About Moi
As an actor myself, I intimately know what's being asked of us. As a photographer, I recognize the trends expected of us. As a creative artist, I take great pleasure in crafting amazing shots with you. It gives me no greater joy to hear how the headshots helped you get in a door, get signed with reps, boosted your confidence or helped in a small way to land you a dream role. Let’s get to work!
Fun Fact: I was in the French honor society in high school. Which means I forgot all my French pretty much. C’est la vie.
HOW I BEGAN PHOTOGRAPHY
At a young age age there were family members that amazed me at how they drew portraits, cartoon and comic book super heroes. So for every semester from grade school to university, I signed up for some form of art class. At George Mason University, I majored in art and studied various mediums from digital to traditional. I fell in love with my traditional drawing class where we used charcoal and pastel as we studied objects and the human body. We observed the nature of light and how it falls on the subject. Often, I’d have to light a subject to capture an image for reference and thus began my photography journey and my passion for portraiture.
HOW ACTING INFORMS MY HEADSHOTS
I’m all about storytelling. As an actor, I’ve attending several acting classes for over 15 years, auditioned for thousands of parts from student films, to shorts, to television, and I’ve written/produced/acted my own narratives that went on to festivals and win awards. I’ve booked over 20 television roles. So I’m intimately aware of characters and casting by sheer experience. The fun thing is, I believe we are all “interesting”. We all have stories to tell. We just have to be wise about we present ourselves to be marketable. And that is my hope with each session.
HOW I WORK WITH YOU
So I’ve done this research for myself and would encourage the same for every actor coming to me to book a session. This involves watching a lot of tv and commercials and reading scripts. I have seen the character tropes that are out there. Some are a bit unique, but several that recur often. We can all belong on tv to tell a story. But where do you fit and how do you fit? As we shoot, I will cast you right there on the spot and I want you to live in it. I may throw some ideas in your head to play with. But mostly I want you to make truth from a set of light imaginary circumstances. From a commercial scenario where you’re a friend enjoying a hangout at fast food, to a 1hr dark drama detective that is investigating a murder. I will set the tone of the environment with the background and lighting, and then help you come alive.
What People Are Saying
“A consummate professional and easy to communicate with. He was prepared with a game plan prior, but was also able to adapt on the fly during the shoot. David guides you through the session and creates ideas organically to get the best shots. Not only does he have a good eye as a photographer, he is very mindful, down to the smallest detail. My agencies loved the shots. I highly recommend shooting with David.”
-Davis N.
“David is a great guy and an even better photographer! I've shot with David twice, and he's super great at making you feel relaxed and easy about getting shots done. He also is super easy to reach and explains everything super well and is also really accommodating to whatever you need. Definitely plan on shooting with him in the long run.”
-Jake L.
“Shooting with David is always a breeze! As someone who always stresses out about headshots, he makes the process simple and stress-free; as well at take pictures my Reps LOVE!! Highly recommend!”
-Sarah C.
“ David Chan was recommended to me by several sources including my agent and my acting coach…. I found David to be professional, efficient and attuned to his client’s needs. He is creative, resourceful and knows how to put you at ease. I cannot recommend him highly enough!”
-John K.
“One word... AMAZING! David is such a professional and so easy to work with.. I'm an actor who hates taking pics... yes it's true lol but he made me rethink the process and enjoyed it to the fullest. My results came out amazing! I finally have some real character looks for my arsenal. Thanks so much David you're the best!”
-Tricia C.
“David Chan is amazing at what he does. I’ve worked with him twice now, and seriously plan of working with him as long as he’s in the business! He has a great eye. He’s easy to work with, always available for guidance before, during, and after a session- and, raise your hand if you feel awkward in front of the camera ?!?! He helps with the nerves that can build up a bit. I could go on and on, but trust me...he’s your guy. Thank you David for all your hard work and general awesomeness!”
-Joie W.
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