Choosing the right photographer for YOU

So, you have recognised the importance of having current and engaging images to promote yourself or your business, and now need to find the right photographer for you.  It can be a daunting task – from an online search you will know there are many of us photographers. Thankfully - there are ways to narrow it down.

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Specialism

Most photographers specialise in certain types of photography.  They are experts in that area.  For example, if you want to update your headshots, it makes sense to look for a photographer that specialises in that field.

Headshot photographers understand how to adjust lighting and posing to show you at your best – creating the most engaging image from a headshot perspective, as well as how to create a range of images, demonstrating a range of emotions or styles.

Brand photographers will want to dig into understanding your brand - its origins, its values, and what makes it tick.  This will enable them to work with you to create images that show your personality and authenticity, that you can use to effectively elevate your brand.  It’s good to have a think about this before speaking to a Brand photographer.

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Style

Us photographers all have our own ‘style’ of shooting.  I certainly shoot with a clean, uncluttered style.  You can see it across my website.  The photography you get from a photographer will align with what is on their website, so make sure you like the style of their images, and that it will work with the look you are going for.

Personality

For me this is quite an important one.  Having a personal brand or headshot shoot is pretty ‘personal’; we are usually working one on one – so you want to be comfortable.  I’m an introvert, I am not loud and out there.  So, if that is what you want in a photographer, I am likely not the photographer for you.  I’m calm and measured in approach; it’s important for me that you can relax and enjoy the shoot – and not walk out thinking ‘I’m glad that’s over!’.  Making sure you have a phone or video chat with a photographer before booking a shoot will give you a good idea if you feel comfortable with them.  Many photographers will offer this as part of their booking process (I certainly do).

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Female Headshot Glasses

Professionalism

This may seem obvious, but you want your photographer to be reliable.  You can get a good gauge on this in the way they communicate with you and their attention to detail.

Communication

Ensure that you can communicate your preferences re what you are looking to get out of a shoot before booking.  We all work differently, so it’s important to communicate your needs or concerns.  You may be worried about feeling awkward in front of the camera, or if you will be able nail the poses.  Having a chat with your photographer will help put you at ease.  Also, if you have specific look or lighting requirements, it is important to ensure the photographer can cover it.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Photographers will often provide a guide of how they work, and what to expect during the shoot.  For example, where possible I shoot tethered to a screen.  I find this really helps clients relax into a shoot, which provides for more engaging images.

Reviews and Testimonials

Having a look at what previous clients have said about their shoots is a great way to get a view of how they work.

"Michelle produced some amazing shots for our business. She was just so easy to work with"

In Conclusion

The most important point from the above is to choose the photographer that works for YOU – that fits your style, and makes you feel comfortable.

Photographers expect you to be nervous.  They have tricks to get you beyond that.  If you have taken the above into account, you can put trust in your photographer to create the engaging images you are looking for.

Thanks for reading, and congratulations in taking the first step towards raising your visibility.

Good luck !

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It doesn’t have to be daunting !

Whether you're a bustling restaurant, a charming café, or a food truck on the move, capturing the essence of your culinary creations can be achieved, regardless of your business's scale.  In this blog post I am discussing a recent Thai food shoot – working with a small business – and in a very small space.

Thai-Food-photography When considering food photography, we often think of the images we see in magazines, which can be very stylised, with elaborate setups.  But this doesn’t have to always be the case.

I recently did a food photography shoot for a high-end Thai food truck.  The shoot brief was to create a range of images showcasing the food truck menu.  After discussion, we decided to use a white background, to fit with new website styling.  For a small business like this client, keeping it simple in style means when it comes to adding images for new menu items, they don’t have to do a full reshoot.

As you can imagine, aside from the prep, for this type of business most of the cooking happens in the truck.  This isn’t the ideal location for photographing food - unless you are aiming for in action brand style images.

In this type of scenario, the client often doesn’t have large kitchen or restaurant space to work with, as was the case here.  But it doesn’t make the shoot impossible – and it doesn’t make it impossible to create high end images that show off the product.  

Thai Chicken Satay My style of photography is very ‘uncluttered’.  You will see it across my website.  I tend to take a clean and minimalist approach to most of my work – keeping the attention on the subject.  When considering shoot options, I am very much ‘less is more’.

The point of this blog is really to emphasise that you don’t always need a huge space to create the images you require, and we certainly didn’t hear.  I was working in a very small area, on a low table less than 1m square.

