STUDIO LOCATION
My studio is located in Beachwood Canyon, near the Hollywood Sign. (90068)
SHOOTING
Headshots are all about confidence and approachability. However, I've found that most people come into a session with the opposite: they have a lack of confidence, and have fear/pressure surrounding it.
My goal is to reverse all of that: bring you to a place of confidence so that your personality comes through, and you have fun in the process.
Here's how I work:
First, I shoot tethered to my computer so that we can immediately see the photos. This makes us both accountable for the shoot. You can see the setup, the lighting and be confident in what you're getting. Once that technical aspect is out of your head, we start shooting (without you looking at the monitor).
Second, I will work with you during the shoot to build up to a place of confidence, relaxation and play. Along the way, I'll occasionally bring you over to the monitor to look at the some shots. This process gives you confidence in my direction so you can see the evolution in your photos; and if you don't like something, we will discuss it. If it's the lighting or the outfit, we make changes. If you've got tension in part of your face (like most people do), we can acknowledge it and get rid of it. I do all my own retouching (see below), so if there is something that is bothering you, we can discuss it and you'll have the confidence of knowing how the final photo will look.
I've found that having the monitor is the most important tool because we can identify and acknowledge the "problems" -- which, once identified, are no longer problems. Once we start shooting and you see shots that you like, then you gain more confidence. I've found that most people completely relax at this point because the doubt and fear is taken out of their minds -- and the rest of the shoot is about having fun!
Third, because I do all the retouching, I'm with you during the entire process to make sure that the final delivery is exactly what you want and that you have the correct materials to print and display optimally.
RAW vs JPEG
On a technical note: I always shoot RAW files. RAW files contain ALL the information that your camera records; whereas JPEGs make changes to the file and compress it, therefore information is lost. For example: RAW files record 16,384 levels of brightness (14bit); JPEG only records 256 levels. This means that with RAW files you get smoother tonal gradations (as well as many other advantages).
Most headshot photographers don't shoot RAW because it requires more storage space and more work for them. Immediately out of camera, RAW files appear darker, flatter (less contrast), and soft (not sharp). Therefore, RAW files require digital processing by the photographer. On the other hand, JPEG files look much better initially out of camera, but this is a shortcut that leaves you limited for retouching and ultimately for the final delivery of the photograph.
RETOUCHING
The goal of retouching is twofold: 1) To create a photograph with the best version of you; and 2) To direct the viewer's eye so the headshot stands out.
I believe that every photo should be retouched. This is often less about blemishes and more about directing the viewer's eye through the photograph. The eye is directed through contrast, hue, saturation, luminosity and sharpness. Balancing and using these elements is essential to finishing the photograph.
I do all of my own retouching, so you're not left hanging by yourself wondering what to do after the shoot.
I include one free retouched photo with each session so that you can see the difference, and ultimately how important it is to finish the photo.
FROM CAPTURE TO DELIVERY/PRINT
In keeping with my goal to make this an easy process for clients, I deliver all final prints in the following 3 formats.
Full Size JPEG for printing
JPEG for Web Specifications
Full Size TIFF(storage and use)
A Note about Color Space: Have you ever loved a headshot, only to have it printed or uploaded and it appeared muddy or dark? This most likely due to mixing color spaces (ProPhoto, Adobe RGB or sRGB). The only thing you need to know about this is that your photos will be delivered and labeled appropriately for printing and display so that no decisions need to be made on your part.
Tip: If you have any photographs that you love and don't want to lose, save them in TIFF format (or JPEG 2000) -- these are "lossless" formats that retain all the data information and do NOT compress the file. Every time you save a JPEG file some information is lost - the more you save, backup, etc, the more information is lost! I always deliver clients photos in TIFF format so that they have a "lossless" copy; as well as a JPEG (because some websites only accept JPEG files). If your JPEG ever starts to degrade, you can always make a new JPEG from your TIFF file.
Pricing
Please email for pricing information.
Email: info@antoniniphotography.com
