical photos. TONS. They browse through them rapidly looking for what they're looking for.

Headshot Rule 101 - Make them interested in the actor IMMEDIATELY and GET THEIR ATTENTION as fast as possible.

They look at headshots for a few seconds at most and all they want to do is know whether the actor in the shot COULD be the one...or not. They don't care about the photograph overall and they could care less about the tiny details that other photographers may look at when analyzing a headshot for "perfection." (perfect white balance, random hair out of place, the button or zipper on a jacket etc, etc.) This doesn't mean though that they're not affected by a bad headshot / bad photography. If an actor's headshot has a ton of other things going on in the image, it'll distract the person looking at the shot. Could be just bad framing and too much negative space, random things in a background that stick out, overwhelming colors and objects and/or.....what I call BAD BOKEH. That's not because casting folks are perfectionists and judging the photo by it's quality per se'. It's because it's science pretty much:

Photography 101: The eyes will always be drawn to the brightest parts and usually colorful parts of an image first.

Now this brings us back to the bokeh. While those orbs of light in a headshot may work well to provide a certain drama and beauty to a regular portrait, in a headshot they really are nothing more than distractions that will instantly draw attention away from the subject. Especially if you're talking about multiple colors and especially if they're bright. I don't want ANYTHING else in my headshots to be looked at other than my actors! Period! There are entirely too many variables as to why someone will toss a headshot and not give that actor the time of day. A bad morning. Bad night. Fight with the girlfriend, boyfriend. Doesn't like this. Doesn't like that. Can't stand their job at the moment. Haven't had lunch. Not feeling well. Whatever. Nothing and no one can nail it down to the point where we can figure it all out. Think of it this way, if the logic is that a casting director only gives a shot a few seconds, then I don't need ANY of those seconds wasted by having their focus immediately drawn to a bunch of colorful, bright balls of lights behind my actor or anything else for that matter. Especially if it's a random mess.

This is an throwaway test shot from a session where the client showed up too late and it got too dark.  But here's a great example of what I call bad bokeh or...useless bokeh.  It does NOTHING for the client at all, therefore, had this sho… — This is an throwaway test shot from a session where the client showed up too late and it got too dark. But here's a great example of what I call bad bokeh or...useless bokeh. It does NOTHING for the client at all, therefore, had this shot been useable, I would have removed or at least toned the red down.

Here's an unedited shot with a bunch of bokeh!  Mess! This shot wasn't used at all, but, had it even been an option,  I would have immediately removed the orange blurb along with the white/greensih mess to the far right. Oh, and the red be… — Here's an unedited shot with a bunch of bokeh! Mess! This shot wasn't used at all, but, had it even been an option, I would have immediately removed the orange blurb along with the white/greensih mess to the far right. Oh, and the red behind her head. Bokeh touching my client at all....big NO NO! That's a SUPER NO NO for any type of portrait really! Things sticking out of heads or the body of a subject......no go!

Here's a shot that has a bit of bokeh going on behind her but it's very, very subtle and okay.

That said, let me be clear, if in fact there is bokeh in the shot, so long as it's subdued and not glaringly obvious and it's relatively unobtrusive in relation to the actor it can work fine. (as in the shot above.) I do in fact have headshots where the blurbs are light are present, it's just that I try to keep them to a minimum and if they're too out of hand or prominent, I take them out.

Alright so look, all of this is really nothing more than me rambling on about some of my peeves when it comes to headshots. These are all just my humble opinions and my personal taste and take on headshots. Some may disagree. To each his own. In closing, just keep in mind, you don't want any messy distractions or random things competing for attention with your main subject and it DOES MATTER. Hopefully this has shed some....light....on the subject or given you some useful info. If so, feel free to LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE...and all that good stuff! Much appreciated!

Christian Webb

Fan Mail - My Headshots All Look The Same! / February 4, 2016 by Christian Webb

Recently received my first piece of “hate mail” or…whatever you’d call it. (the screen shot above.) Probably doesn’t qualify as hate mail per se’, but wasn’t very positive. I take that back – it was quite positive. I think the intent was to be negative but apparently the anonymous person who emailed me via a dummy email account had no idea that what they said was actually quite complimentary. I feel truly honored.

Let me first reiterate “many thanks” to the person for their recognition of my work. It’s interesting that this subject comes up as only a few weeks back or so, I posted a blog with some similar subject matter addressed.

But, rather than just completely rehash that blog, let me take on this subject with fresh perspective and hopefully make some sense of it all.

One of the top and certainly most popular headshot photographers out there at the moment, and someone I’ve learned a good deal from and respect, Peter Hurley, has built his entire business and brand on shooting headshots that all look pretty much the same, "just insert new actor!" People on white backgrounds, same basic light, same set up each time. The lighting, the set up and all inspired a TON of followers, students and other photographers to shoot the same look. Peter has even built his own mentoring program where he teaches all about headshot photography and helps a TON of other headshot photographers with creating the same look for the most part - white background (or grey, but most of it’s white) and just “insert actor!” His work is bad ass awesome and the whole repeated set up and style works!

"Drops mic, walks away!"

I could end this blog post and response to my fan mail with just that bit there. But let’s get into it.

As any good headshot photographer knows, getting a great headshot isn’t just about a lighting set up and what the background looks like. It’s working with subjects and being able to get the right pose and expressions to best represent the client. With that said, let me get to addressing the main issue and why we’re here.

Headshots are SUPPOSED to basically all look the same EXCEPT for the actor! A headshot is a basic tool, the main tool for selling an actor! The absolute single most important thing to look at in a headshot is THE ACTOR! Not the wall in the photo or the variety of gorgeous blurred backgrounds or whatever. With a headshot, a photographer is shooting one thing - A tight shot of someone's face/head. It's a shot to represent the person and their personality and to get an actor work. While there are different opinions on landscape vs. portrait and studio vs. location, natural light or artificial, either way it’s a pretty basic set up each time and it's not about fancy or elaborate lighting set ups or clothing or shoes or jewelry, hair or styling. It's about that one person in front of the camera.

