Hello – I’m Manon Halliburton; a professional Photographer and Actress with over 20 years’ experience in the business. I have worked as an actress all over the country in regional theatre as well as television and a few movies. How I got my start in photography? My older brother dabbled in photography when we were growing up and I always had an interest but never took the plunge until I lived in New York City. I befriended another actor who happened to be a headshot photographer and my curiosity soon became a passion. I began shooting actors around 2008 and have been behind the lens ever since. I shoot everything from weddings to family portraits, but headshot photography is my main business and passion. As an actress, I understand and live the business. As a photographer I know the industry standards of today’s market and what are the latest trends in headshot photography. I believe a great headshot portrait should possess three qualities: Represent a flattering image of you on your best day, capture a unique quality of your personality and be engaging to look at. The first point is an obvious one, but too often these days photos are overly retouched, over exposed or enhanced in some way that don’t end up capturing a true representation of what the person really looks like when they walk in for the audition. I’ll never forget sitting in my agent’s office once as they were going through headshot submissions of actors they had interviewed. They would complain that many of the actors looked nothing like their picture when they walked into the room. This is a key point. It’s understandable to want to look fantastic in a picture but looking like your “best you” and an “overly glamorized version” of you are two entirely different types of photographs. Know this when you choose a headshot photographer
A bit about my photographic style:
I shoot at my home studio using natural light as well as studio light to give you a wide variety of looks. The studio is all white in to capture clean reflective light without glare, shadows or light pollution. I have a variety of solid-colored backdrops that will flatter your skin tone but not distract from your face. I like to show the exposures throughout the shoot so you can see what you’re getting. Ultimately with me, what you see is what you get – beautiful, natural portraits that capture you in your best moments.
At the end of the day, there are hundreds of photographers vying for your business and ultimately you just have to go with your gut. Just remember when looking at a photographer’s work, not to get fooled by fancy borders, lighting tricks or photo shop madness.
The mark of a great photographer is how you look in the photo first and if you are the true focus and standout in the picture. If you feel comfortable talking with the person and of course like their work, you really can’t go wrong. Just remember to relax, have fun and be yourself…Lastly, no one is used to having their picture taken professionally unless they are a model, so don’t go into it with a preconceived notion of how it’s going to turn out. A great photographer can capture a beautiful image if you are willing to just show up.