
preparing for your headshot shoot
Getting ready for your Actor Headshots
Getting great actor headshots is one of the key tools for an actor to promote yourself. Casting directors, agents and other industry professionals will normally encounter you for the first time through your headshot. Its no wonder that many actors are nervous about getting the right images for their profiles on Spotlight, Mandy, etc. We aim to make every session fun with no pressure at all. The sessions are fast moving without being rushed and we tend just to have a chat with some photography in there somewhere!
To help you prepare for your headshot session, we have put together a guide that will hopefully answer your questions. If there is something else you would like to know, call us on 07810 004451 or use the live chat on here. Below is our top tips for getting ready for your headshot shoot. You can download the guide through the link at the bottom too!



What to Wear
Clothing reflects you, your brand and personality so it’s worth spending some time choosing the right outfits(s) for your shoot. For the majority of actor headshots, it’s only your top half you need to worry about. For most headshots, we would recommend avoiding too many distracting patterns, graphics, branded logos or super vibrant colours. Please bring plenty of tops with you so we can decide on the best ones for you. Wear what you feel represents you. Bring a few changes of clothing including different colours. Classic t-shirts are always a good starting point. Layering looks with jackets, etc also works well. We have an iron and hanging rail in the studio to make sure your clothes look their best.



Hair & Makeup
Make Up: Typically, makeup for actor headshots should be natural and light. A headshot should be a true representation of who you are and what you will look like when you walk into an audition. If you have freckles or scars don’t hide them. They could be what gets you the part.
Hair and Facial Hair – Throughout a shoot, feel free to change your hair. Bring any accessories you like. If you have long hair, start with it down and then put it up throughout the shoot.For men, if you want a look with and without stubble / beard, bring a shaving kit with you. Check your eyebrows, nasal hair, etc. to make sure you are happy.
Skin: Photoshop is a wonderful thing but spending a bit of time on your skin the day before a shoot will work wonders! Try to avoid alcohol the night before as well as salty and fried foods. Boring as it may seem, water really helps your skin to look great! Don’t stress about a last-minute breakout – we can remove any unwanted blemishes in the retouching process.



The Headshot Shoot
Give yourself plenty of time to travel to the studio. If you have to rush you will arrive stressed and that certainly won’t help you look your best. When you arrive we will have a chat about the images you would like, the characters you get cast for and look through the clothes you have brought.
Sessions are very relaxed. We will laugh a lot, chat a lot and take some pictures. I often play your favourite music to help you feel at ease. I also show you images as they are photographed to help you see how great you look and give you chance to alter anything.



Afterwards?
After your session we will put all of the best images into a private gallery. This is normally the same or next day. From this gallery you can choose your favourites. Once you have finished selecting let us know and we will retouch them for you. The finished images will be put into a separate gallery within approx. 7 days for you to download or share with your agent.
Actor Headshots in London and Bristol. Any questions, call Helen on 07810004451 or email hello@lumosia.com We are always happy to help.
More posts from our blog
If you are looking for Actor Headshots in London or Bristol, we would love to hear from you. You can call us on 07810004451 or email hello@lumosia.com If you prefer, fill in the contact form below.
Contact Us
Lumosia Headshot Photography
London: The Barley Mow Centre, 10 Barley Mow Passage, Chiswick, London, W4 4PH
Bristol: 19 Martingale Way, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 7AW
07810 004451