In contrast, shooting fashion can involve no lights, one light or twenty lights, a plethora of modifiers, tons of gels, reflectors and flagged off sections of studio or location space. The actual job itself and/or the photographer's vision/client's vision dictates the lighting and overall look. There's a heck of a lot more room for creativity and you're not always shooting the same thing. Not to mention the post processing, color grading and all sorts of stuff used to create the final images. With fashion and even editorial photography, there’s much more room for artistic interpretation and style. In fact, it’s encouraged. And with fashion especially, it’s NOT all about the model/subject, it’s about the story, the clothing/styling etc. In addition, fashion photography seriously relies on having an entire artistic team who all bring their expertise and vision to a shoot as well.

A headshot photographer who takes “artistic license” and adds red and blue gels to the lighting set up and frames his subjects off in the background with a soft spotlight hitting their face is most certainly in the wrong genre of photography and most definitely not serving his clients well. That was an extreme example obviously but I have seen photographers shooting what they call a “headshot” and it’s entirely inappropriate for real world use because they wanted to add their "artistic" vision to the shot.

Moving on, I’m not saying there's a one size fits all set up or formula for every photographer but, I should think that within the realm of shooting headshots, even with different styles of lighting, the overall look isn't going to vary too much. If you browse the portfolio of a headshot photographer who only shoots natural light headshots for example, you’ll find that the shots all pretty much look the same…. except for…you guessed it THE ACTOR! Sure the studio setting may differ, different windows, doorways, the backgrounds may be slightly different, perhaps a different colored brick wall… but overall the images will have an identical look. The look that that particular photographer has is why clients may book him or her to begin with.

Quick question: Anyone every do any casting work? I have. I had to cast a small film I was working on and received HUNDREDS of headshots via the mail. (This was back in 2004!) Flipping through them, they ALL looked alike…EXCEPT FOR THE ACTOR! (Back then, I got a TON of black & white shots so they REALLY all looked alike!) And guess what? It didn’t matter! I was looking at the person in the picture, reading the name, flipping it over and then looking at their attached resume. I didn’t spend 20 minutes analyzing the photography. (probably due to the fact that I wasn't a photographer at that point either.) Granted, there were some obviously bad headshots sent but that just meant I couldn’t take that person seriously or I just had to wonder what the hell they were thinking.

Look, I’m not suggesting that there aren’t photographers who have a particular style that’s part of their brand, in fact, that’s the ENTIRE point really of this post. My particular style involves blowing out blue, cool tone backgrounds with my subjects cinematically lit in very close up, tight crops. Period. I studied headshot photography. I learned a style of lighting, mastered it and have tried to develop my own look and style on top of it. (might I also add...I've been shooting this way and focused on headshots less than a year) People see it, they like it, I book clients, end of story. It's consistent. More important than my backgrounds and lighting though are my subjects and how I capture them. When it comes to doing that, I can shoot in studio on white, black, grey, purple or whatever color someone wants. I can shoot natural light or use one speedlight and a point and shoot camera…either way…I’m going to nail a dope headshot that kills and brings my clients work.

Headshot photography isn't for narcissists. It's not about "oh look at my incredible, artistic eye for portraiture and how good I am with using light!" It's about providing a service to clients and making sure the final images serve their purpose.

More than likely, the person that sent me that email is probably another photographer. I’d bet anything on it. Only an amateur photographer so caught up in the wrong thing and with little understanding of the headshot business would bother to pen such an email and attempt to belittle my work. (I’d most definitely bet anything that it’s a headshot photographer for sure!) So, with all of that said, I’d like to close with another “thank you” to my admiring fan and wish him or her all the best. And to everyone else, I certainly hope this read gave you some insight on the matter. If you’re a headshot photographer, I hope to have made sense regarding all of this and maybe even helped you some. If you’re an actor, I definitely hope that this has provided some insight on how to examine headshots and what’s most important in how they’re shot.

If anyone has more to add, please feel free to Comment below as well as LIKE, SHARE on social media.

Uploading sharp images for Facebook / January 28, 2016 by Christian Webb

After a unsharp mask and resize for Facebook action.

I've gotten a lot of questions lately about my images being so sharp even when uploaded to Facebook. I promised to post a blog on the subject and as long as it's taken to get this post up, you'd think I had some super secret, complex technique that would take ten pages to write about. Well, that's not really the case. I've just been tied up lately and just a bit lazy with my blogging. So, here we go, the big reveal to how I get my headshots so clean and sharp:

An unsharp mask followed by resize to 2048 width. Voila! Done!

The end.

Okay so, that's really it. I even have an action for it now so, at the end of my retouch, the very last thing I do is click FACEBOOK RESIZE AND SHARPEN and it's done. ( pretty sure you can Google search and find a bunch of options available.) Here's a screen shot of the action:

I took screen shots of an image sooc in LR (the second shot.) Then, took that screen shot and applied the action in PS. (the first shot.) You can hopefully see the difference.

Now, I think it would be irresponsible and kind of silly to suggest that this one step will make all of my images sharp and clean. It obviously starts with a having a well focused, sharp image to begin with. And this is where the work comes in.

QUICK NOTE REGARDING SHARPNESS:

The following is written with the assumption you're shooting headshots/portraits of some type. There are PLENTY of types of images where the sharpness thing isn't too big of a concern depending on the content of the image and it's intended use. For headshot/portrait, most of what I'm referring to though is the sharpness when it comes to the eyes. Even then, it's a subjective thing. If shooting at low apertures like 1.4, 2.8 or 3.2 as I do...you're not always going to get completely sharp faces and in fact, both eyes may not be sharp. They don't need to be usually. However, it's important to remember that the eye closest to the camera should definitely be sharp and in focus. If the rest of the face and features are soft....that's fine and a matter of taste, choice...artistic vision.

