One of the most common questions I get asked about actor headshot photography is ‘what should I wear?’ Though the industry is certainly more flexible and open to contemporary style portraits than it used to be, there are still some very good rules of thumb to follow in order to make sure your actor headshots look professional and that your clothes aren’t distracted the casting director from you.

Colours:

Below are my recommendations on the kinds of colours to consider wearing for your actor headshots. If you HAD to choose just two, I’d say black and a top that matches your eye colour should be the priority!

Black is very strong and is great for giving an unfussy and direct look. It’s professional and works particularly well with fair-medium toned skin, especially when images are converted to black and white (in black and white images you want the brightest part of the image to be your face so a darker top works well). I highly recommend having at least one headshot in a plain black top and it works especially well if you want to get across a strong, sharp, bold, dark or confident casting type.

White: white is great for giving a softer, brighter and cleaner cut feel. It works best with actors with medium-darker skin tones; if you have fair skin and fair hair it may wash you out so you might consider a grey instead. White is synonymous with innocence, purity, youth and goodness so it can be particularly good if you want to suggest a casting type that aligns with these characteristics.

Grey: grey can be a good alternative to suggest the softer casting types above but without washing you out. The right shade of grey is also great for bringing out blue eyes. It usually doesn’t have the impact of the highly contrasting black and white but it’s good to bring as a safety option.

Burgundy and Navy: these are two of my favourite alternative colours to photograph actors in when shooting outdoors against a natural background, particularly burgundy as it works so well with the earth tones of a park or garden setting. Still dark, these are fabulous when headshots are presented in both colour as well as black and white and in my opinion, add a little more depth than a solid black.

Green: if you have green eyes or red hair, a green top is a must!

Style:

Just as you don’t want the colour of your top to distract from you, you want to make sure the style of your top doesn’t let you down either!

Avoid: shirts with collars, logos, patterns or tops with multiple colours. These all call attention to themselves which we do not want! Formal shirts can also make your headshot look like that of a corporate manager rather than an actor. I’ve seen softer, more casual shirts work however they are a risky option.

Neckline: believe it or not, the neckline of your top can have a subtle subconscious effect on how your character might be interpreted at a glance.

There’s a reason why Disney typically gives all of its heroes soft edges and the villains get pointy chins and noses etc. Points give a sharp edge so you’ll find that a V-neck t-shirt gives a stronger, edgier look compared to a softer look from round or crew neck. These are the two most common types of neckline for actor headshots and a good safe starting point.

Boat, drape and lower neckline tops work well for ladies with a period casting type, particularly when matched with an updo though be careful not to be too revealing!

Tank tops are great for giving a more practical, hands on and confident look though sometimes they can show too much skin which can be distracting so be prepared with a backup in case it doesn’t work.

Halter neck tops are a much better alternative to tank tops for women who want to come across with an aura of strength and practicality. The reason for this is the neckline cuts into shoulders which emphasises the muscle structure there and a high neck halter keeps everything covered for a more practical appearance.

Turtle neck tops and jumpers don’t often work well as they can leave you looking like a floating head. Unless you’re going for a very specific look, I highly recommend avoiding these styles for your headshots.

Fabric:

Though reflective fabrics like satin and silks can work really well on fashion shoots, they can prove distracting for actor headshots so you might want to consider sticking to matte fabrics like cotton and wool.

Though solid colours work best, if those colours are mottled, it can produce even better results that block colour alone as the mottling adds a little texture to your top without being distracting.

Examples of mottled fabric – great for adding texture to actor headshots!

Other clothing:

If your actor headshot photography is being done outdoors, you might want to consider wearing a thermal under layer or vest that can’t be seen beneath your tops. This has the benefit of keeping you warmer, particularly in autumn/winter months, as well as facilitating quick and modesty-keeping changes!

If your headshot session does fall on a colder day, think about bringing a pair of gloves and a large jumper you can keep on around your arms or even some hand warmers. This way you can stay warm and relaxed throughout your shoot.

