How To Headshot
What does it take to be a successful actor? Well, talent certainly helps – but we all know plenty of talented actors who don’t work, so what else do you need? One thing that is definitely handy is the ability to market yourself, and to see yourself as a brand. Your headshot is a crucial part of building a brand “You”. Get a good one and you’ll soon be your agent’s favourite client; get a bad one and watch your career sailing onto a dead sea territory.
What is an acting headshot?
An acting headshot is a photo of you to send out to agents and prospective employers. In most cases it’s an 8″x10″ photo of an actor’s head and shoulders, focusing mainly on the subject’s face. Some headshots may include a bit more of the chest and upper part above the waist. Think about it as a printed version of an ancient bust statue.
Why do I need a headshot?
Actors and performers need headshots to get cast. Every actor needs a headshot for:
Their submissions to potential talent agents and managers
Their marketing materials, such as business cards and postcards
Their profiles on online casting sites
Their website and social media presence
Their submissions to potential talent agents and managers
If your eyes are the window to the soul, your headshot is definitely the key, entrance hall and front door to your brand as an actor. It’s how you present yourself to the industry and you’ll need it for almost everything to do with your acting career: your website, your online profile, auditions and workshops. You’ll be giving it to contacts, and potential agents. You’ll need digital and hard copies. Without it, you’ll find life as an actor tough-going.
Communication is the key, you will have to communicate through the image and project your personality to whoever is looking at your resume. Sometimes one glance decides about success.
Professional headshot will elevate your game and will show that you are taking this job very seriously.
What does a casting director look for in a headshot?
Casting directors want headshots that represent accurately the person that they are looking for.
Like many people in our industry, casting directors are busy people. When they’re casting they’ve got a very specific problem and it’s your aim to be the answer to that problem. They don’t have the time to slowly peruse casting websites – they need to take a quick look at a thumbnail of a good headshot and know you are the answer to all their prayers. It is very important for any actor or performer to project an authentic self-image without any unnecessary modifications and distractions.
It might seem obvious but a good headshot needs to look like you. Casting directors want to know what they’re getting. Make sure your headshot picture is up to date and reflects your present appearance. You shaved your beard, lost weight or got a nice tan - you must make sure your picture will represent those changes.
To get cast in a role, talent matters – but so do looks. Sometimes, a casting director is looking for a nerdy, bald guy with bad eyes – and no matter how much you try, that’s just not you. By looking at your headshot they need to quickly see your type – male/female, hot/not, old/young, so you could be cast as a young gym instructor in a TV production. Your headshot should do some of that casting work for them.
It also needs to be memorable but for the right reasons. You want the CD’s attention to be grabbed by your piercing baby blues, not your embarrassingly cheesy pose. First impressions matter – if your headshot says: “grumpy head teacher in a college school” then those are the roles you’ll get called for. Don’t be too generic but also try and see yourself with fresh eyes – sometimes it can help to get someone close to you to take a look. If you have an agent they’ll advice you accordinly – so take advantage. It is also important to hear what your photographer has to say, as they are very proficient in reading people's faces and looking for strong advantages. After all, you’re paying them!
How do I get a good headshot?
A good headshot is representative of you and your acting type. It is NOT a beauty shot - let’s make it clear.
In the modern world of personal branding and constant selfies, most of us now know how to make ourselves look as good as possible in a picture. Chin up, soft lighting and a seductive pout, right? Wrong! When it comes to a good, useable headshot, it’s not all about looking good – it’s also about looking versatile and – crucially – castable. You want to show casting directors what you can play by subtly showing different aspects of your personality. If they’re after multidimensional, dramatic roles, a perfect pout in ambient lighting ain’t going to cut it!
Think of the kind of roles you want to get cast as. Who are you as an actor? Now look at your headshot – is it helping or hindering? Does it visually communicate to potential employers the roles you want or is it just a picture of you looking attractive? Be honest with yourself. You may look great but you’re trying to get hired, not get a date.
You probably already know what your strong qualities are, but it is also important to keep it simple and consult your photographer. They have seen it already many, many times and will know exactly what will work for you best.
A good headshot should help reveal you as an actor – your range, your personality, and distinctive features - embrace it, show your slight imperfections too, that might be exactly what CDs are looking for. Try and think like a casting director: beautifully coiffed, hot people in heavy makeup are not suitable for many roles. Think natural: you are unique, and you need to show that in an unfiltered way. Again, remember you are the solution to their casting problem – help them solve it!
