Thoughts on black and white headshots? I have multiple of each but sometimes my black and white ones suit a role better and I never know if color is preferred.

Color has been the preferred industry standard for about five years now. If you submit a b&w headshot agents/CDs will think that you are either a)an amateur or b)that your headshots are more than 5 years old.

If you want to get laughed out, then by all means go black and white!

GET WITH THE TIMES!

In NY, color is never preferred. If you're submitting overseas, perhaps you can use a B&W shot in some markets.

quote:

Originally posted by Brett_D:
In NY, color is never preferred.

Is this a typo? Or is NY still backwards?

quote:

Originally posted by TRUTHTELLER59:

quote:

Originally posted by Brett_D:
In NY, color is never preferred.

Is this a typo? Or is NY still backwards?

I think Brett meant ALWAYS preferred. I have not seen a B&W headshot at an audition in NYC in years.

Good lord, there is no way NY still used black & white.

quote:

Originally posted by marbar:

quote:

Originally posted by TRUTHTELLER59:

quote:

Originally posted by Brett_D:
In NY, color is never preferred.

Is this a typo? Or is NY still backwards?

I think Brett meant ALWAYS preferred. I have not seen a B&W headshot at an audition in NYC in years.

Sorry, yes...typo (or rather incorrect edit to the sentence). Color is of course always used in NY.

So, I've been testing this theory out myself. I'm not really sure if this is any indication of anything lately. But I am here in New York, and I've gotten a number of auditions lately (including a handful of commercials), with a black and white headshot.

quote:

Originally posted by Syphus:
So, I've been testing this theory out myself. I'm not really sure if this is any indication of anything lately. But I am here in New York, and I've gotten a number of auditions lately (including a handful of commercials), with a black and white headshot.

Besides commercials, auditions for what? Shitty student films and plays that no one sees?

Otherwise, you must have a really unique look.

The mystery is why would you still have black and white when color has been the standard for close to 10 years now?

quote:

Originally posted by Syphus:
So, I've been testing this theory out myself. I'm not really sure if this is any indication of anything lately. But I am here in New York, and I've gotten a number of auditions lately (including a handful of commercials), with a black and white headshot.

Real shows, I promise, stuff you'll see on a legit TV channel. And I'd like to never do theater, but people actually do go see Off Off Broadway plays out here.

However, I might just have a really unique look, I haven't quite seen that.

As to why I have it, that's pretty simple. For a certain movie recently I had to go from being beard guy, to mustache guy. So, I decided to keep the mustache. Then I decided that there is a high likelyhood that I should take new headshots. So, while doing that, I took a color one, and took a black and white one.

I happened to like the Black and White one, so I thought I'd see if any use could be gotten out of it. And it turns out that the answer seems to be yes. Whether I'd get more from the color headshots is debatable, as is if this would fly in LA, but I simply thought it was an interesting fact, as it really only matters what casting people think, and not what anyone else says.

Hi Syphus,
Could you post the photo so we can see it? Also, I want to add that photo shoots are digital now, so it's not a matter of taking one black and white photo and a color one, any photo can be black and white or color since it's being processed in a computer instead of in the camera on film.
Joanna
www.joannabrooks.com
Headshots LA

quote:

Originally posted by Joanna Brooks:
Hi Syphus,
Could you post the photo so we can see it? Also, I want to add that photo shoots are digital now, so it's not a matter of taking one black and white photo and a color one, any photo can be black and white or color since it's being processed in a computer instead of in the camera on film.
Joanna
www.joannabrooks.com
Headshots LA

I am aware of how digital photography works. However, as always, a photo taken with the intent of being shot as black and white is a better way of working, and vice versa. I'm sure the super huge aperture is also another faux pas.

Anyway, here's the photo:



Solely cause you asked as I have no desire for a critique.

Hi Syphus,
So, yes, you have an extremely unique and interesting look and I can see how this shot would get interest for you. It doesn't mean that black and white is the way to go. I still think you should have color shots because I can't tell your eye color from these and most people assume your black and whites are over 8 years old. Your look is great though.
Joanna
headshots LA
www.joannabrooks.com

quote:

Originally posted by Joanna Brooks:
Hi Syphus,
So, yes, you have an extremely unique and interesting look and I can see how this shot would get interest for you. It doesn't mean that black and white is the way to go. I still think you should have color shots because I can't tell your eye color from these and most people assume your black and whites are over 8 years old. Your look is great though.
Joanna
headshots LA
www.joannabrooks.com

Thanks, at least I got that going for me.

I will probably switch over to the color one soon enough, and continue with my little experiment.