In terms of what we see on camera in your actor headshots, you really don’t need anything else. I’ve sometimes been asked if actors should dress up in costume to reflect the various roles they play such as a bomber jacket and a scowl for a doorman or scrubs to show you’re ability to play someone in the medical profession. The answer is a big fat raging NOOOOO! Doing this will make you look extremely amateurish – you should not rely on your clothing to show your casting type, nor should you ham up your expressions to spoon feed your range to a casting director. The key is to be subtle about it so that the casting director can mould your headshot to match the vision they have in their head of the kind of character they see for a role.

Actor headshots typically are just that – headshots. You don’t need any longer or full length portraits unless specifically asked for by an agent or casting director so don’t worry about what you have on your legs and feet – just make sure you’re comfortable and warm!

More useful stuff…

Interested in booking your next actor headshots? Find out all about my sessions along with prices, HERE. In the meantime, why not check out some of these useful links?

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I often get asked “when should an actor update their headshots?” The answer is simple: do you still look exactly the same as you do in your most recent actor headshot?

This is where you have to get brutally honest with yourself: take a deep breath and admit that if yes, you may have put on a few pounds and accrued a few more wrinkles since your last headshot session ten years ago, it may be time to get some more done.

Age, weight, tattoos, piercings, hair – whatever may have changed since you had your last actor headshot; any potential casting director needs to know about it. Make sure that the person they see in the headshot that got emailed to them is the same person who walks into the audition.

Had a few more birthdays?

Time is the enemy of us all and we can’t help but change as it passes. The amount of change however varies between age groups and from person to person. Assuming you’ve had no drastic hair changes or gotten tattooed and pierced (in which case, book a headshot session now!) below is my recommended guide on how often you should renew actor headshots, but always ask yourself this question: do I look different from my current shots? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to renew them. If you still look pretty much the same, you can probably hold off a little longer!

Children under 10

This age group is the one that requires the most frequent updates to actor headshots as children grow and change at an incredibly fast rate. It is recommended that child actors update their headshots every 6-12 months. When you’re buying them clothes the next age up, think about getting their headshots updated!

Teenagers

Teens are still changing and developing each year so it is recommended their headshots are updated every 12 months. This is especially important when younger teens start transitioning into older teens and begin developing more adult features such as developing curves and facial hair, as it dramatically changes their casting type.

Adults

From 20 years old and upwards, I recommend updating actor headshots every 1-2 years. This frequency is recommended as not only will looks change, but so will your casting type as I mention in more detail further down. In addition to this, a casting director may get bored seeing the same headshots over and over. A fresh one can be the prompt the casting director needs to look at you again and see what new work you’ve been involved with.

Change of direction?

It’s not just a change of look that indicates it’s probably time to renew your actor headshot but also if you find yourself having a change of direction. Take Zack for instance. When he first came to me last year, he was a sweet, clean shaven, second year actor at Birmingham School of Acting. Back then he was going for the fun and endearing boy next door look; young, sweet and perhaps a touch naïve.

As you can see; when he came back to me last month to renew his headshots, not only was he rocking a totally different look but a totally different direction for his acting. Now Zack is going for the brooding, edgy guy with attitude and this totally comes through in his latest actor headshots.

Zack is a great example of how different you can look between headshot sessions so it’s important to keep evaluating your current style both in terms of appearance and goals as an actor! Your casting type should always be at the forefront of your mind when getting your headshots done as this is what you want to be selling to a casting director. Speaking of casting directors, why not check out my recent interview with casting director, Sharon Sorrentino and director, Tracey Street, where we discuss exactly what they look for in a headshot and what decisions they make when going through the process of selecting actors for audition!

Do you need a new headshot? Why not check out the links below?

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When actor’s book their first actor headshot session with me, they often ask how to prepare for the shoot. I therefore thought it might be useful to write a short blog entry discussing the key things to be aware of when diving in to your latest actor headshot photography session, and how these can affect the success of your shoot.

1. Your Experience So Far

When you arrive to one of my actor headshot photoshoots, I like to get to know a bit more about you: have you had headshots done before? Do you have any previous experience in front of a stills camera? How long have you been acting for? Has it been primarily stage or screen work? What sort of characters have you portrayed in the past?

