Monday, March 30, 2009

When Your Face Matches the Backdrop

I realize now I never did get around to explaining what that photo with the pinned butterfly was, but I think I'll hold off on that for tomorrow or another day this week, seeing as how my deepening exercize will be tomorrow and if I do get PTSD you'll be sure to know about it.

Practiced singing techniques over break. That's about all I did over break, actually. Though I did go to see a friend up at Hallmark Institute of Photography and get my headshots done.

Things I learned about doing headshots:

1) I am not a model. Never will be. I accept this.

2) Have a shitload of different tops - I brought more than we used, but Karen kept going through them and trying different textures and colours to see what flattered me best. Typically I'd seen lots of women in strappy tops to show off their shoulders, but that didn't really look so hot on me. Might be my transluscent or the shitty quality of my complexion. Advice I recieved from a friend who did her time trying to make it in the business said that you should wear what you're comfortable in, not what you "think" will look pretty or get you a part. Be comfortable and you'll look comfortable.

3) Loosen up your face. I kept making random faces between a few shots just to make sure my smile didn't look frozen or my eyes didn't look dead.

4) Try not to have your headshots done on days where you are broken out or need a haircut.

It was a lot of trial and error, for both me and Karen. She'd never done headshots before, neither had I, so we just kind of worked with what we knew and tried what we thought might work. She did her camera/lighting/flash/set stuff and I tried to look charming and sweet and sexy and at least she succeeded. For a little while, at least, she'll do them for me for free, so she's my supplier of headshots for now, and she didn't do a half bad job. When I pick a final (after she photoshops the hell out of my skin) I'll put it up and explain what we were doing at the time.

Maybe a white backdrop for a pale ass bitch like me wasn't the best choice, but she said she can tone it in photoshop, and this is only my first attempt ever, and I'm not dishing out 700+ bucks for a session, so I'm willing to accept mistakes and fix them later.

The photog in question has her own blog - and though she neglects to update it, she does have some stuff there. She's developing her own website though so it should be up sooner or later. Karen Olivia Photography is the blog, but it will eventually be KC Marston or something like that. Check it out.

Snagged my copy of DRAMATICS when I was home - next up, how to take care of the voice. A week or so too late, but better late than never.

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