Tag: portraits

So far so good!

It’s been more than a year since Highline West hit the ground running. Having been a bit green to the idea of owning and managing a business, we’ve encountered all of the mistakes… and lived to tell the tale. Sure there have been a lot of ups and downs, slow moments, even slower moments and some nerve racking situations, but we’re still here and from what we can tell: stronger than ever. We’ve met great people, learned from our mistakes, built an entire studio from the ground up and had fun doing it all. Our clients love the headshot work that we do and our architectural photography services are set up to take off. What more could we ask for? The reason we bring this up now is because it’s nice to reflect on the past. Good (and/) or bad.

One of our partners took some film images of us on his vintage rangefinder around this time last year and we thought it would be fun to turn the camera around on ourselves again now. So as a visual representation of ourselves, then and now, we present our version of Dear Photograph.

Whether it’s for that next big acting role or to show your clients that you’re approachable and easy to work with, a great headshot should first and foremost look like you. The main purpose of a headshot is to not only convey what you look like, but also what you might be like as a person. A friendly demeanor can only help in a corporate atmosphere where working with others is a essential part of your business. Similarly for actors, showing a wide breadth of personality will help strengthen your chances at landing that next big part. Cramming all of that information into an instant that can be captured on camera is no small task, but the end result could mean the difference between compelling your desired audience to choose you or moving on.

So why should a headshot look like you? With all of the advances in photography and post processing, wouldn’t it work to your advantage to shape your look to exactly what your audience would want? While this line of logic seems justified, landing a client or job based on a falsified headshot will only work against you at the end of the day as the person on paper will not truly reflect the real individual when you meet in person.

We here at highline west realize the importance of having a great headshot and it is with that mindset that we work to ensure several principles are upheld. Firstly, we want to spend the time getting to know you. Nothing shows up better on camera than a comfortable and confident person. Secondly, we aren’t just concerned with capturing a sharp image (although that does carry its own importance), but we make sure to bring out the best and most intriguing/compelling elements of your personality on film. These vital headshot components, amongst many others, are just some of the things that set us apart from the competition.

Our headshot sessions are built around creating images that not only reflect you as a person, but in turn help you further yourself in your respective career. From our introductory coffee meeting, where we gauge your end goals and build a comfortable relationship, to our meticulous hand done photo editing, we pride ourselves our product, which is a great headshot of you.

Well, that title might not be 100% true. But the eyes, among many other factors, play a uniquely vital role in how compelling a headshot might be.

In my experience, and you may want to test this for yourself as well, the human gaze is naturally drawn towards eyes. Whether it is a passing stranger, individuals on TV or even checking out the animals at the zoo, we are compelled to look into the eyes of any living thing we come in contact with. This same phenomenon holds true for portraits and headshots. Casting directors use the eyes in a headshot photo to help them determine what kind of potential roles an actor could play or even if they might be suitable for a future casting.

We here at Highline West understand that eyes are an important factor. How they appear in a photo can suggest a great depth of personality, convey a versatility of character roles (for actors) and even provide a friendly and confident demeanor to potential clients and hires. Putting your best face forward for your career goes without saying and, because the eyes are where everyone looks first, we tailor our headshots with this in mind. So, if you only have a split second with which to impress or captivate an audience, why not capture their attention with your eyes?