Knowing all of this enables me to plan how best to tailor your session: whether it’s how much direction or physicality coaching you might need; the pace of the shoot; which backgrounds and lighting set up I think might  best suit your style; as well as the variety of looks we might be able to achieve.  These last two points are also particularly important when thinking about the next consideration….

2. What Direction Would You Like Your Career to Take?

It’s all well and good establishing your background, but the more important thing to consider is what you want to achieve going forward. What are the goals of your new actor headshots? Is it to update your current headshots now that you have a new fro or have a few more wrinkles? Is it to take your acting career in a new direction? Is there a specific role you really want to go for and want to be able to send a tailored headshot to the casting director to help improve your chances of securing the audition?

Again, all of the above is information that will allow me to tailor your headshot session to meet the goals you have set for yourself. For instance, if you just want to update your current headshots and would like to keep the same style then I can do my best to emulate the look and feel of your previous headshots whilst showing off the new you. Alternatively, if you want to take your career in a new direction, perhaps transitioning from Shakespeare and stage to TV, then we might look at taking a more contemporary approach to the lighting and background in order to appeal to casting directors in that area of the industry. The final point; trying to capture a specific character, leads us very aptly to the next thing to think about…

3. What is Your Casting Type?

This is one of the most important things for any actor to be able to identify about themselves as this affects how you market yourself and potentially allows you to establish your niche or ‘brand.’ Are you a leading lady? The boy next door? The hardman? The geek? Do you belong with the cast of Downton Abbey? Knowing your casting type means that I can provide more tailored direction and physicality coaching that is specifically designed to bring out these characters, without going over the top: it’s all about the art of subtle suggestion!

But what if you’re just starting out in acting and haven’t established your casting type yet? Don’t panic! By walking you through different exercises, we can get a range of looks that cover a variety of casting types as well as focusing on the next point of consideration…

4. How Would You Describe Yourself?

Whenever actors come to one of my headshot photography sessions, I always ask them to describe themselves in 4-5 words. The thing to remember is that as useful as it is to be able to convey your casting type in your actor headshot, casting directors often also want you to offer them a glimpse to your own personality. Are you loud, expressive, confident and boisterous? Are you geeky, analytical, precise and hard working? These words describe two very different people and so they would need to be photographed in different ways.

It can sometimes be difficult to think of these things on the spot so by coming prepared, your actor headshot session can start with a solid foundation, a clear set of goals and a tailored method of approach unique to you!

If you have any questions on how to prepare for your session, feel free to drop CONTACT ME or check out some of the links below for more frequently asked questions when it comes to actor headshots!

The post How to Prepare for an Actor Headshot Photoshoot appeared first on Aimee Spinks Photography.

In the last entry, we discussed how posture, expression and lighting can drastically change your actor headshots. If you didn’t catch it, check it out HERE. Today we’re going to look at how to actually choose the few headshots out of possibly hundreds taken over the course of a session that will make it as your Spotlight headshots!

Imagine it: you’ve booked your headshot photographer and had a fantastic session, but how do you know which images to pick? A good set of actor headshots will show your range but also consistently reinforce your casting type. It’s therefore really important that you identify this and talk to your headshot photographer about it so they can tailor your shoot to you.

When picking your final headshots, ask yourself these questions:

Do they show my range of playing ages?

Do they show my casting type?

Are they a true representation of me?

As we mentioned in the previous entry, we’re going to use actor, Torin Pocock’s headshot session as a case study.

When it came to picking his final shots, our main priority was to have one neutral headshot for Spotlight, one headshot that had a friendly and approachable appearance and one that showed a more intense kind of character, all whilst showcasing the range of his playing age.

In the end, the three main headshots Torin chose as part of his session:

This is Torin’s completely neutral headshot for Spotlight and any other acting platform he might chose to use such as Star Now or Cast Call Pro. One of the deciding factors of this image is that Torin felt it made him look a little younger than his other photos which would help to showcase his playing range to a casting director, another important thing to bear in mind when setting your goals for your actor headshots.

This image was chosen as we wanted to capture an image that showed Torin as a friendly, approachable character. One of the reasons we chose this smile over other is that it looked more relaxed and more genuine. Below are examples of smiling shots that didn’t work because they either looked disingenuous or were a little OTT! It’s amazing what a huge difference subtle changes can be to your headshot!

