It all started with Facebook. I’d been sharing blog posts on the Atlanta Actors Network page, and somehow, they caught the eye of photographer Geoffrey Donne. He messaged me, and over the next few months, we chatted regularly. Geoff loved the idea of shooting character portraits for me, something more than the typical headshot. My manager was onboard too, so we made it happen.
Months of Planning
Scheduling took a while, but eventually, we had a date. The real prep began about a month out. It felt like getting ready for an audition. I had to create 5-6 characters, complete with backstories and descriptions. I came up with 6 and sent them to Geoff. We exchanged ideas, fleshing out their stories until they felt solid. Characters in place, we needed to figure out costumes, sets, and locations.
Costumes, Sets, and Props: A Collaboration
Geoff took the lead on costumes, sending me links to buy or rent what we needed. He even joined me for a shopping trip to find the perfect suit for the “Crime Boss” look. As for the sets, Geoff tapped into his network of contacts, and the props came straight from his own collection.
The Shoot
After months of preparation, the shoot day finally arrived. I met Geoff at his studio, along with my makeup and hair artist. We talked about the day’s plan and the order in which we’d tackle each character.
The Results
These are only a few of the hundreds of shots Geoff took over the course of 9 hours. We ended up with only 5 characters because of time, but the results speak for themselves. Geoff still has a week worth of work just to get the proofs to me and then more work on the edits on the final shots I decide on.
Samurai
Crime Boss
Cowboy
Immigrant
Hacker
What I Plan to Do With These
The final edits will be going on my IMDb, to my manager and to my agents. The agents will add them to my portfolio and my manager will be using them in the pitch packages they put together to pitch me to films and series.
Simon Shih 