When I first moved back here to Los Angeles and decided to launch my photography business, I figured I would get into head shots, at least on the side. It seemed like the logical thing to do considering there are something like 3,000-4,000 actors, singer, and general “talent” that move to LA every single month & all of whom need head shots.
I did work with a few actors & such in my first several months here, and while the photos came out beautiful, something about the whole idea of mass producing stock images just didn’t sit right with me. I wasn’t sure why just yet, but I knew that neither the math (the typical price for head shots is like $300 for 3 looks and makeup is usually another $50-$100) nor the results really added up. I knew that these photos were lovely but did nothing to set my clients apart from their competition & did nothing for my bank account.
After attending & photographing WooHoo Weekend (which you can read more about here), things started to become clear to me! I realized that my clients AND I needed the same thing: BRANDING!!! At the event I got to hear so many amazing speakers but there was one that really struck me, Marki Costello of Become a Host (yes, Costello as in Lou Costello, as in this lady is basically of the original Hollywood royalty as in she knows her ish!). What Marki said is that these days in Hollywood, the only chance anyone has at making it big was to brand themselves! Why? because there is no such thing as “raw talent” anymore. No one has time to develop a young nameless actor into something more. You have to be willing to work hard to cultivate your own talent and then SELL it! Develop a brand around who you are, create meaningful content people want to know and engage with, and build a following that cannot be ignored.
This is why your “head shot” MUST be so much more than that! Your photos need to incapsulate the bigger picture of your brand! Gone are the days of being anything to anyone who asks. According to Marki, “Your opinion is your personality” and “your voice is your brand”. Embrace who you are, cultivate your voice, build your brand. Make your talent something that is a true reflection of who you are so that it cannot be overlooked.
If you are ready to be more than just another pretty face (something we are in no short supply of here in Los Angeles) & you want to stand out in a true and meaningful way, then contact me today & we can start developing your brand together!
