FAQ

What makes a great headshot?

A great headshot should be an honest and real representation of you at your best.

There are a million actors out there, but there is only one YOU. My number one goal as a headshot photographer is to find what is unique about you as a person and allow that to come through in every photograph we shoot.

When I meet you, I want to know what makes you tick. What are your favorite books and movies? Favorite actors? TV shows? Who are your heroes? What makes you happy? What makes you sad? Do you like classical music or do you prefer punk rock? Are you a night owl or a lark? Do you have a dog or a cat? A horse? French Roast or Chamomile tea? Hipster or Hippie? Country Mouse or City Mouse? These may seem like silly questions, but I really want to get inside your brain and see what turns you on so I can keep that in mind when we are shooting. Another thing that makes a great headshot is simple, clean lighting that allows you to look your best and highlights your unique features in an elegant, pleasing and real way.

I specialize in natural light portraits that evoke something in the people that look at them. I never want any of my pictures to look posed or fake. My goal at every headshot session is to have fun and play with you and turn out headshots that get you noticed because they convey emotion and character. If you are stiff and nervous, we won’t get a good shot. But my clients are rarely nervous for long.

What is the difference between a “Headshot” and a “Portrait”

Sometimes portraits make the best headshots, but not all portraits are headshots. A portrait can be a lot of things, it can be a fashion shot like you see in magazines or a quick snapshot. It may be a wide shot, a 3/4 head and shoulders shot or a tight close-up. But mostly, it is an artists representation of what you look like. Some portraits, like those of famous photographers like Annie Leibovitz or David LaChapelle, have very high production value and involve complicated studio lighting. This approach is great for fashion photography, and I love the old hollywood glamour that studio lighting can bring.

But a headshot is something very specific. A headshot is much less about the photograph itself and much more about the person in the photograph.

A headshot should showcase YOU as an actor and should be clean, simple, real and honest. It should appear effortless and fun. When agents and casting directors look at your headshot, I don’t want them to notice how great the photo is, I want them to notice how great YOU are.

It’s a simple concept, but harder to pull off than you might imagine.

How long have you been shooting?

I shot my first picture when I was seven and have been continuously shooting since I was 13. You know the guy in high school with the camera around his neck at the school play? Yeah, that was me. Except I was the drama nerd too. I was taking the behind the scenes pics from inside the scenes! In fact, the only thing I’ve done longer than photography is acting. I booked my first commercial gig when I was 5 and joined the Screen Actors Guild at the age of 6. I was a working actor for more than 30 years and have had the pleasure of working with many of the best in the business. It will always be a part of me. I feel different than other headshot photographers because I understand what it feels like to be on the other side of the camera all too well. And not only me, my whole family. I grew up on sets. My father has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and my mother was an award winning producer, so show business is quite literally in my blood! Besides acting, I have also worked in advertising as a copywriter. Oh, and I went to graduate school for psychology. Not to toot my own horn, but I can’t think of better credentials for a headshot photographer than acting, advertising and psychology. I feel like photography is the perfect culmination of everything I’ve been, learned and done. TOOT!!!

Do you just shoot headshots and portraits or do you also do weddings and families and babies and pets and…

I love babies!

Ditto for doggies!

I shoot both.

Sometimes even at the same time.

Cats too. And fish.

And I definitely shoot weddings, in fact I shot more than a handful in the last year…

I absolutely love shooting weddings. They are like cinema to me.

But what I love doing most is relaxed and real portraits of people, specifically headshots of actors. It’s just the thing that brings me the most joy and I feel suits my personality and experience best.

I love being a headshot photographer, because I love people.

Do you shoot headshots for kids?

Yes!

Kids are one of my very FAVORITE subjects. I had my first headshot taken when I was a kid. Heck, I am a kid.

Seriously, kids take the BEST headshots because they can’t help but be natural and spontaneous. They are the very definition of “keeping it real”!

Do I need professional headshots? Can’t I have my friend take my headshots for free?