Here I’m really talking to small businesses - selling food, or other types of small product.  You may think that having professionally shot images is beyond your means due to the setup requirements, but that may not be the case at all.  Photographers are very creative in achieving the right results with the space and equipment they have.

Creating these images, I shot in a small space using natural light, to avoid taking space up with studio lights.  If I had had more space - could I have used more kit?  Maybe, but in this scenario it wasn’t necessary.

The art of food photography may seem daunting to your small business, but it certainly doesn’t need to be.  By keeping it simple, clean and elegant, you can let your creations do the talking.

If you are considering elevating your culinary creations through then lens – I’m here to help you with that.  Get in touch to discuss how we can capture the essence of your dishes in a way that resonates with your audience.

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The Importance of the Professional Headshot

First impressions count – rightly or wrongly - we all take views, and make judgements, from our first impressions.  We might not always be right, but ultimately we do take an initial view from what is in front of us.

CorporateHeadshot-6 With that in mind, consider the importance of the professional headshot.  More often than not, when someone is going to interact with you or your business on a professional basis, they will pay a visit to your online profiles.  It is so important that when they see you, they see professionalism, and can be confident in who you are.

A professionally shot headshot will demonstrate you are serious about who you are professionally.  If you are looking for a change of role, and looking for an employment opportunity elsewhere, potential employers are likely to go straight to your LinkedIn profile.  It’s important that it represents who you are professionally (along with the content).  It shows who you are and provides credibility.  If you have no headshot image, and they are looking at other candidates as well, that do have headshots, consider the impression that makes.  You might be the best candidate, but they could have already taken a view on you vs other candidates before you walk through the door (if you get that far).  If you want to be seen as a professional, you need to represent that.

Female Headshot with Glasses Similarly, if you are a business owner, your strongest assets are yourself and your team.  We all know that people buy people.  Many businesses have websites using stock images and do nothing to create the personal element.  By representing you and your team online, you show people who they are dealing with – putting faces to names – setting you apart from the competition.

The way your headshot is shot should represent your brand – don’t think it needs to be serious in a suit against a grey background.  It can be – if that is right for you.  It should represent how you work professionally – consider who your clients are and how you want to be seen.  Alot can be conveyed in a headshot.  The background, what you wear, your expression and pose, the way the image is it and framed, all come together to form the view of who you are.

Being consistent across your business profiles is also important – it helps with recognition – which goes towards elevating your brand.  So, when you have your professional headshots, make sure you are using them across all your professional profiles to maximise the benefit.

Ultimately, having an up to date professionally shot headshot goes a long way to demonstrating credibility and professionalism.  Not having a professionally shot headshot can do quite the opposite.

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As an actor, your headshot is often the first thing casting directors and agents see when considering you for a role.  A good headshot can make the difference between getting an audition or being overlooked, so it’s important to put thought and effort into making sure yours is the best it can be.

Keep it simple

But what makes a headshot great?  First and foremost, it should accurately represent what you look like.  Casting directors want to see what you really look like, not a heavily airbrushed or Photoshopped version of yourself.  Your headshot should show off your unique features and personality and should give a sense of what you might look like on screen.  It’s important to keep it simple – nothing fussy in the image to distract from the engagement in your eyes.

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Show your range

In addition to accurately representing your appearance, a good headshot should also convey the type of roles you are best suited for. If you’re an actor who excels at comedic roles, your headshot should show off your playful and light-hearted side.  If you’re an actor who excels at dramatic roles, your headshot should convey intensity and depth.  Good headshot photographers will ensure you cover your range during a shoot – and it is recommended that you have a few different versions of your headshot, giving you options depending on the needs of the casting team.

Use a professional

It’s also important to choose the right photographer for your headshot. Look for someone with experience shooting actor headshots and be sure to check out their portfolio before booking a session. A good photographer will be able to capture your unique qualities and help bring out your best on camera (getting you relaxed and comfortable is key).

Keep it current

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Finally, be sure to keep your headshot up to date.  As you age and your appearance changes, it’s important to get new headshots taken to reflect these changes. A headshot that looks nothing like you in person is not going to be helpful in getting you cast.

In conclusion, headshots are an important tool for actors to showcase their unique looks and abilities. By choosing the right photographer, accurately representing yourself, and keeping your headshot up to date, you can increase your chances of getting noticed and landing the roles you want. So, always keep an eye on your headshot and update it whenever it is necessary.

