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"Anyone can take a picture. It's knowing when to press the shutter to capture the mood, the moment and the emotion, that makes an image truly sensational."
-Robbie Merritt
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For over 30 years, multi-award-winning photographer Robbie Merritt has been creating bold graphic images for advertising, magazines and corporate promotion.
Whether you are looking for high-quality imagery to accompany your corporate or artistic promotion, or communicative freelance images for your media publication, Robbie Merritt has the photographic skills and experience to make it happen!
Sunday Times photographer 1977
TVW Channel 7 Photographer 1979
Freelance Photographer since 1989
WA Representative for RMG News and Television California
Member of the Royal Photographic Society
Filmology:
Phantom - 1996 - extra
Space Above and beyond : Lead Extra - Warner Bros
Streetfighter 1994 - worked with Claude van Damn/Kylie Minogue
Television Presenter Channel 9 Dimensions 1979
Televison Host Channel 9's ZOOM 1979
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Specialist in:
Creative Portraiture
Commercial Web makeovers
Industrial Brochures
High Fashion Glamour
Theatrical Portfolios
Modelling High fashion Portfolios
Family Portraiture
Celebrity Shoots
Extreem Makeover Portolio
Magazine Advertising
Pregnancy Art
Newborn Studies
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robbie_robbiemerritt.com
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10 Tips for a Great Acting Headshot
1. Lots of Personality!! Many people may have a similar look to you- it's your personality that makes you special.
2. Look like your headshot. This is not a time to be a beauty queen. You need to give casting directors and clients an accurate version of yourself.
3. Keep your clothing choices simple. Avoid patterns and prints in favor of solid colors. No white or very light pastels. Simple clothing helps the viewer see YOU.
4. Spark the viewer's imagination. Don't dress like a nurse or a police officer. You want the viewer to be able to imagine you as many different characters from one picture.
5. Go easy on the makeup! Yes, you want to look your best for your headshot, but that does NOT mean layers of eyeshadow and blush. If you can, hire a makeup artist. Keep in mind, you should pay close attention to what your makeup artist does so when you go to an audition or to meet an agent you can walk in the door looking as close to your picture as possible.
6. Don't show a lot of skin! Ladies, this means no excess cleavage. Guys, keep your shirts on. Casting directors want to see youbut not that much of you!
7. Keep in mind what kind of work you are trying to get. Do you want to do theater, film, or commercial work?
8. It's all about the eyes. Of course your smile is important, too, but the eyes can make or break your picture. Your eyes give you the opportunity to show the layers in your personality. Rather than thinking about the viewer looking at your picture, think about you looking at the viewer.
9. Face shot or ¾ shots. ¾ shots are useful to show a casting director your body type. This can be good if you are looking to do commercial work modeling clothes. Be careful, though. In a ¾ shot, your eyes can get lost.
A face shot is the best way to show your eyes and your personality...
Which brings me to my last tip:
10. Did I mention PERSONALITY? Be yourself and show what makes you unique.
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What makes a great modeling portfolio?
Remember that this is truly a "first impression" business. You know the quote - "You only get one chance to make a good first impression." - There is no business where that is more true than modeling. Every agency or client that you contact - your photos, comp card or modeling portfolio will always go in the door before you.
Consider this: If McDonald's were going to launch a new print ad campaign for the Big Mac. . . do you think that they would go to the nearest McDonald's, order a few Big Mac's and return to the studio to photograph them? Of course not! They would hire the most creative and skilled food stylists in the country to build and photograph a Big Mac - the likes of which you nor I will ever have the opportunity to eat - but it sure will make us want to go out and buy one! What is my point?
Set your standards HIGH! You MUST use a very critical eye when selecting any images to put in your modeling portfolio. Make sure that the pictures that you show have the ability to WOW agencies and potential clients.
You are only as good as your worst image - and believe me - photographers, agencies and art directors WILL remember the worst image.
It is my contention that there are 4 kinds of pictures that you will potentially wind up with. Bad, Good, Great and WOW pictures.
