This is “Rhonda II,” my long suffering “model” who works for hours (even days) without complaint (or compensation). I use Rhonda to check flash lighting set-up and exposure, in this case for actor headshots for my theater lobby display on upcoming shows.  Unlike like headshots I may do for other actors, I generally shoot these for my actor images all in a similar style, framing, and background so they match in the lobby display.

Headshots are a professional, aspiring, and even amateur actor’s calling card that is also used at by agents for prospective work, auditions, in lobby show card displays and program bills. Styles of headshots used to vary depending on location (New York, Chicago, or West Coast) and their uses.  Some of these regional style differences still exist, but a trend toward a more uniform appearance is more common.

A theater (Legit) headshot is usually more serious or dramatic in appearance, with the subject in casual clothing, tightly cropped to the head.  The purpose of a “legit shot” is the place your face before casting directors, and show the type of character you are capable of playing.   Commercial/industrial are usually with a smile and some shots show more of the body of the actor, while glamour/model headshots are usually showier with detailed hair/make-up (for women) and dressier clothing.

The degree of cropping and lighting style varied, with what has been known as the “New York” being very dramatically lit with very tight cropping sometimes showing only a portion of the face.  The “West Coast” headshot tended to be more causal with images many times made outdoors and ¾ body shots. The “Chicago” style fell somewhere in between with a full head to a “bust shot” with a more relaxed expression than the New York style. These styles are very much in flux so what is in vogue is constantly changing.

The traditional headshot was always Black & White (even well into digital color era) usually because these were lithographed in quantity with the actor’s name on the front, and a resume printed on backside. Color headshots are now really the standard, but B&W still remains a strong choice for use in programs, lobby show cards, and for a more traditional look. This is an easy (but important) conversion that can be done by the photographer or the printer.

For our Theatre Company lobby headshots, I want a uniform appearance in each of the photos. To achieve this look, I pose the young actors in a similar manner, and I use the same flash lighting set-up with minor individual adjustments.

My style for these lobby headshots are a bit closer to what was known as the “Chicago” style, with a bust shot and relaxed expression. These final images will be printed on 8 ½ x 11” stock as an 8 x 10 image with the actor’s name below the image for use as a lobby display.  Regular headshots are always 8 x 10”. 

In setting up, I first use the camera display to get a rough idea of how the set-up looks. Then I will take these test images to view them in Photoshop to see what fine adjustments to the lighting may yet be necessary prior to the actual photo session.  I try to do all of these headshots in a matching style and pose using the same lighting set-up for our lobby display.

Lighting is fairly soft using approximately a 1:2 ratio Key to Fill with all flashes using soft modifiers.  I used four monolights:
    160ws reflected in a 60” Umbrella reflector from the right as a Key light
    160ws through a 24x24” softbox at 1/2 power as a front fill
    160ws through an 86” white umbrella at 1/4 power as a left side fill
    100ws through a 12x12” softbox above and to the right as a hair/backlight
                                                             or may be positioned to the back left

The RAW Image was post processed in Photoshop-RAW making minor adjustments to clarity, exposure, a little vibrance reduction, and color balance.  In Photoshop I just made a simple conversion to B&W using PS B&W conversion, slightly adjusting brightness/contrast. With actual subjects, I post processing to remove any blemishes, whiten teeth/eyes if needed, and adjust skin tones. I save the color PSD (Photoshop) file and save an
8x10” 180dpi color version with a simple B&W conversion for the final image for the lobby display.