Honest opinions please. Thanks.

Also, what do you think my age range is?

Color is the industry standard nowadays, so the only option of these photos is the third. You have great red hair -- you want them to see that!

The only problem is your expression looks a bit forced. I am not really sure if you are feeling that smile. Do you have others we could look at?

Best,

Ron

I like the third

I'd say mid to late 20s

Third one is the only usable one. The first two will get you laughed out of LA and NY in that agents and casting directors will think you're too lazy to keep up with industry standard.

First, let's accurately categorize these photographs before we decide which is "best."

Let's not mix apples and oranges. The first two looks are obviously commercial, the third, your theatrical/legit headshot.

You're a character actor, the quintessential "boy next door." The third look, a combination of dramatic wardrobe and commercial energy, doesn't capture that open, joyous energy even half as well as the first two. Black is a very limited and specific color choice, far better suited to different types (I'm thinking of putting together something on retouching later today, and I'll be sure to include a good example of the proper use of that color).

So in spite of popular opinion, had the first two shots been in color, I believe they would have been more effective in selling you correctly.

Age range: Early twenties.

www.robertkim.com
View our all-new “Before & After” headshots, online Friday, June the 19th
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453647

Thank you very much for the input. I feel the third photo is somewhat deceiving because it shows my hair as a reddish color. My hair is actually light brown, but the picture was taken under direct sunlight which may have caused the distortion of color (I'm not a photo professional, so that's just a guess). Also, I feel that the smile may be forced because it was taken with me squinting into the sun.

My agent and photographer recommended that I still use the black and white photos for my headshots. According to my photographer and agent, color is the new standard for LA and NY, but the standard for Austin is still black and white (yes, we are still in the dark ages).

Again, I appreciate your inputs and would like read more of what you guys have to say.

quote:

Originally posted by Rendezvous:
My agent and photographer recommended that I still use the black and white photos for my headshots. According to my photographer and agent, color is the new standard for LA and NY, but the standard for Austin is still black and white (yes, we are still in the dark ages).

If the MAJOR markets are color, then you should fire your agent and never use that photographer and match the Major Market standard. Color, if anything, will help your headshot stand out amongst "the Sheep" that are told stupid things that b/w is standard in TX and help Casting Directors make a better decision in casting.

Hey Faithlove (From Texas)! Is b/w really standard in Texas?

If you hair was indeed brown, then that's odd your face became flushed out and you have about an auburn hair color. Add a little cyan color, to minimize the redness, lower the contrast (after Cyan is added the hair turns out darker and blends in), add a few points in brightness.

Do that moderately, but it wouldn't completely change the hair color unless you just focus on the hair, and unless you have some understanding in photoshop that would be a little bit trickier.

I'll be glad to do it for you, if you want to send me a full picture.

Age: 21-26

I think you need to follow the larger industry standard of color. And I would say #1 if it was in color. Age range: early20s at most! You could definitely play high school too!

I have to agree with I believe robert who said the first two would be great in color... but if they were taken digitally and converted to grayscale then you wouldn't have a problem...
Red hair looks good on you!
YOu look young, so I'd say early twenties, tops!

I love the first black and white headshot. You have a charming smile there. Also, the third picture in color is great because you posture looks more comfortable. I would say you age range differs for both pictures. In the black and white picture, you look like you could do late teens to early 20s. And in the color picture, you could do early 20s to late 20s. Nice teeth and nice smile! All the best!

Sincerely,
Julie Chase
http://www.actorgear.com

quote:

Originally posted by Julie Chase:
I love the first black and white headshot. You have a charming smile there. Also, the third picture in color is great because you posture looks more comfortable. I would say you age range differs for both pictures. In the black and white picture, you look like you could do late teens to early 20s. And in the color picture, you could do early 20s to late 20s. Nice teeth and nice smile! All the best!

Sincerely,
Julie Chase
http://www.actorgear.com

Don't encourage him with the black and whites! We need to get him hip to industry standards. You and I both know that he would get laughed out of LA with B/Ws.

quote:

Originally posted by TRUTHTELLER59:

quote:

Originally posted by Julie Chase:
I love the first black and white headshot. You have a charming smile there. Also, the third picture in color is great because you posture looks more comfortable. I would say you age range differs for both pictures. In the black and white picture, you look like you could do late teens to early 20s. And in the color picture, you could do early 20s to late 20s. Nice teeth and nice smile! All the best!

Sincerely,
Julie Chase
http://www.actorgear.com

Don't encourage him with the black and whites! We need to get him hip to industry standards. You and I both know that he would get laughed out of LA with B/Ws.

Interesting. I just got my first color shots about a year ago. I'm pretty sure I never got laughed out of LA for having BW. In FACT, I still use a couple of my B&W shots theatrically. Never had one freaking problem doing so. What has made color the norm is that the cost of color has gone down compared to the past with the advent of digital pics.

Let's be clear, though, non-truthteller. Your by the book world will get you nowhere in this business. Give it a freaking rest.

To the OP, color is the norm, B&W is perfectly okay...but they had better be exceptional shots. I'm not sure these are. All this said, I do agree that for YOU specifically, color is the way to go. Not for the reasons Truthblabber gave, but rather because you have red hair, (dude, your hair is red, be proud) which is a strength I would want to capitalize upon. Hell, it used to be red heads were the only ones who had color shots.

quote:

Interesting. I just got my first color shots about a year ago. I'm pretty sure I never got laughed out of LA for having BW. In FACT, I still use a couple of my B&W shots theatrically. Never had one freaking problem doing so. What has made color the norm is that the cost of color has gone down compared to the past with the advent of digital pics.

Let's be clear, though, non-truthteller. Your by the book world will get you nowhere in this business. Give it a freaking rest.

Truthteller is right. She's not going by the book. She's applying what has worked for many WORKING actors.

In the past two years I have attended many agent and casting director showcases in Los Angeles. Whenever the topic of headshots came up, all said they do not take actors who submit B&W headshots seriously because it's not the industry standard. They assume you can't follow directions and the job of an actor is to take directions. No casting director wants to be responsible for sending an actor on set who "marches to their own drumbeat" to disrupt the working environment.

From my understanding, the lower cost of color prints wasn't the reason for the switch from B&W prints. It's because most casting is now done online and a color images just looks much better on a computer screen.

quote:

Whenever the topic of headshots came up, all said they do not take actors who submit B&W headshots seriously because it's not the industry standard.

This is true.

I have been very involved in the casting process of my all my indie films, with and without casting directors. Whenever I receive a B&W shot, I don't even look at it. I assume either a) the picture is really old and the actor is not working enough to update it; or b) the actor is not serious about his business enough to know what is expected.

Agents and casting directors have so many pictures submitted to them on a daily basis. It's not protecting yourself and your career to give them a reason to overlook your picture and resume. Submitting B&W gives them that reason.

Good luck,

Ron