That said....let's move on:

I shoot with a Nikon D800 which is a 36mp BEAST of a machine. My lens of choice is the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8VRII which is a BEAST of a lens! The two together give you one hell of a starting point to some serious images....IF...you know how to handle them. I see a lot of photographers uploading images to FB where the clarity/sharpness is just poor and not tack sharp at all. And it's not because of the upload to FB. What's worse is, some of these guys are shooting with PhaseOne cameras, Hasselblad, Nikon D800/810 and Canon 5DMkIII! It's crazy! That's a whole other convo. I don't want to make this a long post about shooting technique and all sorts of technical stuff. I just want to say that it's imperative to learn to get really good, clean sharp images from the get go. Especially if you're shooting portraits of people up close. It's something that takes a lot of practice especially when using these high megapixel cameras these days as they're not so forgiving when it comes to mistakes. Whatever method of focus you have, make sure you master it! (there are TONS of blogs and articles out there on all of the numerous methods of AF.) I personally shoot hand held in manual mode. (for headshots on location. In studio, shooting a portrait or beauty I'm on a tripod and higher apertures so...clarity is a given.) That sounds crazy to some but that's just my preference and I love the feeling of knowing that I have 100% control over my focus. If I mess up, it's on me and my eyes, not my AF system. I also shoot at shutter speeds anywhere from 200 to 1250+ depending and of course use VR so, the hand held thing isn't so much a factor. When I upload my session to LR and start going though images, I have some images that aren't sharp. Oh well, it happens. Sometimes it pisses me off as that particular shot may be so damn good save for the fact that the focus is soft. For the most part, I nail most of my shots though and it's not so much an issue. I do adjust clarity and contrast some in LR before exporting to PS but still, I make sure to have a clean, clear, sharp image prior to even doing so.

In addition to my focus techniques, my lighting of course makes a difference. Getting my key light positioned correctly in both height and distance from my subjects is obviously a major factor prior to even shooting.

So that's it. I know I didn't get into a bunch of stuff regarding how Facebook resizes and handles images upon upload. I believe there are tons of articles on that out there I just wanted to share exactly what I do and give some insight and guidance on getting sharp images to begin with. The unsharp mask and resize definitely contribute to my final image upload and how sharp it is. I recommend experimenting a bit with unsharp mask and definitely resizing to the 2048 size for upload to FB. I have heard other sizes as being optimal such as 1200x628 but that's a matter of preference I guess. Pretty sure 2048 gives you the fullest size. In the end, nothing beats having a clean, sharp well focused image to begin with! Hope some of this has been helpful. If it has, feel free to Comment, Like and Share. If you have other methods and suggestions, feel free to share in comments.

~ Christian

Selecting Your Headshots! / January 5, 2016 by Christian Webb

Let's dive right in here folks!

Much of the fun and participation for the actor takes place during the headshot session. (well, it should be fun and they should be participating but, that's another blog!) But when the session is complete, the job is only half done. Now it's time to actually go through the 200, 300, 400 plus images and narrow down the choices that will be ultimately used for your headshot. This of course can be fun too but it's a lot of work and requires a certain eye.

If you don't have the option to sit down with your photographer and go through images together, you're left to figure it all out for yourself and then get back to him or her with your choices to be retouched. Or, if they don't do their retouching, you're left to choose your shots and then send them out to be retouched somewhere. Perhaps your photographer will correspond with you via email and send you his choices and even discuss options via the phone (this is the second best option next to actually sitting with him) This is all going to depend on how your photographer works and what their process is. Some actually charge you to sit and go through your images. I don't quite understand that but, that's another story.

So, let's just say you're left basically pick your best images. Pretty simple yeah? I mean, it's YOU, your shots, you know what's best yeah? Well, not always. Let's take a look at what I mean.

The image above is from a recent session with an incredibly gorgeous and talented young lady named Nicolette. The shot is SOOC (straight out of camera) and it's literally the 14th shot of the session. I was still tweaking the light here and had barely gotten started. Actually, this was also a shot where I specifically directed her to keep her head up and sit natural as she would if posing for a picture on her own. Now, it's not a bad shot and she's of course.....gorgeous. However, it's no where near what I would consider even useable as a headshot. But, guess what? She picked this shot as one of her selections to use. It was nothing more than a still warming up shot and we hadn't even really started getting into the groove. Let's move on to the very next shot that was taken right after this:

In this shot, I coached her to drop her head/chin some and to lean in a bit. It's a subtle move but look at the impact it has on the shot. This is also a SOOC shot. Other than the car lights being gone in the background, it's basically the same shot but with a drastically different effect just based on that head move. Still though, expression wise, this doesn't cut it and she's looking a bit blank yeah? Let's move on to the next shot:

Here we have Nic' just a few shots later after some coaching on how to use her eyes and mouth to get great, engaging expressions. Personally, I didn't pick this shot as a final image but looking at it now, it's most certainly a useable shot for her purposes. It's not my favorite but, it's got personality, she looks engaged with the camera, she's got that thing in her eyes, that slight smile and she looks confident.

So, why did Nic' choose that first shot above? Well, she looks beautiful. It's a bit of a serious, nice dramatic look and mature. We spoke about it and these are some of the things that she looked at and liked. That is where the issues come in. Actors, and people in general will look at their photos and assess them based on how "good" they look in the photo. They look at their features and decide if they like how their nose looks or their hair or their ears. In fact, most people by nature look at a photo of themselves and are immediately drawn to their flaws and the things they DON'T like about themselves. You are studying your beauty and making a decision based on that pretty much. What's more is, when selecting images to use as headshots, most actors show their pics to their friends, family, boyfriend, girlfriend and whomever and ask their opinions. Most of those people will judge the photos by the same criteria; how gorgeous you do or don't look in the photo. In Nic's case here, there's no denying how beautiful she is. I could have shot her under exposed, with bad lighting and out of focus and she'd STILL be fine! But, it's not about that. You need to be mindful of what will work as a headshot. You want casting directors and the like to come across your photo and be interested in you. Being really pretty won't overcome a blank expression, no personality, nothing to say, boring look on your face.

