Headshots for Actors

Choosing the right acting headshot photographer for you

Whilst it goes without saying that I’d love you to come to me for your acting headshots, different headshot photographers shoot in different styles and can have very different approaches to the way they work with clients; so, I’d always recommend having a good look around to make sure your final choice is the right one for you, especially as you’ll be using your headshots for at least a couple of years before they need updating. When you’re looking around, here are a few things you might want to think about.

1. Are you engaged?

When you’re looking at acting headshot photographers’ websites, you should get a gut feeling about their work; a good acting headshot is all about making an emotional connection - that indefinable quality that makes someone stand out from the crowd when a Casting Director is sifting through the hundreds of headshots they will receive for different roles - and if you feel that sense of authentic engagement when looking through a headshot photographer’s portfolio, that’s a great indication that their style could be right for you.

2. What’s your style?

It’s also worth thinking about whether the photographer predominantly uses studio or natural light, and which is going to work better for your look. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference in lighting styles but, at the very least, have a think about whether you feel more drawn to a studio environment or a more natural setting. And check out whether a photographer offers the option of doing both - a mix of studio and more natural settings can help give a good sense of your range in your acting headshot portfolio, and the roles you might play.

As a very simple point - is their portfolio mainly black and white or colour? Although a black and white headshot for actors used to be industry-standard some years ago, colour headshots are very much the norm today and no matter how beautifully executed or striking an acting headshot might look in black and white, it can also just feel a little old-fashioned.

3. Keep it natural?

You might also want to check out what other services are on offer, such as hair and make-up. However, although I do work with some great local hair and make-up artists, when I first talk to new clients, I’ll also generally advise them to keep things as simple and natural as possible. Whilst it’s perfectly understandable that you should want your headshots to be as flattering as possible, Casting Directors aren’t looking for the most beautiful version of you, they’re more interested in authenticity - if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to rub a Casting Director up the wrong way, it’s walking into an audition looking nothing like the headshot they called you in on!

4. Do you connect?

Finally, take the time to have a conversation with any new headshot photographer you’re thinking of working with before you book your shoot. No matter how many years of experience they have shooting actors’ headshots, if you don’t feel an emotional connection when you first speak to them, there’s a good chance that could affect how you feel in the shoot - feeling 100% comfortable during your headshot session is one of the most fundamental factors that ensures you come away from your photoshoot with headshots that represent the ‘real you’