Aug 2, 20184 min read

You 'Aint Never Had a Friend Like Her: Why a Good Photographer is Your Best Friend

Updated: Aug 2, 2018

My experience searching, choosing, and getting new headshots, and what you can do to make sure your next headshot session is magical.

If you're like me, getting your picture taken is either the best experience ever, or the worst experience ever. As a very picky person, I find flaw in most of my work- and even in the work of others when it involves myself. So choosing the right photographer is so important to me to feel confident about the headshots I use for auditions.

Something that's special about headshots versus regular photography is that the photos must capture not only you looking great, but must encapsulate your personality and communicate it to others. If you get only 2-5 minutes with a casting director, you need every aspect of what you bring to that audition to help them get to know you and remember you.

the photos must capture not only you looking great, but must encapsulate your personality and communicate it to others.

I spent a good month scouring the internet for photographers in my area. There's a lot more choices when you live near NYC or LA for photographers who specialize in headshots, but that doesn't mean there aren't incredibly talented headshot photographers in your area as well. You may just have to look a little harder, but the work is well worth the outcome. I tried just google-ing photographers in my area, and didn't find anyone I was looking for. There are plenty of great photographers in the Seattle area, but none of them really had the aesthetic I was looking for.

That's when I turned to Instagram as a search tool

I found Ariella through Instagram. I was searching under hashtags like: #seattleheadshots, #seattleheadshotphotographers, and the like for several days when I came across one of her photos. I immediately looked up her IG and website portfolio, and knew she had the look I was going for. Her pictures were not only beautifully focused and lit to capture each model's natural beauty, but she really knew how to make the photos feel, warm, and personal, and inviting. It was the best of both worlds: inner and outer beauty.

It was the best of both worlds: inner and outer beauty.

I contacted her via email, and we set up a time to meet. We scheduled an early evening shoot- around 6:30pm in June- to get the best lighting. Ariella works with a hair and makeup artist, Desi, who is absolutely amazing at making you look like your best, most genuine self. A lot of good photographers work with a hair and makeup artist, but if they don't, many have recommendations. I HIGHLY recommend spending the money to get your hair and makeup done. I'm confident in my makeup abilities, but I still don't know all the tips and tricks to what looks best on-camera. And makeup for the camera and street makeup is not the same. It will also just take a lot of stress off of you the day of your shoot, and make you feel like a million bucks.

I arrived to Desi's studio with clean, dry hair, and a clean, moisturized face. We scheduled to have about 2 hours to get my hair and makeup done, and that was a perfect amount of time to get everything done without feeling rushed. She was so thorough and detailed in her work- I left her studio feeling as flawless as an airbrushed Kardashian on the cover of a magazine.

I left her studio feeling as flawless as an airbrushed Kardashian on the cover of a magazine.

The shoot lasted about an hour in the streets of downtown Kirland, WA. Its a beautiful place to shoot, or just visit for an evening for dinner. Ariella was an expert at capturing the lighting and colors of the space she shoots in. I've never had such an easy, relaxing, or fun experience taking photos (with the exception of nearly losing my purse during an outfit change, haha). And speaking of outfits- it's important to bring several, in colors and shapes that flatter you. Don't bring loose or baggy clothes, or really loud prints. Clean, classic necklines also work really well, and be sure that each outfit you have shows a different side of your personality. I chose a bright blue dress that was cheerful and fun, a burgundy mock-neck top and denim skirt to show a casual, yet classy, side, and an emerald, off-shoulder dress to give me a more formal, regal look. That way, I have different headshots for different shows and roles I'm auditioning for. (I think the bright blue is PERFECT for a Disney audition!)

Ariella and Desi were so amazing to work with. I would highly recommend their services to anyone, and will certainly go to them the next time I need a photo shoot or hair and makeup. Moral of the story: do your research, plan ahead, and have FUN!