As a photographer that works with actors almost exclusively and works with agents, I've learned the things to look for and I know what will work and won't. It's part of my job. As an actor, your job isn't to study these things necessarily but it's worth while to do so. Start to understand expression and personality in a shot. Work with photographers who hopefully understand these things and more important, can coach you during your sessions to get those shots. If you're apprehensive about choosing your shots, make sure your photographer offers you assistance with doing so and really can guide you. In the end, that headshot has to go out and get you work. Make sure that it says something and grabs someone's attention! As I always say:

"They should look into you, not at you!"

For more tips/guidance on your headshots, feel free to join me at The Actor's Headshot group on Facebook! And feel free to share this with your actor friends!

The Actor's Headshot / January 4, 2016 by Christian Webb

Actor Michael Cox

"Happy New Year!"

As I start out this new week, the first of the year, I wanted to quickly talk about a new direction I'll be going for 2016.

Most of my blogging efforts, my social media posts and interactions in online groups/forums is geared toward other photographers. I'm usually posting random pieces of advice and guidance on shooting headshots. For the most part, I truly love sharing and helping others. It's one of the greatest rewards for me as a professional. Over this last year, as my work has improved, I've gotten a lot of new followers and friends and I receive comments, emails and messages asking me about techniques, gear and the related. Most of these come from other photographers both new to shooting as well as more experienced photographers looking to get more into headshots. I'm a huge believer in surrounding yourself with others that share your same passions and are in your same line of work. Being part of a few photography groups has allowed me to share my work with others and receive feedback/critique and has allowed me to learn some things while also being inspired by others. It's been great interacting with so many other photographers, especially headshot photographers but....at this point, it's time to move another direction.

Shooting headshots is my primary business. It's my passion. I do professional work here and there outside of that and some personal projects once in awhile but shooting headshots is my thing. More specifically, I shoot actors! And that's what has motivated me to make a slight change. This year, I'll be focused on providing actors with guidance on their headshots. Instead of addressing other photographers and talking shop with them, I'll be working with actors to help them improve their game when actually getting in front of the camera. Working with so many actors, it's shocking to hear some of their stories about their experiences with other headshot photographers. It's sometimes funny but overall, really sad. What I want to do is prepare actors for getting the most out of their sessions no matter who it is they're shooting with. Contrary to popular belief, most actors really can't stand sitting for their headshot. In fact, some hate it. That said, if they're not dealing with a seasoned, professional photographer that knows how to handle them, chances are the shots are going to suck. We can't have that! #nobadheadshots!

I ultimately want to know that an actor anywhere, in any big city or even small town is educated and savvy on how to handle themselves in front of the camera to get the best headshots they can get. I want them to know posing and angles even if the photographer doesn't. I want them to know the small tips and tricks that the photographer should know in order to get great expressions and flattering looks. What's more, is I want actors to have the confidence they need to sit in front of any photographer and not be apprehensive or worried about their session.

To that end, I'll be posting here on my blog and on social media random guidance and such for actors. I'm also working on a series of video tutorials that will demonstrate posing techniques and some basics to keep in mind when sitting for headshots. I'll also continue to offer feedback on and give honest assessments on actor's current headshots if they want.

None of this means I won't be working with other photographers if they seek my guidance. I still very much love being able to help others with their work and help them to reach new levels. I've had a bunch of requests to do more workshops and I may be entertaining that during the year as well. I'm still very much a student myself and look forward to improving my game and reaching new heights.

So, that said, I'm really looking forward to this year and working with everyone. I created a Facebook group some time ago called The Actor's Headshot. Feel free to join the group. This is where I'll be posting most of my content and tutorials.

Hope to correspond with you all soon! Feel free to SHARE this post and the info with other actors.

All the best to everyone and may this be a GREAT year for you all!

Time for Some Action! - Headshot Action! / November 23, 2015 by Christian Webb

I want to take a quick minute to discuss a few things when it comes to positioning of a subject for a headshot. So by now, if you're familiar with my work, you see that I shoot everything landscape orientation and I tend to shoot very tight. As I primarily shoot actors, I like my headshots to look like close up television or film stills. Television and film of course is all about action. But how do you create or convey action in a still image like a headshot? Well, it's all about avoiding "pose" per se and focusing on what I call the "poised position!" If you look at the shot above, she looks as if she's about ready to spring into action as opposed to just standing there in a nice pose looking gorgeous. The slight lean forward and position of her shoulders suggest that she's coming at you and engaged with you. This is what's most critical for me when shooting a headshot. Casting directors and the like will go through god knows how many headshots on a daily basis. What I want is for them to get to my clients shots and feel as if the actor is coming toward them. I have seen many headshots out there that more or less look like modeling shots and the focus tends to be on the pose and capturing the clients good looks. I'm guilty of having some shots like that in my portfolio as well. While we most certainly want to capture the look and personality of a client, it's really important to not forget that within that tiny fraction of a second that someone looks at the photo, they need to see more than just....a pretty picture. A headshot needs to grab attention and pull someone in. A headshot for an actor needs to get them work on television, in film or theater and all three are mediums of action.

