I have been performing free magic shows for non-profit orgainizations, kids BD parties, etc. I have been doing this for two years and I want to start making money with my magic. I need a professional photo for a website, and for advertising in the local newspaper. I perform as a Harry Potter type wizard and I also use Axtel puppets (I am a vent). My wife assists me, but she does not perform.
Is it best to stand in front of a backdrop and just hold my wand? Or should I be infront of a table with a few magic props on it? I want to have pictures with and without my wife because she doesn't always assist me. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Have a couple of professional photos taken.

As the wizard character I picture you sitting at a candle lit desk. You're smiling. Your arms are crossed and in one hand is a wand with a glowing tip (retouch). Off to the side is a pile of old books and a crystal ball or maybe an owl figurine.

Are your puppets part of the wizard show or a seperate show?

Hope this helps.

Jaz, Thanks for your input. When I do a show for young children I use a dragon puppet and a oppossum. I was going to have my wife/assistant hold the dragon in a phot of us together.

Mr. Mike,
I am not sure, but I think that some of the pro photo places in the mall has very cheap or free first photos so they can try to hook you into a package deal.
If so, you might could get a really good promo photo cheap.

Pro shots a must, and if you can manage to "suspend" some objects, maybe with IT, so they appear to be floating around you, would go well with the Harry Potter Wizard type character. But ask around town, see who people say is good, and who is reasonable in price. then since you will need set up, talk to the people at the photo place if they can work that in for you.

Why not do something ala Nostrodamus? Candlelight and ancient books in the backdrop and maybe you looking into a crytstal ball?

The use of a professional photographer, one who does studio work, will be very different form the photo mill places.
The pro will cost you a bit more for hte shoot and prints, but the person will be trained to use lighting, and if you need a special something not to show, they can set up the lights for that. They are also artists in their own right, they will set up the shot for eye appeal, and if you have too many props, they will know and tell you. If you need something touched out, they do that as well.
Explain to them what you want, go look at some of their work ( to make sure you like their style), then book the appointment. Wotk WITH them to get the product you want.
Take a bit of time and look at some magazines with lots of photo adds, and what to you see, I mean REALLY see in those shots?
I have used the mall places, and they can be okay, but there is not much comparison to a pro doing your shots.
Look through the family albums and then go to a museum showing of a professional.
Grandma's pictures are fun, but unless she was a pro (mine was) you sometimes cannot tell who is who, cause the heads are gone!

Why not go to an art school and ask a photography student to make some pictures, I used to study there and we had loads of requests from people. And we loved to get the experience. So you will get good quallity photos for low cost. And on top of that they are most of the time a bit more creative than the guys who do the job for many years....

Just a thought. The pictures need to fit your persona, while I like the 'Nostrodamus' style ideas I personally don't associate this with HP.

May be you could do some home shots with a digital camera and then look at them and see what you like, this way when you do go for the pro shot you should have a better idea of what you want.

If you have some photos from your shows these may be a good starting point. After all if someone books you from the photo and you're nothing like it they may be dissapointed.

Yes by all means if you are anywhere near a school of art or photography, contact them for a sitting or at least a consult with some of their better students. They need pictures for their portfolio, you need pictures for your show, methinks a deal could be struck for mere pittance.

Years ago I worked for a company that sold products to schools. Each year we would have a good looking boy and girl student on the cover, usually working on one of the projects sold inside the catalog. It was done quite easily, I would contact a modeling school and tell them what I would want, presto two young people trained for the camera would show up with several high school outfits to change into and from and pose. It was a minimum payment of say twenty dollars apiece, copies of the photos and a finished published catalog. They were happy, our catalog looked professional. It was all good.

Oh and who took the photos? Well I didn’t teach photography for four years at a local high school for nothing.

Frank Tougas

Thanks to everyone on your suggestions. I recently had a professional photographer take photos of me alone and with my wife holding some puppets.
I did take the advice of holding a crystal ball in one hand and in the other I held my wand. They came out pretty good. Thanks again, Mr Mike