Finally we come to the more intense look, and I must admit it’s one of my favourites!  In this shot, Torin has managed to achieve a much more focused look that could see him cast as a leading man. He looks slightly older, again showing the range of his playing age, as well giving him a very strong and charismatic appearance with a darker undertone to that of the more smiley headshot.

I personally feel that this is the strongest of all three headshots and as a result, did my own little stylised edit. Not strictly in line with traditional headshot standards but as a more creative edit for my own sake – I’m pretty pleased with it!

As industry standards for actor headshots seem to go through trends and different platforms, casting directors and agents have individual preferences and requirements, I always provide all my client’s headshots in colour as well as black and white. In addition to the three photos already talked about, Torin decided to go for a couple of variations on the smiling shot. Below are the final images he took home from the shoot:

If you’re looking for an actor headshot photographer, feel free to check out my headshot page HERE for more information and if you like what you see, why not SAY HELLO

I hope you’ve found this article useful. If you have, feel free to share it on FACEBOOK and TWITTER – don’t forget to LIKE and FOLLOW for the latest blog content including offers on headshot photography as well as paid casting calls.

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Over the next couple of entries I’m going to use a case study to look at how small changes in posture, expression and lighting can drastically change your headshots, as well as discussing what to look for when it comes to choosing your final headshots from a shoot that may well contain several hundred! First let’s look at posing!

So you’re getting ready to book your first session with a headshot photographer? Have all the confidence in the world in front of an audience but don’t know what to expect when your audience is a lens? Don’t panic! I’m going to give you some quick tips on what to aim for during you next actor headshot session by using my recent shoot with actor, Torin Pocock, as a case study! Torin is a multi-talented performer and has an extensive portfolio when it comes to presenting, radio and even has a bit of modelling under his belt though when you see his photos, I doubt the latter will surprise you!

Torin however wants to start to really focus more on his acting and realised that getting a solid set of actor headshots was the way forward. We had a brief chat about his previous experience, the type of acting he has done in the past, the type he hopes to do, as well as talking about his casting type.

As an actor it’s really important to understand your casting type – whilst variety is great, it’s vital to know your niche as well as how casting directors might view your headshot. Once you’ve identified this, speak to your headshot photographer and help them to understand the way you need your actor headshot to come across.

In Torin’s case, his personal character seemed to reflect his casting type: strong, charismatic and confident. These were the traits we wanted to draw out of the headshots so that a casting director might see him as either a potential leading man, the heartthrob, the middle class businessman or one of many other characters fitting these characteristics. All this had to come across within a very small number of professional actor headshots.

A key thing to remember when it comes to actor headshots, is that the slightest movement or change can dramatically change the impression a headshot gives. For instance, if the camera is looking up at you, it’s going to put you in an authoritative position within the frame – something synonymous with strong or perhaps darker characters. This can then be emphasised further by narrowing the eyes slightly (never ever go overboard with this) or raising the chin a little.

In direct contrast with this, if the camera is looking down at you, you are placed in a slightly more open position in the frame, synonymous with being friendly and approachable. Again this can be emphasised by a slight smile to create a completely different shot from the first, without having changed much at all.

Having said all this though, it is vital to remember not to overdo any of it. When I say ‘looking down,’ or ‘looking up,’ I mean only by very small increments! The same is to be remembered if a photographer asks you to tilt or move your head to one side – don’t stand side on to the camera and try craning your neck back to it. Be as front on as possible as this gives a casting director the clearest view of you possible! Look at the difference between these two shots:

Other things not to overdo are expressions! If you want to show you’re a friendly, approachable person who enjoys a laugh, don’t give the camera ear to ear smiles – even if it’s genuine, it is often far too much for an actor headshot. Keep your smiles small, or better yet, simply hint at them as it gives your headshot a little more intrigue! The only exceptions to this rule are if you really are a huge and funny personality and really want to show this off, or you want a more fun and contemporary shot to use ALONGSIDE (not as) your main headshot. Which of these looks better to you?