In addition to the actual pose, the expression needs to convey action as well. How is that done? Simply by having your subjects truly interacting with you and creating the action. Try this experiment - Have a conversation with someone and just notice how their face looks and changes as you speak. You'll notice the slight changes and movement in their eyes, eyebrows and mouth as they listen to you. They're "in action" as they listen to you. (assuming of course you're not boring them with a cat story or some kind!) They're interested in what you're saying and even if not genuinely interested, they're hopefully at least trying to "look" interested. Besides that, many people are just waiting for their turn to actually speak which naturally puts them in the "poised" mode mentally which eventually translates to their physical expression. Sometimes it's subtle and sometimes, it's very obvious that they can't wait to chime in and speak their mind. This is basically what you want to work toward in your headshots. Each shot should almost look as if the subject has something to say, something to offer and something worth finding out about. There are of course many different types of expressions/emotions to convey but which ones you're going for will be determined by the goal of the shot.

The combination of a really genuine and interesting facial expression with just the right amount of lean in toward camera can make all the difference in your clients getting looked at with consideration or being tossed aside with all the other...pretty pictures.

If you want to know more about positioning your subjects in headshots and some more on expression, feel free to visit my Facebook page and leave me a message.

Headshot Mastery - Pick Your Set up & Stick with It! / November 6, 2015 by Christian Webb

I belong to a few online, social media photography groups, mostly headshot oriented. It's interesting to see the numerous set ups and variety of gear used by a lot of headshot photographers just starting out. I see people wanting to pull off one particular style of headshot but going way overboard with their attempts. Then, inevitably, they struggle with why they're not nailing their shots and or....their work is not consistent. Why? Simply because they're over thinking it sometimes and getting too caught up in trying to get fancy with their work. Now obviously, there's no one size fits all set up or formula for every photographer but, I should think that within the realm of shooting headshots, even with different styles of lighting, the overall look isn't going to vary too much.

Shooting fashion for example can involve one light or twenty lights, a plethora of modifiers, tons of gels, reflectors and flagged off sections of studio or location space. The actual job itself and/or the photographer's vision/client's vision dictates the lighting and overall look. There's a heck of a lot more room for creativity and you're not always shooting the same thing. Not to mention the post processing, color grading and all sorts of stuff used to create the final images. That said, if you're shooting fashion on the regular, chances are you've got a variety of gear that's used based on need and what look you're going for.

And that right there is the set up again and again.  Location may change here and there but the set up remains consistent. — And that right there is the set up again and again. Location may change here and there but the set up remains consistent.

With a headshot on the other hand, you're shooting one thing - A tight shot of someone's face/head. It's a shot to represent the person and their personality and to get an actor work. While there are different opinions on landscape vs portrait and studio vs location, either way you're pretty much going to have a basic set up each time and it's not about clothing or shoes or jewelry, hair or styling. It's about that one person in front of your camera. Give or take a few personal preferences, it's a pretty basic set up - Your key light to light the subject, some fill and possibly some type of kicker/accent light. That should really be it for the most part. (In studio, if doing the high key, white background thing, you'll have lights to light the background.) The type of lights you're using, which modifiers and how you set it all up is of course, up to you. Even if you're strictly a natural light headshot photographer, you've got one consistent source of light (the sun) and chances are you'll have some sort of fill via a reflector. All of that said, the main thing I want to get at in this post is that you truly need a consistent, go to set up for your work when shooting headshots. There really shouldn't be the same experimental, freestyle, artistic license thing going on as there may be for fashion, editorial or a random portrait.

The basics. (speedlights and accessories in bag

While you can always play around and have 6 to 10 lights , 3 oversized, octagon shaped reflectors and miscellaneous contraptions and set ups to light one person for a headshot, it may not be the best idea and probably overkill. You should keep it simple and not go overboard with trying to do anything fancy other than lighting your subject the best possible way. You need to consider what style of headshot you want to shoot, learn how to do it, what you need and then...stick with THAT set up on a regular basis. THIS is how you nail consistency. And consistency is what ultimately will serve to make your brand. You can always make a few adjustments/changes here and there and possibly experiment once in awhile, there's nothing wrong with that. But, you should commit to your main set up, know your gear, master that set up and repeat it over and over and over!

The Crazy Eye Lights- Catch Lights Gone Wild! / November 3, 2015 by Christian Webb

Just a quick post regarding catch lights in headshots. I've seen some headshots where the catch lights become the most dominant thing in the photo. Using multiple lights, a variety of shapes and different sizes to get all sorts of funky things going on in the eyes. I'm pretty partial to natural looking or classic catchlights whether round or square. However, I know that there are some lighting set ups that have become pretty regular where a rectangular lighting set up in one way or the other produces that same rectangular or square catch light in the eyes. Cool. I think it's gotten to be a pretty specific, contemporary look and for the most part, it looks great when done right. But what happens when it goes overboard? I'll tell you what happens: You end up drawing way too much attention to the eyes for all the wrong reasons and the catch lights take on a creepy effect making your subjects look like androids. First and foremost, any use of lighting and the arrangement of such lighting needs to be specifically for ONE thing - To effectively light your subject according to the goal in mind. Specifically, I'm referring to headshots more than anything. With a headshot, you light and photograph with the intent of capturing your subject and conveying their look and character in a shot. Trying to purposefully design "cool" catch lights with a superfluous amount of lighting or elaborate placement of those lights serves as nothing more than a distraction. I guess if you're shooting an artistic portrait of some kind then anything goes yeah? But for a headshot, try and let the catch lights just be as they are without obvious manipulation of the process.

Actors - Your Headshot should reflect YOU! / November 2, 2015 by Christian Webb

The mad cool Nicolette from Aligned Stars Talent agency Atlanta.   Christian Webb Photo — The mad cool Nicolette from Aligned Stars Talent agency Atlanta. Christian Webb Photo

Okay, so you're an actor about to get new headshots. You tell your photographer that you want your "new" headshot to be completely different so you can get other roles. Sounds okay yeah? I mean, no one wants to be type cast right? WRONG! Let me explain.