Your modeling portfolio should consist ONLY of Great and WOW photos like the ones of my Model Kim on these pages. Throw away the Bad and store the Good in a box of memories. Place your WOW pictures on the right hand pages of your portfolio and the Great pictures on the left hand side.
Do I need to shoot with more than one photographer to develop my portfolio?
NO. Certainly if you have lots of money to spend - hire several photographers to help you develop your portfolio. You will not get more work because you have spent a ton of money to shoot with multiple photographers. You will get work with a selection of pictures that show you at your best, show your range of emotions and ability to portray various characters.
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High Fashion
Model: Kim Clack , Photographer: Robbie Merritt, Makeup: Bare Escentual Mineral Makeup
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Advertising photography
Advertising photography is only one of the many disciplines of professional photography. In major markets, New York, Los Angles, Tokyo, Sydney etc., the advertising photographer is truly a specialist.
In small markets this type of photography is done by what is called commercial photographers who do other types of assignments as well. Most of the photographers who are receiving those profitable advertising assignments have developed a reputation as a creative photographer over long years of training and experience. Advertising photography is not a discipline for the novice.
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Found these celebrities casting Polaroids by Bonnie Timmermann. Bonnie who you say? Bonnie is reported to be one of the highest-paid casting directors in the industry. Yes, that Bonnie. http://diegoguevara.com/blog/?p=700
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WHAT TO WEAR FOR AN ACTOR'S HEADSHOT
The colour of your hair, skin or clothing should not blend into the background. You will see many bad examples of actors headshots like this. For example, a black top against a black background looks like a floating head, what happened to the body one would think, the same applies for white against white etc. Plain colour clothes are best,
Stripes or flowery patterns draw the attention away from your face and eyes and are best left at home on curtains and sofas,
Cream or dark blue colours are easier to photograph than black or white which can be more technically challenging fand makes for very difficult focusing in the studio.
Always bring a selection of clothes on the day,
I
f you are intending to send your headshots by email, make sure you only send a low resolution version, the last thing you want to do is annoy casting directors and agents by crashing their inbox when sending your headshots.
CHOOSING AN ACTORS HEADSHOT
Dont ever underestimate how important getting a professional casting headshot is, so do your homework before the Shoot Day Go beyond personal recommendations from friends on how you should pose and practice in front of a mirror , look at some photographs , get some ideas.
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The Modeling Shoot
Arriving On The Modeling Shoot
Most models think that preparing for a modeling shoot means getting a good night's sleep. In reality, that's only part of it.
Going from interviews to auditions, to photo shoots is like going through a very long and drawn out trial of fire. You only really start cooking once you get to the photo shoots, but while you're interviewing and modeling shoot, you still feel like you getting your ass burned!
modeling shoots provides unique, innovative solutions for low-volume production, Often, Modeling shoot directors hold talent castings in order to view the range of an actors talent in the form of a memorized monologue or reading an act of work that the actor has never seen before.
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The Importance of an Agent
If you have an agent, you can have more modeling jobs. A talent agent will spend a great deal of his or her time on networking with photographers, directors, and other clients that have a need for talent of some kind. The talent agent in good companies will then be able to make recommendations, book auditions or even find modeling jobs for the various talent that they represent that meets the client's needs.
The talent agent will actively encourage other repositories of free of charge Skills for Life resources to work in partnership with talent. The more talent that an agent represents the more likely it is that they will be able to fulfill the requirements of the client. In addition to just meeting with clients a talent agent will also recruit new talent. This may be in the form of advertisements, try-outs or modeling shows or even community based competitions.
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Current Casting Calls National
All Photo Images are taken by robbie Merritt, and are the property of robbiemerritt.com. Reproduction without consent may result in legal action.
Copyright © Australian Models.net Pty Ltd. | Sitemap ACN 129 647 267 As Trustees for the Ansel Adams Family Trust Trading as Robbie Merritt - Fine Art Photographer
