What should a headshot include

There is no standard for what size or color the font should be, nor for your name being on the bottom, top, side or back either. There is also no standard for whether you should print your headshots borderless or with a white border. This is a personal preference. Some people use a white border so they can clearly put their name in that section.

Some people prefer their face take up as much of the space as possible. With so many modeling agencies worldwide, it is only expected that there be no established requirement for how and what modeling digitals a model should submit or have in their portfolio. Crop factors can be varied. However, a model might consider maximizing the size of the photo to provide as much detail as possible.

For example, if a file upload website states the maximum upload file size should be no more than 2 MB, that is room to play with. One can easily submit a file size of around 1, x 1, in size, with good resolution as a JPEG. Doing so would be better than submitting a file of x , especially if the site might try to upscale smaller files.

In general, most models will want to have a traditional headshot and a full body shot. Then, an additional two to three complimentary shots should be considered. It is almost always a good idea that a third shot of the model in a swimsuit be used too. This is a three-quarter to full body shot.

Then, other shots might include half or other three-quarter body shots, or a second headshot or beauty shot. There can be many different requirements depending on the application. We have not even touched the surface.

There are different business card sizes, printed brochures, there are real estate yard signs, billboards, posters, and so on. The important thing is to find out technical requirements for the medium where the headshot will be used. Figure out if the headshot then needs to meet or align with any branding elements. Finally, find a professional photographer that understands these and can work with you to meet these minimum requirements with a professional headshot to help you stand out.

What Are Headshot Requirements? Rafael L. Publisher Name. Tags actor headshots , business headshots los angeles , corporate headshots , Executive Headshots , headshots Los Angeles , Post-Processing. Search for:. Eh, maybe. There are six different headshot types 3 for actors and 3 for corporate types. Do you know which ones you need? First off, there are two groupings for headshot types: acting and corporate. Each has three types of headshots for a total of 6. The key differences between headshots types revolve around two principles:.

Lighting is pretty straight forward — bright vs. For the non-photographers here, you only need to be concerned with brightness and the quality of light. By the quality of light, I mean, does the transition between bright and dark areas appear sharp hard , or does it have a gradual change soft. Soft light is generally more pleasing, whereas hard light is very edgy.

Each has its purpose and its place. Did he get his friend to take this picture? Obviously he must not take his acting career seriously.

I'm curious to look at their resume and reel. That headshot was definitely airbrushed into oblivion. Until the day comes where your name is widely recognized in the industry, you and every other actor NEED a great headshot. Most people recommend actors update their headshots every years. Although this is a great rule of thumb, the truth is that as you get older, you need to update your headshots less often. Here is a better breakdown by age: Years Old: Every 6 months to 1 year.

Unless you recently changed your look shaved, cut your hair differently, died your hair, etc. The only other time you might want to update is if you recently discovered something new about yourself, such as a particular "brand" or "type" you want to capture, or if you're trying to get cast into a particular project and want to do a set of headshots specifically with that goal in mind.

Remember: if you don't look exactly the same as you do in your headshot when you show up for the audition, the casting director will get really annoyed and NEVER hire you for the part. That's why it's critical that you look the same as your headshot! Here's a funny guide I created to help actors decide whether it's time to update your headshot: Note: If you're on a mobile device, pinch to zoom in and see the text bigger.

Sessions are very simple and straightforward as long as you pick a good photographer. Basically what happens is you'll contact some different photographers, find someone who's right for you, and schedule a time for your shoot. You'll show up at their studio or predetermined location , and they will guide you through the process. Choosing a photographer with a great personality is crucial. Because if you work with someone who's not engaging or boring, it will be very hard to get good expressions.

You might end up with a professional-looking headshot, but if you look uncomfortable or seem like you're trying too hard, casting directors will assume you can't act.

The result? You'll find yourself rarely getting called in for auditions. With headshots, the need to direct and be highly specific is critical, whereas there's little to no directing of expression involved in most other types of photography.

Their prices should be clear and straightforward — make sure they don't charge hidden fees be careful of photographers who charge both a "session fee" and a "per image fee" — it should be just one or the other, not both. Also, sales tax isn't legally required by law for services unlike for physical goods , so be careful of photographers who charge sales tax — they might be pocketing the extra money.

The photos in their portfolio should look great — make sure you like what you see and that the images line up with what we outlined previously. You should also look to see if they have any shots of people who look like you in their portfolio. Contact your final selections and see how they respond: Email or call them to see how quickly they respond and how accessible they are. Some photographers especially very expensive ones will offer a free in-person, phone, or Zoom consultation to explain their process and sell you on working with them.

During this consultation, you can ask them questions to get an idea of their personality and see if they seem like someone you'd like to work with. Go with your gut and commit: Once you choose a photographer, go all in.

Many will charge a booking deposit that's applied to the total fee — don't be afraid of placing this deposit. If you try to avoid putting the deposit down, the photographer might get too busy and could schedule someone else over you. Note: My team and I shoot headshots for actors!

Because of how specific headshots are and the skill it takes to capture good expressions, having your friend shoot your headshots is usually not a good idea unless they already specialize in it. Using a headshot that looks low-budget or like it was done by a friend will make casting directors think you don't take acting seriously and they'll pass you up for someone with a better-quality headshot. All that being said, if you still want to try taking your own headshot, check out this guide I wrote that shows you how to take a professional headshot with your smartphone.

Stay focused on what matters most with our free Actor Headshot Checklist. The more expensive the photographer in general , the better your experience will be and the more usable shots you'll get.

It's a guided "how-to" that explains strategies you can use to get high-quality headshots from lower-priced photographers. Headshot sessions usually consist of the following steps: Pre-Shoot Discussion: When you first arrive at the studio, the photographer will probably ask some questions about your goals and help figure out which outfits you should wear. They'll also explain what will happen during the shoot.