During my Mastering The Headshot workshop, we were fortunate enough to get a few actors from a local talent agency in NY. One of the actresses stood at about 5'1" (if that) and had a tiny frame and could play 15 years young even though she was 25. She had huge doe eyes and a perpetual look of pure innocence on her face no matter what she was doing. Of course though, she came in and wanted the students to shoot her to make her look "BAD ASS!" Now, let me just say that yes, I think some versatility in an actor's headshot is fine. You may want to reflect a maximum of 2 looks. Those looks usually being the more dramatic vs friendlier, more commercial. Dramatic however doesn't mean going the distance to look total opposite to your normal look. You might now be asking "well, why not? I'm an actor yeah? Shouldn't I show range?" No. Not really. The best headshots are ones that reflect how an actor looks in real life and captures some of their character. Shooting the girl mentioned above for example to look like Lara Croft wouldn't serve her any good when she shows up to casting looking like Mini-Mouse. (both gorgeous ladies of course!) I want my actor's to walk into a casting and be the same person as in the headshot that got them into the room in the first place.

There are some actors who can play on that line between both bad ass and more subdued innocent. But if you naturally look like the super bad ass looking, rough, tough character type in person and then try to make yourself look like a soft, sweet, boy or girl next door type, this is NOT a good idea. Some may ask "well, how does someone get different roles?" The answer: THEY DON'T Just kidding. Look, as an actor you need to truthfully analyze yourself and KNOW your type. You have to know how you're going to be perceived in castings and do your best to own your type. That's YOUR brand. That's how you will market yourself. It doesn't mean that you can never get cast as a complete opposite to your "normal" look. It happens. There are many factors that go into that. Early on in your career, you may not have the option to play against your type as many A listers do later in their careers. Also, if you just simply get great shots that reflect who you are, later, if you're talented enough you can audition and campaign for roles that you normally wouldn't get.

So, keep it simple. KNOW WHO YOU ARE! KNOW YOUR TYPE and BE YOU. Make sure your photographer knows WHO YOU ARE prior to your shoot. This is essential in getting great headshots and will ensure that you're getting shots that will ultimately get you called in again and again and again!

Mastering The Headshot - Teaching a Workshop / November 2, 2015 by Christian Webb

When Chris Smith of Global Photo Adventures sent me an email asking if I'd like to host a workshop on Mastering The Headshot, I thought "Me? You sure you've got the right guy?" While I'm pretty confident in my work, I never thought to put on a workshop of my own and never suspected anyone would actually invite me to do so. It seems that everyone with a camera these days is hosting a workshop. I really didn't want to be in that crowd as again, I figured "who am I?" and just figured I was happy doing what I was doing. Chris assured me that I was the right guy. He had been following my work and belongs to some of the same photography groups I belong to and apparently, noticed people following and liking my work as well. So, all of that out of the way and with Chris taking the helm as far as setting it all up, I whole heartedly agreed and when the time came, I found myself in Atlanta all set to teach people what I do when it comes to headshots.

After arriving in ATL and dropping off most of my gear at the hotel, Chris and I headed over to the location where the workshop would take place, Photoplex Studios. There we me the studio owner Mike Noa who gave us a tour and spent some time discussing the studio and some of his experiences in business as well as photography related matters in Atlanta. Photoplex is an amazing and pretty large space with multiple studios for shooting and every amenity imaginable. While we loved the studio, much of what I would be teaching would be location shooting. So, Chris and I headed outside and scouted a few locations that would serve as great backgrounds. (this in itself was one of the main lessons to be taught in the days to come.)

DAY 1:

Finally got to meet the folks who actually signed up and committed to spending 3 days with me. All incredibly cool, gifted and really passionate people which made my job that much easier. We started with basic introductions and I bored them with my brief bio and a random Power Point slideshow I had put together. ( just figured, hey, I need something like that for a workshop yeah?). Before long we got down to business and we all headed outside where everyone worked on finding their backgrounds and setting up gear. We were fortunate to have an actress, Nicolette Goetz, sent over from local talent agency, Aligned Stars. After some instruction on gear set up and getting things dialed in with set ups, I spent time coaching a bit more on technical adjustments and then, most important....working with the talent and coaching. Within a short amount of time and after discussing some random tricks here and there, everyone seemed to be well on their way and it ended up being a great first day.

DAY 2:

A student working my camera for a few shots. (Gotta choke up on that lens!)

We spent some time discussing some business aspects of headshot photography and were even joined by Aligned Stars agents Patrick and Andrea who discussed headshots from an agency perspective. Again, we were fortunate to have two of their actors join us as models for the day - Brandon Tewalt and Cashmere Bonton. Both were great to work with and had natural presence in front of the camera. After shooting both in studio and outdoors, we spent some time going over some of the headshots the students shot. After some critique and a feedback session, I did a live edit for everyone to go over the retouching work I do for headshots. The rest of the day was spent shooting and by this time, everyone was truly on their game.

DAY 3:

Pointing out something there on the tethered capture.

Cashmere working the smiles and expressions.

Our final day together started out going over the students "homework" assignment which was having them retouch/ edit their own shots. After, I spent some time discussing some more business related aspects and marketing approaches. Finally, we finished out the workshop with everyone shooting and having fun. Again, we were provided with some great actors from Aligned Stars - Marcus and Erin.

All in all, after my initial bit of anxiety on how this workshop would play out, I left feeling incredibly good about the three days and extremely satisfied to know that I was able to help in bringing my students, fellow photographers and new friends to a new point with their work and helped to up their game. It was an honor and a privilege for me to be there in the first place and I'm truly grateful for the trust given to me to pull this off.

Thanks again to Chris Smith of Global Photo Adventures for making all of this happen. Many thanks to Mike Noa, Photoplex Studios, Aligned Stars Talent and their actors as well as special shout out and thanks to the incredible make up artist we had on hand for the three days Samantha Gunn. A true talent and simply badazz cool!

