NYC Headshot Retouching - Kyle LeMaire Photography

Clients often ask, "How much retouching will you do to my headshot?"

Every time, my answer is the same........"Not very much."

Your headshot is not the portrait your mom got at Glamour Shots in the mall during the 90's. It is the main marketing tool you have as an actor. It is your calling card. It connects you to agents, managers, casting directors, directors and it must LOOK LIKE YOU.

We all want to be Tyson Beckford or Tyra Banks. We want to be able to have our waist taken in, our eye color changed, fuller lips, or a smaller nose in a photograph. You won't go far in the casting process if you don't look like your headshot. Casting directors see hundreds, if not thousands, of headshots for just one role. If they ask you to come in for an audition, it is because they feel you fit the role they are casting, by what you look like in your headshot.

Think of the time everyone could have saved, most importantly you.

2 Mins to decide to call you in.
5 Min call to your agent.
2 Mins to send all the info to your agent
5 Min call to you from your agent
2 Mins to send you the email with the details
4-5 Hrs (If not days) Rehearsing the audition materials
30-40 Mins Travel/Wait time
5-10 Mins Audition.

What's the moral of the story?

.......No matter what your brand is or what you are, whether it is commercial or theatrical, it must look like you.

Here is a video of my retouching one of the lovely Amy Lee Pearsall's recent headshots. As you will see, I don't do much to the image. A little color correcting, darkening of the background, cleaning up of the skin and eyes, then done! As you can see, a little bit goes a long way. 

Enjoy the video and check out Amy's Website!