My headshot sessions allow plenty of time to ensure we cover your range.  If you are considering updating your headshots get in touch – I’d love to help.

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Well, its not all about the crop – but how a photograph is cropped can make it more visually appealing and more impactful.  One of the main reasons photographers use a tight crop in photography is that it allows you to focus on the subject within the frame, eliminating distraction.  It also creates a sense of intimacy, and makes the subject feel closer and more personal.

I use this technique in my headshot photography – creating for a more impactful image.  Yes headshots are to show who we are, but we also want them to draw attention – this is particularly important for actor headshots.

Here’s an example – with a wide landscape crop, a tight portrait crop, and a tight landscape crop.  The impact of the crop on the same image is clear.

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On its own the wide landscape image is fine – but when it is cropped more tightly, it is much more impactful.

For my headshot shoots I provide versions of all 3, in small files sizes for social media use, and large file sizes, required for high quality prints.

• Portrait crops are traditional for headshots, and the general standard for actors on Spotlight.
• Landscape crops are a more modern take, and more impactful when a tight crop is used (my favourite for sure).

As, when I do a tight crop I tend to cut into the hairline, I also provide the wider crop, which gives flexibility on use if you need it.  I would hate you to be in the position of one of my clients where when he provided a headshot for inclusion in a programme - they needed the full headshot, and had to re-create the top hairline where it had been cropped out – not ideal (and not an image I had shot !).  I provide the tight crops where when used on their own you get the most impact – but I want you to have flexibility and be able to use the images for all types of scenario.

If you are considering updating your headshots, and want to know more about how I work, get in touch.

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Backing Essex Business – Group2Grow

I was recently lucky enough to have the opportunity to take part in the ‘Group2Grow’ peer group business development programme – supported by Essex County Council.

The programme brought together small business owners, coming together every fortnight to discuss the issues we all face when running a business, and how to approach them.

Getting out of your comfort zone

When I say discussing ‘issues’ – this really means getting focus on the things that put us out of our comfort zone – and how to tackle them effectively.  For me, being an introvert, putting myself out there, and marketing my business doesn’t come easy to me.  As a photographer I want to be behind the camera – and not be a sales person.   I don’t like it when people are pushy and ‘salesy’ towards me – so I don’t want to be like that when working with my clients.  The programme made me realise I don’t have to be.  Us business owners need to be visible - and ensure we are keeping our online profiles up to date (I really need to do better at that) – but we can align how we ‘sell’ what we do in a way that fits our personality.

I won’t be salesy

In line with that, when communicating and working with clients I am open in approach, and after the shoot my clients will generally be provided with an online proofing gallery, with time allowed to select the images they want to purchase.  I am of course happy to provide my recommendations on the most engaging images, and work through the ‘choosing’ process with you – and we can do that straight after the shoot if time is of the essence – but I won’t pressure on this.

Shoot’s aren’t that scary

I recognise most people coming to me for professional headshots are REALLY not comfortable being in front of the camera – I know – same here.  A recent client on arrival mentioned he aligned it to a visit to the dentist.  Funny as that was – it made me realise that I need to ensure my clients and potential clients know that my shoots are relaxed and unrushed; and I have tricks in my arsenal to ensure that you relax and we get the images you are looking for.  The business development programme helped me understand how important it is that potential clients see who I am and how I work.

Joining Group2Grow helped me to realise I just need to be me and keep doing what I do best - which is looking after my clients.  My story on the programme and how it worked for me is on the link below.

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https://backingessexbusiness.co.uk/essex-success-stories/michelle-dulieu-photography

 

There are many types and style of photographer - if the way I work appeals to you – get in touch – I’d love to discuss your photography requirements.

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Professional Headshots - What to Wear

Don’t distract from your face !

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Wear clothes that fit well !

How do you want to be seen ?

Hair and make-up

Try not to overdo makeup – wear what you would normally wear.  People want to see you as you are – and in particular for Actor headshots, it’s important to represent yourself as naturally as possible. A natural matt, non-shiny look is recommended.  It can be adjusted during the shoot, so feel free to bring options with you. Hair can also be adjusted during the shoot.  And, if you have long hair I recommend having images shot with your hair up and down – in particular for Actor headshots - to give you plenty of variety.

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Shall I take my glasses off ?

Still not sure ?