Who's in the Crew? - Spotlight on Mikala Freitas

NAME: Mikala Freitas - I'm currently creating a website-so it is not up and running right now. You can follow me on Instagram @PhotoMikala and @HeadshotPhotoNY

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? NYC

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SHOOTING HEADSHOTS? I started shooting at age 7. My first camera was a Kodak Pocket Instamatic that used 110 film. It was actually my Dad’s camera but he was notorious for cropping off family members' heads in his photographs. Thus, I took it upon myself to become the family picture taker. In Middle School, I took my first photography class, they lent us cameras, it was the first time I shot and developed 35mm film. I was so excited that I saved my allowance and in High School, I purchased a Pentax K1000. I absolutely love how you can capture a slice, a moment, and get a viewer to look at things differently in a single photograph.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOOT? I love to shoot travel and wildlife. Lately, I have been having a lot of fun shooting night portraits and dancers.

YOUR LIGHTING SETUP FOR HEADSHOTS? I use LEDGO LED bi-color panels.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER PH AND THE HSC? I met Peter at Photo Plus Expo in October of 2017. At the time, if you purchased his book for $40 you got 3 months in the crew for free. In my first 6 weeks, I read the book, watched every single video that was on the HSC site, and was so impressed that I had signed up for the January 2018 intensive. At the intensive, I signed up for Headshot Mania. I was hooked and all in!

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO JOIN THE CREW AFTER YOU FOUND IT? I signed up at the Expo after meeting Peter. I was looking for a way to monetize my hobby of photography and when I met Peter I thought: I should be shooting headshots. I know actors and I understand their needs. I need to learn how to do this.

TELL US ABOUT THE SPACE YOU SHOOT IN. DO YOU OWN IT, RENT IT OR LIVE IN IT? I will see friends or personal referrals in my living room studio. If it's a client I do not know, or a client I am trying to impress, I will rent Peter’s studio in NYC.

WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD NEVER GUESS ABOUT YOU? I competed in synchronized swimming in college at UC Berkeley. We were ranked 5th in the nation. I started dancing at 3. Performed in my first professional musical, Peter Pan, at age 7. Traveled Internationally at age 14, performing in the Soviet Bloch countries of Romania and Hungry. At 19, I started my own production company providing entertainment for corporate events. I have performed in just about every type of stage; regional theater, stadiums, cruise ships, fairs, festivals and theme parks, Disney, Broadway, Radio City, The Metropolitan Opera, TV and Film Interesting side note while working on Cruise Ships- the MS Silver Seas had a relationship with National Geographic and they would bring writers and photographers on board to give lectures to the guest. I had the privilege of being tutored by Geographic photographers; Bob Krist and Joel Sartore.

WHAT'S ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOU? I will salsa, swing or just dance with you until the sun comes up..every day of the week.