Whenever I hear this come out of someone’s mouth, I always think they must be joking. For realz? Would you go to your friend who has a drill and some putty to fill your cavity? How about letting your friend who is “good with cars” fix the transmission on your new Mini-Cooper? Would you have your buddy with a microscope check your red blood cell count? Maybe get your hillbilly cousin who has seen every “Legally Blonde” movie defend you in court? Well, maybe that last one. Look, we go to professionals all the time when it matters. Your career matters. YOU matter. Go to a professional! If not me, there are many great headshot photographers in Los Angeles, but for heaven’s sake do NOT let your friend with the fancy new digital camera shoot your headshots. And do not trust some amateur on Craigslist. The only thing worse than a free headshot is a cheap headshot. If someone is charging fifty bucks for headshots, trust me, they are NOT making a living doing that and therefore are not worth a second thought. Your headshot is THE most important calling card you have and agents can spot an amateur headshot from 200 yards. They won’t even look at them. You might be the next Laurence Olivier or Meryl Streep, but if your headshot looks like it was taken by Uncle Bob, you’ll never get the chance to prove it. You haven’t come this far and worked this hard to have crappy or outdated headshots. As a professional actor for 30 years myself, I know that a great headshot really can open doors. But keep in mind that a million other people are hammering on that same door with all they’ve got. If you want to open the door, don’t go to a second rate locksmith.

Invest in yourself.

For the record, I spent $1,000 on my  first acting headshots. In 1979. Best investment I ever made.

I’m not an actor or a model but I’d like some great pictures of myself. Can you work with me?

Absolutely! In fact, about 1/4 of my clients are not performers or actors. We live in a very visually driven and image centric era. Whether you are a real estate agent, doctor, college professor, author or plumber you need a headshot. Any business person with a web presence (in other words, every business person) can benefit from a great portrait. Because corporate headshots rarely involve outfit or location changes, these portraits usually don’t take too long to shoot, about half the time of a normal actors headshot session. Sometimes, it can even be done on a lunch hour! But like in a headshot session, we will have a lot of fun in that hour. I’m a firm believer that “corporate” headshots don’t have to be boring! I was recently asked to do some portraits for a call center and I grabbed this…

Normally, I have my models take their gum out of their mouth before the picture, but Heather reminded me of “Violet Beauregarde ” from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, so I just shot her being her wonderful, quirky, fun self! And I mean, who wouldn’t want to talk to that girl on the phone?

Does my session have a time limit? Do you charge more if we go longer?

No and no. Unlike some headshot photographers that set a time limit or do a shot count, I like to keep things relaxed, fun and open. To me, the ideal shoot is us having a great time with no pressure, no one waiting in the wings and no appointments to rush to. We are hanging out, laughing and taking some awesome pictures.

I shoot digital and have plenty of “film” so we shoot till we get it. Period. And I will never say the word “cheese”, because if I do, that is what we will get. And while I love a good smoked Gouda, I don’t want it creeping into our session. Well, maybe after we wrap. But you bring the crackers and wine.

What’s better, horizontal or vertical? Do you shoot 3/4 shots as well as close-ups?

I shoot all of the above, but most headshots are better the closer they are. There is a reason these are called “head” shots. There is something really warm and personal about a persons head and shoulders filling the frame…

The legendary photojournalist and war photographer Robert Capa once said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” I agree.

I get close.

Not just because it makes the picture more interesting, but because close-ups are noticeable small. The way the submission process works now is that your headshot is submitted online, and the casting director scans through hundreds of thumbnails, selectively enlarging the most interesting images. The photographer has to be aware of this process, because if your headshot doesn’t look good as a thumbnail, they will rarely choose to enlarge it. Images that look good as thumbnails tend to be tight shots, from the shoulders up.

Once a headshot is enlarged, horizontal tends to work a bit better because a computer screen is formatted horizontally.

If you are doing a comp card or are a model, athlete or dancer, a vertical 3/4 and full length shot is essential as well.

And if your body type, physicality or hair length is important to your castability, I will consider that too.

Otherwise, keeping it relatively tight works best. But you will have many of all of the above to choose from in the end. I shoot a LOT of frames and break my own rules all the time…

Do you shoot in black and white or color?

If you have to ask that question, you need new headshots! Black and White headshots went out with parachute pants. Seriously.

Don’t get me wrong, I love black and white photographs, but not for headshots. agents throw them out nowadays without even looking at them. Color is the standard, even for theatrical work.