What makes a bad headshot?
A bad headshot doesn't look like you and/or looks unprofessional.
Where to start? Out of focus, your face is covered with hair, your props are driving the focus away from you, and bad lighting – it looks nothing like you! Perhaps there are props galore or the photographer has gone too arty? Getting a good headshot is extremely difficult despite being simple at first glance.
Ancient tribes when confronted with photography had a strong sense of their souls being stolen when they were being photographed. With a headshot, it is sort of very similar - when you look at your shot you should feel that it projects an essence of You. If you see your portrait picture and it just says - pretty someone else - something went very wrong.
Eyes are the window to your soul.
How do I prepare for a headshot shoot?
Know what you want to portray and the kind of roles you’re working towards.
Get your hair and makeup done and dress for the role.
Talk to your photographer about lighting and shot style. If you see yourself as a serious dramatic actor you might want to stay away from bright, light-drenched shots.
You can also ask friends in the industry, ask your agent and take a look at other people’s headshots. Get recommendations, do some research and look at a photographer’s past work. Examine their portfolio: it’s a big decision – you need someone in touch with the modern market who can help you sell yourself to industry figures.
Once you’ve settled on a few candidates, chat with them and see if you’re compatible. Tell them what you want, what jobs you want to go for and let them help you make it happen. They have to be able to get the best out of you and that won’t work if you’re uncomfortable with the photographer.
Take time to meet with the photographer, maybe even ask for an option to have your session longer than usual, so you can try different options, light set-ups or clothes. Feel free to ask for feedback during the shot - the versatility of your portfolio may be a key to grabbing that one role that opens the door for future work. Also, it helps a lot if the photographer offers professional digital retouching, so your final picture will be screaming - High-end.
Lastly - the quality of your headshot also tells agents and CDs how involved and committed you are to get the role. Bad iPhone photos are a red flag, saying clearly that you are not taking the job seriously enough.
Some photographers (just like in our studio!) will ask you to fill out a short questionnaire, that will indicate the type of pictures you are after. That gives the photographer an idea and will help reduce time during the shoot.
Your headshot is there to visually communicate your essence as an actor and it’s worth putting some thought into how to do that before you enter the studio.
Be conservative with the makeup application. While retouching can enhance your appearance, excessive makeup isn't necessary. Aim to present your natural self on your best day without appearing overly made-up. Stick to your usual audition hairstyle and consider bringing blotting papers to reduce shine. It's common for beginners to overdo makeup, resulting in the need for new headshots due to an artificial appearance in the photos.
It’s not a beauty shoot, remember that extensive makeup can do more harm than help.
Don’t overdo the clothing and props. Matt Newton, a professional acting coach advises: “Professionalism—not desperation—gets you noticed. A simple, solid shirt with a little texture that fits you well and matches your eyes should do the trick. No whites and no graphics or anything that might distract from your face. And no props. (You know that, right?) If you think you are going to play cop roles, you don’t need to wear the outfit in the headshot. It’s a bit much and very limiting”.
Crucially, it’s really important to check the details of your shoot with the photographer. You need to know how many photos he or she will be supplying and get some kind of contract signed. If you’ve been giving your all for four hours only to get four shots at the end of it, you may be disappointed.
Colour or Black & White?
Then there’s the tricky issue of colour versus black and white, and how close to crop? The traditional British style of headshot used to favour B&W and a close crop on the face, while in the US it was definitely colour and a looser-cropped frame. It won’t hurt to ask to have both for a few extra pounds, as a wider range of options always helps when applying for a versatile range of roles.
How much do headshots cost?
A headshot photo session can range from £100 to around the £1200 mark. It all depends on the brand and style of the studio. Sometimes you can get a fantastic-looking shot for as much as half of what you would pay with a different studio. Take some time to check online portfolios, some starting and talented photographers are not yet established in the market but are equally talented as big brand names.
You need to know how long the session will last, how many shots you’ll get in the end, how much retouching is included and how everything will be delivered – and get it all in writing (you can download a full document guide explaining the shooting process in our studio). Some photographers can also arrange hair and makeup, so that’s another added cost to bear in mind. You should think of a good headshot as an investment in your career – it might not be cheap but hopefully, it’ll be worth it.