The Shoot: Usually the shoot lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours, depending on how many "looks" you're doing more on "looks" soon. The photographer will tell you where to stand and what to do, and will say certain things to try to get you to give certain expressions. All you need to worry about is doing what the photographer says, and asking questions when you're not sure. They'll usually take a lot of shots quickly like images per burst so they can capture subtle expression changes on your face.

Good photographers are usually willing to show you the pictures throughout the shoot so you get an idea of what they're looking like so you can make changes if you're not liking certain things. After the Shoot: Some photographers will sit down with you after the session to look at the photos together, and others will just send the images to you via an online link.

They usually delete any unusable shots and do basic color adjustments before sending the shots to you for review. In some cases, you'll get access to the high-quality, full-size images, and in other cases the photographer will only send you small preview files with watermarks on them.

Either way, your job at this point is to choose which pictures you like best and let the photographer know. Retouching and Printing: Most photographers include retouching in their packages, meaning they'll fix blemishes, whiten teeth, etc.

You just need to let them know which shots you want retouched, and then they'll usually email them back when finished so you can get them printed and start using them more on that soon. This means you should have an open mind — be prepared to try different expressions and body positions. If you're obsessed with only capturing one type of shot, it can make it difficult for you to relax enough to get good expressions.

A great headshot should look like you: Wanting to look thinner or more glamorous in your headshot than you do in real life might sound good on the surface, but it's a mistake. Casting directors hate when you look different in real life than you do in your headshot, and they'll almost never book you for the role because you've wasted their time — they wanted you for how you looked in the photo! This applies even if your audition was perfect and you memorized every single line. Asking your photographer to use special lighting setups to change how you look will cost you in the long run, so be confident in who you are and what you look like!

There is a place for everyone in this industry. Bring your clothing and anything needed for the shoot: Headshot photographers almost never carry clothing in their studio, so be sure to plan out what you're going to wear and bring in more than you think you'll need.

Also, if you're planning to do different hairstyles or a scruffy and clean-shaven look, don't forget to bring the tools required! Plan to arrive early: Arriving late is one of the biggest pet peeves of headshot photographers, and if you're more than a couple minutes late to your shoot, it can eat into your session time.

To avoid feeling rushed, be sure to arrive at least minutes early meaning plan ahead for possible traffic delays. Feeling a bit overwhelmed? The following two shots are of the same actress, but with different "looks. Although she could have done two different backdrops one outdoor and one indoor, perhaps , these shots wound up being taken on the same dark gray backdrop. What are "Looks"? So if you wanted three different "looks," that means you'd be getting three different kinds of shots. One look might be a business professional shot, done outdoors with the street blurred out behind you.

Another might be where you look like a gang member, wearing a leather jacket with a dark alleyway blurred out behind you. The final look might be shot on a white backdrop, where you're wearing a dark blue t-shirt, to be used as a "commercial" headshot.

For each look, you'll usually do a variety of poses and expressions, so you might walk away with shots altogether — pictures taken for each "look. Depending on the skill level of the photographer, most shoots take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour per look.

The most skilled photographers usually need less time, so a 3-Look shoot might only take an hour or so, whereas if you're working with a newer photographer it could take up to three hours to capture good expressions for each "look. Most actors should do at least two looks, aiming for one "commercial" and one "legit" shot at minimum. This means one bright, smiley, fun headshot, and one darker, moodier shot.

The commercial shot can be used for submitting yourself to perform in commercials and bright, fun scenes, and the darker "legit" shot can be used for more serious roles in dramas, etc. At the end of the day, you should have at least one great headshot to use, but more ideally you'll have at least different shots because it's better to submit specific headshots for specific roles like using a business look if you're submitting for a business executive role.

And remember — your photographer might actually shoot , , or shots, but your goal is only to pick your top few favorites out of the bunch. No one will ever see all the other pictures you did. Wear what you love. If you don't like something but someone tells you to wear it, you won't look confident in your shots and you'll probably feel awkward, so always start by choosing things you LOVE.

Now in general, it's a good idea to wear solid colors because patterns and logos are often distracting.

Layers can add more depth, so open jackets are great additions to outfits. You don't need to worry about your pants or shoes since they won't be in the frame, but for your shirt, subtle textures are OK, but they need to be minimal.

Most colors work fine, but you should stay away from pale colors like white, light gray, light pink, etc. Be sure your clothing aligns with the character and "brand" you're going for more on "brand" soon. For instance, if you're thinking of doing one business look and one gangster look, bring a professional suit and tie for the business look and a leather jacket and black t-shirt for the gangster look. For an in-depth, detailed guide on what colors and clothing work best, click here.

Makeup is not required for headshots but can be beneficial, especially for women. Natural makeup is best because casting directors want to know what you look like in real life — when you're overly made-up, they find it hard to imagine what you could look like dressed as the character they're casting for.

You can learn about our makeup artists here. How to Hire a Makeup Artist: Most headshot photographers already work with someone they recommend. It's best to avoid going to a makeup counter in a store or hiring your own makeup artist because makeup for headshots is significantly different than makeup for real life or for glamour photoshoots. You MUST Look Like Yourself: Don't change your hairstyle significantly or do your makeup in a way you can't replicate every time you go to an audition. If you submit a headshot of you looking a certain way, the casting director picks it because they want you to show up looking EXACTLY like that, so if you hire someone to do your hair or makeup in away you won't be able to replicate easily, your headshot won't do you much good.

The only acceptable jewelry is small stud earrings. Believe it or not, even wearing a simple necklace or chain is a no-no in actor headshots.

Glasses: We highly recommend wearing glasses in your headshots if that's how you look day to day. However if you also wear contacts, your should do some shots with AND without your glasses.