FAQs
What is the actual shoot like?
On the day of the shoot, we'll meet at our agreed upon location (whether outdoors or a studio space) and begin shooting. I would suggest bringing anything that would make you comfortable, whether a snack, an iPod for music, etc. Your comfort and ease is of the utmost importance during our shoot. I'll have several different lenses to work with, along with other pieces of equipment that'll help me facilitate your headshots (a reflector, a stool, etc.)
What kind of outfit(s) should I bring?
For the actual shoot, we'll mostly be focusing on the top half of your body (namely your head), so I would say that the tops you bring to the shoot are more important than everything else, clothing-wise; beyond what we are shooting, your comfort is the most important thing. that being said, you may want to think about what you'll be looking to get out of the finished product. Do I want to appear more formal or more casual? Should I wear my glasses or contacts? Should I wear my hair up or down? If putting together a complete outfit puts you in a better mindset for the shoot, by all means, dress to impress. But once again, your comfort is more important than anything.
Generally speaking, I try to keep a couple of things in mind for our shoot (for outfits); I wouldn't recommend anything intensely white or super bright/light (it may wash out your skin/draw focus from you), no logos (though we can cheat a with that, if need be), and patterns can be fun if they don't distract from you (nothing too hectic). I would say neutral tones are fantastic across the board, bright colors can add some extra oomph to a headshot but nothing to obscene; the whole point if for the focus to be on you.
Preparing for the shoot
The most important preparation you can do for the shoot is to be well rested so step one is to get a good night's sleep. When it comes to make-up, I tend to air on the "keep it more simple and natural" side of things. That being said, if you are coming in with a look in mind, I always will appreciate that; you know what you are looking for and it's my job to help you achieve that. If you are in need of a hair and make-up person, please feel free to reach out as I have several amazing HMU folks that I have shot with in the past (to amazing results); there would be an extra rate involved to hire for hair and make-up. If you have multiple looks you'd like to try out (hair, glasses, facial hair, etc.), we can absolutely work towards that on our shoot. We'll also factor those needs into our shoot, wherever we may be (i.e. access to a bathroom or mirror).
Shooting in a Studio vs. Outdoors
There are pros to either shooting in a studio space or shooting outdoors with natural light. Both can produce fantastic results and either have things that may appeal towards what you are looking to achieve. Studio shoots are usually more controlled; we have more control over the background, the lighting, bathroom and music accessibility. Outdoor shoots can produce amazing spontaneity and natural light is hard to beat, along with true variety of backdrops to shoot in/around. Plus, I can come to your for an outdoor shoot.
Shooting in a studio will involve an extra fee for whichever headshot package you choose; please let me know if you are interested in a studio shoot and we can discuss details. I have a few locations I generally shoot in and all are fantastic. We would also have access to multiple colored backdrops, along with the necessary lighting equipment needed to create the type of portrait you are looking for.
For any more inquiries (such as costs, locations, HMU, etc), feel free to contact me at gcosaben@gmail.com for more information.
Rescheduling
Things come up, that is understandable and just a necessary aspect to everyday life. If need be, rescheduling is not a problem as long as it is done in advance. For purposes of weather (for an outdoor shoot), obviously we are dependent; that being said, we can achieve all sorts of looks in all manner of weather. I would say a bright sunny day is worse than an overcast one but either is still fine for a shoot (unless it is outright raining). If weather becomes an issue on the day of the shoot, we can work through what we need to with regards to possible rescheduling.
That being said, I have learned it is necessary to implement a cancellation policy and do indeed stand firm on that. If you do need to cancel, please do so 48 hours in-advance of the scheduled shoot; anything within 48 hours will incur a cancellation fee.
Questions
For any other questions or quotes for other types of photography (shows, events, etc), please feel free to reach out to me at gcosaben@gmail.com
© GO-Photography by Giancarlo Osaben / (646)-773-6784 / gcosaben@gmail.com