I am more than happy to give you a black and white version of any shot you like for your own personal use. Frame it and put it on the mantle, share it on facebook, give it to your mother, but don’t send it to your agent. Unless you use it as your christmas card.

Do you shoot in a studio or outside?

I am very lucky to have learned studio photography from a master. I spent years assisting one of the most famous photographers in the world at his Beverly Hills studio. I love the elegant, high key, fashionista style portraits that you can get from a really great studio set-up. Some of my favorite photographers are studio shooters and I respect and admire them greatly. But that’s not what I do. I specialize in natural light portraiture because I personally feel that even the best studio lighting in the world cannot even begin to approach what the sun can do. The light that occurs in Southern California at the right time of day and in the right location is pure magic.

No studio lighting can even come close to open shade on a bright and beautiful day. I also love the way the light changes outside and I adore the variety of colors and backgrounds that we can use as a backdrop.

If I worked in a city like Seattle or New York or Boston where we had to worry about rain or snow or freezing temperatures or the had to deal with the baking heat of Arizona or the muggy misery of Arkansas, I would insist on a studio because your comfort is paramount to me. But we are lucky to be in the city with the greatest weather and sunlight in the world. I’m a native Californian and I feel blessed every day to almost never have the weather dictate where or when I shoot. Having said that, I religiously check the weather reports before each shoot and if it’s going to be raining we will reschedule. I am lucky to say that I’ve never had a shoot rained out yet.

What’s it like to shoot with you?

As much like this as possible.

Will you pose me or direct me during the shoot?

I may do some of both. Mostly I will treat you as an actor. Think of this as an acting gig! Show me what you got!

As a photographer, I consider myself a director and as every seasoned actor will tell you, the best directors do the least. If I see something I want, I will definitely encourage you to explore it further, but generally I want to get out of your way and let you do your thing while I’m snapping away. I’ve also found that when you are relaxed, you work best so I do everything within my power to help you get in that space. Relax, breathe and take your time. There is no rush, we break when we need to and I am not counting frames. Just have fun and play with it. When I first began as a photographer, I noticed that the best shots came after I said, “We got this! But do you wanna do just a few more frames just for fun?” Now I begin each session with that mindset and I have found that we get keepers almost right out of the starting gate.

Do I look into the camera?

Yes!

Not only do I want you to look into the camera, I want you to look through the camera. By lighting you properly, using the best lenses and carefully choosing my depth of field, I will be highlighting the “sparkle in the eye” that agents and casting directors look for as much as I can, but much of that is up to you. As Tyra says on “America’s Next Top Model”, you should “smile with your eyes”.

I have found that clients naturally do that when I put them in a relaxed and fun place. So breathe, relax, smile and most importantly, have fun!!!

What should I wear?

Your birthday suit.

I’m kidding. Wear whatever makes you feel sexy, comfortable and confident. And if that really does mean your birthday suit, fine…but I’m only shooting you from the neck up.

Put on some clothes!!!

Deeper and darker colors usually work the best, but that doesn’t necessarily mean black. Deep reds, blues and greens are all great choices.

You may also want to choose a color that brings out your eyes.

In terms of complexion, you generally want to choose shirts darker than your skin tone , though white and cream tones, especially for women, can be gorgeous.

Bring eight to ten tops, though we won’t use that many. Also, bring a variety of necklines. As for sizing, I highly recommend clothes that fit you well and make you feel happy and confident. Wear shoes that are comfortable and suit your outfit. Lastly, I don’t recommend wearing heavily branded clothing or clothing with large logos. This is an ad for your face, not an ad for Abercombie & Fitch.

Do you provide hair and make-up?

It’s up to you. I do have an excellent make-up artists that I work with, should you want one. If you are confident in your make-up skills, you are welcome to do it yourself but if you lack confidence in doing it yourself I highly recommend adding a make-up artist to your shoot. As an actor, you will never be on set and not have make-up on. This should be no different. Keep your hair simple and how you would wear it to an audition. If you decide to do your make-up yourself, don’t over do it. There is nothing worse than an overly made up head shot. Well, there is one thing worse and that is an overly retouched, photoshop blasted headshot. Which brings us to the next question.