And of course, a really special shout out and "THANK YOU" to the photographers who gave me the opportunity to work with them:

The Best Headshots? Best Headshot Photographer. / September 16, 2015 by Christian Webb

Ava Raiin, NYC

As an actor, you need a headshot. So you have to find a photographer. Naturally, you'll tell yourself that you need to get the "best headshot" you can get. (hopefully you're saying that!) So with so many photographers out there shooting headshots, how do you actually find "the best?" What is the the best? Who is the "best?" I've had this discussion a few times with a fellow photographers/friends where we talked about the very subject of "best headshot photographer!" What does that mean exactly and how do you know who the "best" is? Well, I think I've figured it out and the answer is....

Well, it's not that simple really. But let's see what we can come up with.

Here's how I see it - There's no such thing as "the best headshot photographer" or the "best headshots!" There are headshot photographers that shoot headshots and then there's "the BEST headshot photographer for YOU!" What that means simply is that out of the many choices of photographers an actor can choose, some of them may not be right for any number of reasons. Pricing may be one factor. A young actor studying theater and waiting tables at night, barely making rent and bills may not have the budget for "the most expensive" headshots. For them, the best headshots will be headshots they can afford. However, this doesn't mean going out to specifically find a bargain basement headshot photographer. The first consideration should always be QUALITY and professional level work! Without out a doubt, you should treat your headshots as a necessary investment. A truly professional, dedicated actor knows the importance of a great headshot and how it will serve their career. They are not looking for the best price, they're looking for the best headshot. So what to do?

Jeff Morgan, Atlanta.  Landscape orientation, 2 light cinematic set up with my usual,  "blue" theme going on. — **Jeff Morgan, Atlanta. Landscape orientation, 2 light cinematic set up with my usual, "blue" theme going on.**

Start by finding the go to professional photographers in the business and work your way from there. You'll soon find that even with the variety of styles offered by the top headshot photographers, there are a few things that are consistent when it comes to their work. For example, they'll shoot PROFESSIONAL level images.....meaning - clean, clear, well focused, well composed, sharp images. The retouching will always be PROFESSIONAL level and look clean and natural. ALL of these things matter! Let me repeat: ALL OF THESE THINGS MATTER! I can't stress this enough to you! If you spend $1,000 on a headshot or spend $99 for the "all inclusive bargain" headshot...the photography has got to be ON POINT! Out of focus images - NO GOOD! The eyes aren't sharp, clear, in focus - NO GOOD! The retouching has you look like your face is melting and is way over smoothed - NO GOOD!!! You will simply have to get new shots all over again!

Kara G., NY

Let's discuss pricing more. For the most part, you'll find that there is a pretty general price range when you get to the top industry leaders. The price fluctuations won't be that extreme so you should expect to pay what the "average" standard amount is in your particular region. Most markets will range somewhere between $300-$800 depending on the packages and such. Truth told, if you find a bargain headshot photographer offering "value meal" plans....and they're $200 cheaper than a truly professional, solid photographer with a real reputation in the business, you're better off just taking your time to save up the extra $200! You should NOT be thinking of your headshot as some random thing you need to just get out of the way and do. You shouldn't be thinking that any decent shot will be okay. You shouldn't be lured by cheap pricing gimmicks. The reason why you're probably going to get better work, better quality at the higher price ranges is simple: Those photographers have experience and you're paying for that experience. They have the technical skills to deliver solid, high end shots and they know what they're doing. They're not just talking a good game. They've been in the game for some time and have proven track records. Even more, they are consistent and their work speaks for itself! Often times, a photographer who is just starting out and looking to build their business and compete will come in the game and offer the "super special" all inclusive deal simply because they haven't reached professional level status yet. They don't have the technical skills or experience and they are just learning. That's fine. Everyone has to start somewhere. But that's NOT who you want to shoot with. That's like hiring a dentist or doctor still in med school. Maybe they know a little something something but is that the risk you want to take? Even if they're decent or okay at what they do, their overall level of professional work won't measure up upon examination.

Allen Redmond,Atlanta

Now let's talk style. While there are some basic similarities to a headshot, there are many photographers with different styles of lighting and set ups. Some shoot exclusively in studio while many shoot exclusively on location. Some do both. Some use natural light only while others may use strobes/speedlights or a combination of both. The BEST headshot is going to be the headshot that fits the style that YOU like and want. Or, perhaps your agent/manager recommends a particular style for you. It's also true that certain markets can have or favor different styles. Regardless, a great headshot is a great headshot whether it favors the particular trend of one region/market. (L.A., NY, ATL) or not. Something you absolutely MUST understand and keep in mind is this: There's a difference between a good headshot and a GREAT headshot!!! You have to know the difference and you have to be committed to enough to your career to know that it does matter!

And this is Jeff shot in natural light, portrait orientation.  A completely different look than my normal look.  But....still, clean, clear, focused and a natural retouch. — **And this is Jeff shot in natural light, portrait orientation. A completely different look than my normal look. But....still, clean, clear, focused and a natural retouch.**

Another consideration and perhaps an overlooked one, is making sure that the photographer is actually BEST for you regarding comfortability. When searching for someone to shoot your headshots, it's important to get a sense of the photographer's personality and their way of working. Checking referrals, reading their info on their website, asking around from others who have shot with them before can help in making the decision as to whether a particular photographer is BEST for YOU to work with. It's not uncommon to find a photographer who has decent work yet, they don't work well or "play nice" with people. Or perhaps they're personality is too zany, over the top or just the opposite, too drab and boring. Making sure you find someone you're comfortable working with is a critical part of getting the BEST headshot that will serve you well.

My shots, my style...the way I light, compose my subjects and all may not in fact be right for you if you prefer a different style.   But as far as photography goes, all of the elements you should be looking for are present in my work - cl… — My shots, my style...the way I light, compose my subjects and all may not in fact be right for you if you prefer a different style. But as far as photography goes, all of the elements you should be looking for are present in my work - clean, sharp, well lit, professionally retouched, contrasty images that "pop" and stand out.

