Yeah I'm finally coming out of the dark ages -- I've still been using my black-and-white pics, which I can get away with for NY theater, but I want to pursue getting a commercial agent this year so I'm planning on getting color headshots in the next month or two.

The photographer I'm thinking about using offers choice of digital or film (2-3 changes of clothing). What are most people doing now?

I'm guessing digital but please let me know what you all have selected for your recent headshots.

Thanks!

I can relate to "The Dark Ages," lol. I used film for many, many years.

I do not know of any professional in the business continuing to use film or who is still recommending it. Digital technology has been so good for so long that I cannot find even a single reason not to use it. Knowing that, the fact that your photographer would still even offer film as a viable alternative is cause for concern.

"Whatever works."

www.robertkim.com

Thank God for digital!

So much more creative freedom, so much more control over color!

Once I woke up at night, and digital had just been a dream, and I had to go back to film, to the much greater dependence on labs, all that messing about with film stock and chemicals…

Fortunately this had just been a nightmare I woke up from.

There’s really no reason to use film today.

Digital is so much better.

Justine,

This is a pet peeve of mine - when photographers first started going digital, they had to justify the huge expense of upgrading equipment, workflow, etc., and so they promoted digital as better than film. But it's not necessarily better. Same thing with outdoor shots -- so many photographers tout these outdoor locations or natural sunlight as better than inside a studio -- when the truth is they just never really learned studio lighting well enough, so they cop out by taking clients outside. And so now actors are asking the wrong questions. I'm sure you've heard the old saying, "It's not the violin, it's the violinist."

It doesn't matter what medium they use - even if they shoot with film, they can scan the negative and give you digital versions. Fact is, if they're skilled and excel at what they do, then they're skilled and will excel whether they use digital or film. What matters is the photographer's skills and their ability to bring out the best in you in the most natural and complimentary way.

Many photographers love the results you get with film (it IS different), and I'll bet the person you're considering offers it simply because they love working with it. Now, wouldn't you rather have your headshots done by someone loving the process of shooting with film, rather than someone who only works with digital because everyone started asking for it and he or she needs to make money off ya? Not saying that all digital-only shooters do that, but that is an element to consider. If I were you, I would ask this photographer you are considering why he or she still uses film, and what they think would be any advantage of one or the other. Engage him or her in a dialogue -- and if this photographer doesn't want to take time to answer your questions, forget 'em!

Your headshot is your calling card for your career, so don't just select a photographer just by what medium they use or by looking at their work only online - call them, meet them, talk to them, look at their portfolios at their studios and see how comfortable you feel while there. That is much more important than whether to go with digital or film, or what "most people are doing now."

Hope this helps...

quote:

Originally posted by Justine:
Yeah I'm finally coming out of the dark ages -- I've still been using my black-and-white pics, which I can get away with for NY theater, but I want to pursue getting a commercial agent this year so I'm planning on getting color headshots in the next month or two.

The photographer I'm thinking about using offers choice of digital or film (2-3 changes of clothing). What are most people doing now?

I'm guessing digital but please let me know what you all have selected for your recent headshots.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by citychik:
even if they shoot with film, they can scan the negative and give you digital versions.

This is true. It's a piece of cake with a professional scanner.

We're not talking about the $50 scanners from Best Buy. These are professional scanners that cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

quote:

Originally posted by citychik:
Justine,

This is a pet peeve of mine - when photographers first started going digital, they had to justify the huge expense of upgrading equipment, workflow, etc., and so they promoted digital as better than film.

Yeah, some of them really overcharge. They have a slick studio, and then they pump you dry.

300$ to 500$ are perfectly enough to get great headshots.

Justine,

I'm surprised the photographer offers a choice. It seems like almost everyone is using digital these days.

Ultimately, it doesn't really matter but here's my one and only concern about digital. A lot of untalented photographers think they don't need to worry about lighting if they use digital - which is a load of crap. They claim that digital is very flexible and everything can be fixed after the fact. Well, I couldn't disagree more. And I see hundreds of headshots every month.

So please make sure that you're getting your money's worth. Check out the photographer's book - film or digital - and make you sure like the work.