Do you retouch my photos?

I definitely do light re-touching, needed color corrections and minor photoshop tweaks on my photos.  I do not however, heavily retouch my photographs. When you walk into an agent or casting director’s office, the last thing you want them to say is that you don’t look like your headshot. They hate that. You should hate that. You want your photo to look like YOU!!! That means that I will gladly zap a pimple that cropped up overnight or lighten some circles under your eyes but I will not remove a birth mark or make you look like you’re 16. Unless you are 16. What I will do is light you properly, use excellent lenses and shoot you in the most beautiful and real way possible.

What is the best time of day to shoot?

Without question, the late afternoon. While all times of day in Los Angeles tend to be lovely, I try to shoot during the “Golden Hour”, which depending on the season, means anywhere from about 3-6 pm. The light is also very nice very early in the morning, but most people are not at their best first thing in the morning…including me, so I find late afternoons work perfectly.

The late afternoon light is always just right and it gives you some time during the day before you arrive to relax and get prepared. I want you to come to your shoot rested, relaxed and ready to play! If we are shooting a comp card, we will probably either split it into two sessions or meet earlier in the day.

How long is a shoot?

I cut my teeth as a photographer using film. I shot film for nearly twenty years before I went all digital. Not only did this give me a superior education as a photographer, it also made me really appreciate the wonderful advantages of digital over film. But as much as I love digital and am amazed at how great technology is gotten, there are some things I miss about film. One of them is that back in my film days, clients couldn’t see the shots. Even now, I rarely show my clients the shots as we are shooting. I find it makes them self-conscious. I will show clients occasionally, but I don’t recommend it till the shoot is finished. Once we have it “in the can”, I am happy to show them off to you.

How long will it take for my pictures to be ready?

On average, for a three look headshot shoot, my turn-around time is about three to four days. If we do a composite card or more than three looks, it may take a week or longer. When they are ready, I will put them on a DVD for you and suggest several superb local places where you can print them. Unlike some photographers, I do not own your images. You do. You paid for them! All I ask is that if you post on Facebook or Tweet them, you give me credit. Ditto when your agent says, “these are great, who shot these???” That’s your cue to tell your agent how amazing I am and hand her my card. In all seriousness, most of my work comes from word of mouth so I would absolutely love it if you spread the word to anyone and everyone! In fact, if you refer someone to me I will take 25% off your next headshot session and if you refer three people to me, I will shoot you again for free! Oh, and tell me if you are a student and I will give you 100 bucks off your session. School rules!

I also give discounts on group headshot sessions.

What is a comp card? Should I have one? What is the difference between a comp card and a headshot? Can actors use comp cards or are they just for models?

Like a headshot, a comp card (also called composite card, z card, zed card or sed card) is a marketing tool. All models use them. They serve as the latest and best of a model’s portfolio and are used as a business card. But while primarly used for models, more and more actors are choosing to add comp cards to their arsenal just as I almost every model has a headshot. Personally, I think actors can benefit greatly from using a comp card. I love shooting composite cards because we get to play around with a variety of looks and shoot more editorial style “fun” portraits that are a little more versatile than a headshot alone.

Modeling comp cards are generally more fashion centric and stylized like a spread in Vogue Magazine…

An acting comp card is more lifestyle…

Fashion work is reserved for models, but there’s a ton of print work for actors.

Advertisers are always looking for attractive, everyday people to sell their products and the day rate for good catalog models can as much as $1,000 a day.

For national ad campaigns, that number goes way higher.

As an actor, you should be going out for theatre, film, televison and print.

But first you should call me.

My cel is 818-641-9328

My email: donavanfreberg@gmail.com

I’m also on FB and Twitter. Feel free to Google my Yahoo and Tweet my Links.

I’m serious. I want to get in touch and STAY in touch. I make clients for life because I make friends for life and I want my clients to think of me as a friend. I would love for you to keep in touch long after your shoot. I want to hear your good news! Nothing brings me more pleasure than hearing that one of my clients is doing well and working!!! That’s what it’s ALL about. Getting you to BOOK!!!!

Break a leg, kid.

And take a bow.