LONDON HEADSHOTS

The bulk of my work is headshot sessions that are designed to create a dynamic and contemporary collection of images that will get actors noticed by casting directors for their individuality. Over the past 10 years I’ve worked with thousands of actors, agents and training institutions to become known as one of the leading headshot photographers in the UK.

Headshots are the digital equivalent of a handshake when walking into an interview room. There’s a fine balance to be struck between a headshot being neutral and engaging and also telling the prospective employer a little more about what you do. Thats why I believe in a portfolio of shots. Different styles serve different purposes, one might entice or flirt with the viewer and another challenge or subtly intimidate. My experience means that we can tailor the looks we capture to your casting. Lighting and backgrounds are adapted to compliment the structure of your face, skin tone and hair and to tell the story of whichever character we are presenting.

My work is a mixture of honest editorial inspired portraits and soft, flattering, commercial headshots. I feel at ease with either style and adapt my work to suit the client in front of me. I see so much variety in the people that book to work with me and I love crafting the images I take to over-deliver my clients expectations of what they thought they could achieve in one session.

My main goal for what I want to achieve for my clients is ‘RANGE’! I have spent my time working as a headshot photographer creating lots of new concepts and ideas for what headshots can look like, and investing in the knowledge and equipment to provide a variety to my clients they can only get in a handful of places. Headshots over the past 10 years have changed from a simple head and shoulders capture to feeling more varied and closer to a portrait. The lines of what a headshot can be are shifting all the time.

PROCESS

Sessions are relaxed (well i’m relaxed and hope that inspires you to be!) and collaborative. We start by talking about where your career has been and where you want it to go. Then we look at the styling you want - tops, hair and make-up etc to create the range you need. Then it’s straight into shooting! I think we can achieve more by getting into the process rather than spending a long time talking before hand. We obviously talk as we go, I will attempt to be funny and charming, and the quicker we get into shaking off the nerves or remembering how it all goes the better. Im very vocal in offering direction and have strong ideas and tips about how to flatter you with posing , expression and intention. There’s some really specific but simple little tricks we use to make images look less like a snapshot and more like a professional and crafted portrait.

Different methods suit different people, I will not make you talk about your inner child or bring out your spirit animal to get a reaction! I’ll direct in plain simple terms - adjusting posture, suggesting characters or subtle emotional shifts that might capture that special moment. Genuine connection and communication with the camera really make a headshot stand out.

BACKGROUND

I was an actor in a previous life, having trained at ArtsEd in Chiswick and working in the industry for 7 years before picking up a camera and moving my career from performing to photography. I am an avid geek of computing and technology so headshots were a perfect fit of a) playing with expensive toys and b) making images with the creative people I’m familiar around. Im now a very proud husband and dad of 2.5 kids (Esme, Theo and Buster the spaniel) and spend most of my life buzzing around South East London from Home, to Studio and occasionally the cinema in the brief interludes of free time I have.

PHOTOWORKFlOW.STUDIO

Up until 2014 I was using several apps and systems to run my business which seemed to make no sense at all! So I embarked on a long road of designing and commissioning the creation of an online system for Photographers, and very specifically Headshot Photographers. It delivers a full system from booking and client management to hosting galleries and taking orders of images from clients. It also has some special tricks that I cant find in any other system such as allowing agents to have access to their clients images and their own list of favourites, integrating with retouchers and linking up with other industry standard software such as Lightroom and Quickbooks.

The system is available for other photographers to subscribe to so take a look at www.photoworkflow.online to see its full list of features.

THE APHP

Founded in 2016 I have been a big part in the conception and launch of this new organisation. In the words of the APHP -

“Founded on principles of education, expertise and excellence, it establishes and celebrates recognised standards of professionalism, offers a path to qualification for photographers, advocates for members within the entertainment industry and promotes the highest standards in casting portraiture, to benefit actors, drama schools, agents & industry bodies.”

So in brief, we attempt to raise and recognise standards across all aspects of headshots, provide services to our members and provide resources to actors looking for more information about headshots.

NO MORE MUG

When I started trading in 2010 I wanted a business name that was un-forgettable, quirky and energetic. So my initial branding was ‘MUG Photography’. Since then I’ve unfortunately aged 10 years but my working style and character has matured! I now feel more stylized in both my personality and artistic choices in my work, so the colourful and kitsch branding began to jar with me. As I intended to re build the website at the end of 2019, I felt confident that with the simplicity of a new name and design of this website my imagery will stand for itself without any distractions.