Yeah, I know. A headshot photographer hyping up the importance of headshots is not an award-winning plot twist.
But before I became a photographer, I spent six years working at a major New York talent agency. My mornings involved sorting, packaging, and staring at hundreds of headshots, then watching to see who got called in.
Glamorous? Not exactly. Useful? Very.
As the audition appointments started rolling in, it was clear that even the most talented actor can miss out on opportunities over a bad headshot.
An agency desk can teach you what casting directors respond to, but connecting with actors requires understanding what the experience feels like from their side. Our stories likely share a common first chapter: a move to New York to study acting. From my shoulder hung a camera, first placed in my hands a few years earlier by my dad, a photographer.
Around campus, stories spread about classmates coming back from headshot sessions feeling disappointed, mildly traumatized, or both. They saw my camera and started asking if I could help. What began as casual shoots for friends slowly turned into the work I have now been doing for more than twenty years.
Some photo studios can feel like conveyor belts, moving actors through at a rapid pace. Because my first subjects were scene partners, I never saw anyone as just a client or a quota to be met. I saw each person as a collaborator, and that is still how I work today.
When you arrive, we'll put on your favorite music and talk through what you want your new headshots to do for you. We'll look through my portfolio together, talk about the kinds of roles you're going for, and figure out the lighting, backgrounds, wardrobe, and overall vibe that make the most sense.
Not sure what you need? Totally normal. You do not need to show up with your entire brand identity figured out. I'll help guide you.
Every actor is unique, and your headshots should never be trapped inside a photographer's narrow signature look. When you look through my portfolio, you'll see different moods, lighting styles, locations, and energies. That's intentional. You're not one thing as an actor, and your headshots should not make you look like one thing either.
The goal is to create headshots that actually feel like you and help casting directors understand where you fit. My approach comes from two questions: What would I have wanted from a photographer when I was acting? And what would I have wanted to see if I were submitting this actor from an agency desk?
Each session includes two hours of shooting, which gives us enough time to breathe, try things, adjust, and create a range of images that still feel connected.
While we're shooting, my goal is to make the camera feel like the least weird part of your day. Ideally, it should feel more like hanging out, talking, laughing, and occasionally remembering that, yes, we are technically taking photos. I'll show you previews along the way so we can make adjustments together and make sure we're getting what you need.
As much as I like to think every moment is organic, one line has become part of nearly every shoot: "Check the background, lighting, wardrobe, hair, and anything else that catches your eye. If something feels off, we can change it. You will not hurt my feelings."
On the night of your shoot, every image is uploaded to a private gallery which you can share with your team. The gallery is designed for easy viewing, sharing, and selection. The images I feel are strongest will be marked to help guide the process.
Every session also includes two images that I personally retouch. My retouching is natural, clean, and actor-friendly. You should look polished and rested, but still very much like yourself. When your retouched images are ready, you'll be able to download them from my website and start using them for submissions.
At the center of every shoot is collaboration, care, and respect for where you are in your career. Whether you're just starting out, coming back after time away, or updating headshots that no longer feel like you, the goal is simple: to help you walk away with images that feel honest, current, and useful for where you're trying to go.
Sessions can be booked online through my calendar system, where you can view current availability and request a shoot date directly.
If you do not see a time that works for you, feel free to reach out and I will always do my best to accommodate your schedule whenever possible.
Once your session is booked, I'll send over a detailed pre-shoot guide with suggestions on wardrobe, styling, preparation tips, and other helpful information to help get ready for your shoot.