Above all in conclusion, the quality of photography should really be of highest consideration. A headshot photographer's work should most certainly live up to the industry standard as far as lighting, composition and overall professional look. Take a look at their website. Look through all the portfolios. Are ALL of the images great or just a few here or there? Often times, that's a sign of an amateur just starting out and building. They knock a few shots out of the park every so often but their level of consistency just isn't there. Look at their retouch and their final images. Are they professional level or sloppily retouched? Do the faces look too smooth? Again, is EVERY image professionally done or just maybe a few? Just keep in mind that spending the most, doesn't guarantee the BEST either, but spending very little more than likely won't be good. Most times there's a reason why you'll pay a premium for a particular person's work and most likely, that photographer's work is probably solid. And yes, often times, you get what you pay for.

YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE YOURSELF ON HEADSHOTS AND STUDY THAT PART OF YOUR BUSINESS!

Bottom line is...please....for the sake of your career....DO NOT RUSH the process! Take your time! Do not just jump at some random cheap deal to save money. At the same time, don't think spending a ton of money is going to get you the shots that you want. Inspect the work of ANY photographer, get feedback, examine everything, ask around and then start to narrow down your options to make a choice. In the business of headshot photography, with so many photographers to choose from, a bit of research, shopping around and really taking your time will turn up plenty of options and plenty of great photographers. Any of which may in fact just be....the BEST for YOU!

Let me know your thoughts, experiences and feel free to LIKE or SHARE if you found this post helpful!

Actor's Headshots - Selecting The Best Shots / September 11, 2015 by Christian Webb

Julia- This is a shot that the client choose.  While it's not a bad shot,  I had many reasons why I would not have chosen it myself.  This is the retouched version. — *Julia- This is a shot that the client choose. While it's not a bad shot, I had many reasons why I would not have chosen it myself. This is the retouched version.*

Once a headshot session is completed, how much input does the photographer have when actually deciding on which images are "useable" or "best" for the client's purposes? I have had a few people inquire as to whether or not the ultimate decision is up to the client. Sure, of course it is. Well, sort of. As the client paying you for your services, at the end of the day, if they decide that their favorite shot is that one shot where they blinked or the focus was off and a moth flew through the frame, that's their choice. If they want to send that shot out as their main headshot, so be it. They paid you, you did the job and that's that. Or is it? There are a few things to consider when it comes to the decision of which shots are best and many of these decisions not only have impact on the client but also have direct impact on you, the photographer and your business.

When photographing an actor for a headshot, most of my concern is making sure that I get the client to give me the expressions and looks that'll truly showcase who they are and will best suit their needs for getting work. So it stands to reason, that when I'm reviewing their photos after the shoot, I'm looking to find those particular shots that achieved those goals. Once the initial review has been done and the "throw away" shots have been eliminated (out of focus, client blinked, moth flew through the shot, etc.), it's time to start analyzing the shots on a deeper level. Outside of the technical aspects of the photo, what I'm looking for primarily are the shots that convey personality and character. I'm looking for shots that would definitely make a casting director or agent stop and take a second look. Some of this comes from experience working with casting people and agents and some just comes from studying the craft in general. All of that said, here's where it gets tricky. You send the proofs, via whatever your methods/arrangements are and the client does their review. They get back to you and choose 3, 4 or whatever photos that they like and....(here it comes)....the images they've selected have you saying "what?!" Now, I'm writing this assuming that you DIDN'T sit with the client and go through the images together and offer your advice. Personally, I like doing it that way when in studio. It's part of the process as far as I'm concerned and part of my responsibility as a photographer to help them see and select the best shots. But getting back to the issue and where problems can arise.

RAW image, pre-retouch.  I haver many reasons why I don't think it's a great shot.  I prefer a stronger pose with more confidence. Here, she seems to almost be leaning away.  Is it terrible? No, she's still cute, good looking but ther… — RAW image, pre-retouch. I haver many reasons why I don't think it's a great shot. I prefer a stronger pose with more confidence. Here, she seems to almost be leaning away. Is it terrible? No, she's still cute, good looking but there are so many other images that were better.

Most people see themselves in photos and immediately see what they DON'T like about themselves. It's perfectly normal, natural to do so. Everyone does it. We're all narcissists to one degree or the other. If a friend snaps a group photo with you at some event, the first thing everyone does is ask to see the picture. Then, everyone immediately looks at themselves to see how they look. When going through headshots, a lot of people are not looking at the photo in terms of what makes a great headshot but "how they look" and what they like or don't like about themselves. They're seeing all of the issues, flaws or things they don't like about themselves each time they look in the mirror. We're all pretty much conditioned to do so. This is why it's critical to really make sure to discuss with clients what makes a great headshot. It's important to build trust and be able to convey to them that you have their best interests at hand and that your perspective is completely objective. Obviously you want to pick shots where the client "looks" great, but it needs to go beyond that. What do the eyes say? What does the expression suggest? Is the client's position, pose in the composition flattering? These above all things make all the difference.

On top of serving the client's best interests, it's also beneficial to us as photographers to be sure that the "best" work is being put out there. In my example above regarding the client choosing a "bad shot", if that shot goes out there and is circulated, obviously everyone who sees the shot is going to inquire "who shot this?" (probably with a look of disgust or while laughing their ass off!) And of course.....having negative feedback on your headshots can ruin your reputation and is counterproductive to your business.

Take time to really understand the headshot business and what the casting agents and all are looking for. Most of the relationship with a client is about communication. From the initial booking, through the actual shoot and most certainly after the shoot. Really work to make sure your clients trust your decision making process and guidance. It's not always guaranteed that they'll all listen to you, but it's definitely a responsibility owed to each and every client that pays to be in front of your lens.