And yes - it's time to say bye bye to black and white. But you know what? Everything old becomes new again. So in five years, watch - black and white headshots will become retro hip.

Have a great shoot!

quote:

Originally posted by citychik:
This is a pet peeve of mine - when photographers first started going digital, they had to justify the huge expense of upgrading equipment, workflow, etc., and so they promoted digital as better than film. But it's not necessarily better. Same thing with outdoor shots -- so many photographers tout these outdoor locations or natural sunlight as better than inside a studio -- when the truth is they just never really learned studio lighting well enough, so they cop out by taking clients outside. And so now actors are asking the wrong questions. I'm sure you've heard the old saying, "It's not the violin, it's the violinist."

It doesn't matter what medium they use - even if they shoot with film, they can scan the negative and give you digital versions. Fact is, if they're skilled and excel at what they do, then they're skilled and will excel whether they use digital or film. What matters is the photographer's skills and their ability to bring out the best in you in the most natural and complimentary way.

Dear citychik,

True enough.

Many of your points are spot-on. The extreme cost of purchasing new and expensive digital equipment hit many photographers hard. There is no question that the actual reason that many headshot photographers never fully went fully digital was for financial reasons. They simply couldn't afford to. Coming up with all the cash up front to replace my six, old Nikons certainly wasn’t an expense I was expecting, either. But I never even considered having my clients shoulder that responsibility. My price remained the same as in the previous five years. But unfortunately, in many cases your complaint was all too real. However, your suggestion that all photographers promoted digital over film simply to offset their expenses was off the mark, certainly in terms of my conversion.

When digital took over analog in the music industry (and everywhere else), I realized that it was only a matter of time before headshots would become digital, but I would never had made the change until digital was as good, or better, than film. In the early days, film was still far superior to digital photography. It wasn’t until years later when digital quickly overtook film technology that I finally took the plunge. When I discovered that digital had virtually no “down side” and had actually surpassed film in overall quality, the transition was a quick and easy one.

In a previous post, I ran down the many reasons digital outshined old-fashioned film, including it's tremendous flexibility, ease of use, pixel sharpness (virtually eliminating grain), and just plain instant gratification. Today, there is virtually no reason not to choose digital over film, anymore than you’d select a black-and-white television over a color one.

I really liked your comments regarding the headshot process “citychik,” especially your thoughts on natural v. studio lighting. They were quite insightful. I plan to dedicate an entirely new thread to that topic. Watch for it, I’d enjoy hearing your comments.

“Whatever works.”

www.robertkim.com

I would agree that you should choose the photographer, not the medium.

That said, shooting digital allows you to get a lot more images for the fee; and so, your chances of getting a lot of great shots (with someone who knows what he/she is doing) goes UP!

Good luck!

Ron
www.ronbrownheadshots.com
www.aperfectfitmovie.com

I've got to agree with citychik. Film is a beautiful medium, and if a photographer knows how to shoot it, you will get great quality shots. Digital is just easy today, and many photographers don't know how to to shoot film (i.e. what stock to use, etc.) Film quality is actually better, but digital is much easier to deal with today and there aren't a lot of labs left who process film.
After looking at the site for Robert Wilde Photography, the one who raves about digital the most, his photography is....well..awful! He doesn't have a clue about lighting, and his digital adjustment is just plain bad. Go figure!

quote:

Originally posted by Holly Dooley:
I've got to agree with citychik. Film is a beautiful medium, and if a photographer knows how to shoot it, you will get great quality shots.

Citychik also wrote: "It's not the violin, it's the violinist."

Simply understanding how film works doesn't equate to "great quality," anymore than knowing how to use a microphone will make you a great singer.

"Whatever works."

www.robertkim.com

Thanks everyone for all the helpful replies. I do appreciate it.

quote:

Originally posted by Secret Agent Man:
And yes - it's time to say bye bye to black and white. But you know what? Everything old becomes new again. So in five years, watch - black and white headshots will become retro hip.

Have a great shoot!

Thanks very much! And yes, I'd love it if the b & w come back in style again in a few years. There is something so classic about them.