In contrast to this, if you want to come across as brooding or menacing, tone down the pout and for the love of all that is acting, don’t scrunch up your eyes! Your eyes are by far the key feature of a good actor headshot and is often the part that draws a casting director in. You therefore don’t want them hidden under over narrowed brows or hair!

Instead of pouting your lips, relax and part them slightly; this looks far more natural whilst also maintaining a hint of passion and sex appeal (don’t believe me? Check out most of the images you see of models in high fashion ad campaigns). When it comes to giving the camera a more intense look, rather than narrowing the top of your eyes, instead try raising the bottom. If you’re not familiar with this technique, it may sound a little odd, but the feeling you want to achieve in your eyes is the same one you get when you have a genuine smile that spreads to your peepers. Now you just need to practice how to do it without smiling! See how much better the second image is?

If you struggle with these techniques, a good headshot photographer will be able to give you direction and exercises to try out on the day in order to help you find it.

If you take away one thing from this entry, remember to keep everything feeling as natural as possible as this is ultimately what we need to achieve in your actor headshots. If you have found any other techniques relating to posing that you have found particularly useful in your own headshots, feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email via aimee@aimeespinks.com for your chance to win some free headshot images!

In the next entry, I’m going to be discussing how you go about selecting your final images!

Stay tuned!

The post How to Pose for Actor Headshots appeared first on Aimee Spinks Photography.

Johndeep More was fantastic to work with. An experienced performer, Johndeep not only has extensive acting experience on stage and screen, but was also a live finalist in BBC 2’s ‘Any Dream Will Do.’ He was extremely professional but fun to shoot and I must admit that this photo is one of my favourite’s from this year! Johndeep wasn’t sure whether to go for the stubbled or clean shaven look so we arranged to do both with a quick shave half way through the session. This allowed us to get an even greater range of looks for him to take to casting directors!

Sandra Marie Lees is a full time actress with extensive experience both on the stage and on screen. With a background in professional modelling, Sandra looked absolutely stunning throughout the shoot and had an affinity with the camera which meant she needed very little direction! With hair that gorgeous, I simple couldn’t resist getting the fan out for a few wind-swept shots!

Reese Burke is a drama student and this was his first actor headshot photography session. Reese was a fab character to work with and despite it being his first time, he took direction extremely well and quickly became at home with the camera! I look forward to working with him again in the future!

Robby Khela is a multi-talented performer. After having great success in the music industry, Robby now focuses on acting and writing and so wanted some professional headshots to move forward with. Being no stranger to the camera from his musical career, Robby was brilliant to work with and took direction extremely well.

Jason Burden is  a young actor from Leicester and a kindred spirit when it comes to our mutual love of martial arts. This was Jason’s first headshot photography session but he very quickly relaxed into the shoot and took direction fantastically. Normally cast as softer, younger roles, we wanted to give his look a bit of an edge so that casting directors could see him in a new light!

Sonny was fabulous to work with, and despite being fairly inexperienced when it comes to actor headshots, he was able to take direction extremely well. He very quickly learned how to engage the camera with every shot to produce a selection of striking images for his portfolio.

Mark Theobald is a mature actor who wanted his images to reflect his strength of character. Being the first headshot session he had taken part in, he took to the camera extremely well. Alongside the fresh and brightly lit shot above, we also shot a number of darker shots to help promote his Shakespearian work.

Finally we have Catherine! After a frantic call, I managed to arrange Catherine’s shoot the very same day in order to meet a deadline for spotlight! The images were turned round in under 24 hours so that she could submit her final photos in time! Catherine was an absolute pleasure to work with and took direction extremely well throughout her headshot session.

I wish all of my clients, including those not showcased above, the very best for their careers going into 2014! In thanks for all the wonderful people I have photographed over the last 12 months, I am offering clients the opportunity to book a session for just £100 instead of £120 – great for returning clients who want to try their next session outdoors to give their portfolio a different feel!

Anyone wishing to take up this offer should email aimee@aimeespinks.com with the code, XMAS12 before the end of January 2013.

Click on the links below to find out more about my actors headshot photography:

In the meantime, I hope you all have an amazing Christmas and a fabulous New Year!

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