Availabilities
Monday - Sunday
11am - 6pm
Rescheduling requires at least 48 hour notice
Actor Headshots Session
Session Price
Mike's rate for a headshot session is $200 for the shoot. To book your session there is a $50 deposit fee that is required before your session. It is none-refundable. This fee is to hold your spot for the day and goes towards your total.
Payments
After you and Mike have selected a day for your session, you will be required to make a non-refundable $50 deposit to book the shoot. This fee goes towards your final total and can be done at your convenience after Mike emails you the invoice. If Mike has not received your booking fee a week prior to your shoot, you will loose your time slot and will have to reschedule. If Mike Walburn isn't noticed within 48 hours prior to your session, Mike keeps your booking fee and you would have to reschedule and pay the fees once again. All deposits are done through Square and can be paid with debit or credit. Mike does accept cash. NO CHECKS.
(Mike works with freelance Make Up and Hair artist that have their own method of payments.)
Retouching
Once you've chosen your shots you'd like to work with you can choose to have them touched up with the print lab Mike works with or the lab of your choice. Mike does offer in house retouching for $40 each on final selected images, but does not print. You are free to take your final select images to the lab of your choice.
Mike does not release high resolution images to his clients unless you elect to purchase a full buyout of your entire session for $50.
Discounts
Mike offers a 35% off student rate for anyone that is currently enrolled in an acting class. (Must have proof)
Mike also offers a 1/2 off rate for all returning clients.
Discounts only go towards final total cost, not your booking fee. (Booking fee is still the same of $50)
Does Not Apply to the In & Out Session
What To Expect During The Session
Mike Walburn shoots a handful of different looks during a headshot session. Each look can take from 30-45 minutes to shoot, so plan on your headshot session to take up to at least 2 hours. In some cases a session can go over the 2 hour mark, no additional cost with be charged for the extra hours. Mike does all his headshot sessions from his home studio located in the North Side of Chicago.
The session will first start with you and Mike selecting a few different looks that you'll be working with for the shoot. Please bring more than five different outfit options. After all looks are finalized you will head to Hair and Make Up if you paid for it. When you are finished with the make up artist your session will begin. From this point on Mike will be working close with you throughout the entire session making sure you walk away with images that showcase your best ranges of looks.
During the shoot you will noticed that Mike has his camera tethered to his laptop. Mike does this so that that images immediately appear on the laptops monitor making it easier to inspect and fine tone the shot. (Fine toning can be a range of different elements like color correcting, adjusting the lights, camera settings and body positioning.
When you finish one of your looks, Mike and yourself will sit down and go over those shots. This is the part that Mike calls the coaching process. Not only will the two of you select the images you want to keep and deleting the others, you will also discuss why one images worked and the other didn't. Some times during the shoot Mike gives out directions that might feel like a weird position, but during the coaching process Mike can better explain his reasoning for positioning you that way. This is all done to help produce better quality image for you.
All final approved images will be uploaded to Dropbox. The images should be loaded on there within a couple hours after you leave. Since you and Mike selected the final images, Mike does not offer reshoot for your previous session. If you feel like there was a look you missed, you can take advantage of Mikes returning client fee.
Hair & Make Up
Make Up for Women
It's recommended that all women have make up done by a professional for their session. Mike likes to start off with the make up being light, keeping it very natural looking. As you change looks, you'll have a little make up added to match the newer looks.
Hair for Women
Please arrive with hair ready that's not overly done but that best represents a good natural hair day of yours. If you paid for hair and make up service, the artist will just clean up the fly aways as well as change the style of hair to go with your next looks.
Make Up for Men
Normally, Mike doesn't have men use make up unless of really bad acne or skin conditions.
Facial Hair
If you are debating rather to shave or not, no need. Mike can shoot you with the beard and then can have you shave here for a cleaner style. Feel free to bring your own grooming kit with you. Mike doesn't have anything to offer.
Mike Walburn DOES NOT have a hair and make up artist in house. You'd need to hire a stylist or MUA on your own. But you don't need one. Most of Mike's clients don't use an artist.
All Hair and Make Up artist pay is separate from the actors headshot session cost.
Outfits
Bring a wide range of clothing options with you. Make sure to have different colors, necklines and jackets. Don't stick to one seasonal style either. Mike always likes working with textures and layers like sweaters, jackets, scarfs or tank tops. One look you should defiantly have is a business attire, this goes for women and men. Please keep earrings small, no big hopes or long dangling pieces as well as no neckless. Jewelry just draws the viewer's attention away from you.
Remember, if you have an outfit that makes you feel awesome, then bring it. When you feel amazing that energy will naturally come out.
Receive those kind of headshots that will get your seen and in the door.