What to Wear & Bring for Your Actor Headshots
A casting director scans dozens of headshots at a time. In that moment they are asking one question: is this someone I can picture in the role. Your job, and mine, is to make that easy. We keep the clothing simple, keep the focus on your eyes, and let the real, castable you do the work.
Nothing here is about hiding behind a look. It is about removing anything that competes with your face, so the person looking at your shot sees you clearly and remembers you.
The basics
Keep it solid and simple
Choose solid colours and clean necklines. A calm, uncluttered top keeps every eye on your face.
Bring a light and a dark option
Two tones give us room to shift the mood, from warm and approachable to a stronger, more serious read.
Natural hair and makeup
Keep it close to how you look on a good, ordinary day. Heavy makeup and styling date a shot and hide you.
No logos or slogans
Branding pulls the eye and fixes the shot to a moment in time. Plain always outlasts a printed graphic.
What to wear
Think about the range you play, then bring pieces that hint at it without turning into costume. A detective and a young parent can wear the same plain shirt. The story is in your face, not the fabric.
Great choices
Also fine
Best avoided
Colours that work
Mid-tones that sit with your skin work best. They keep the light on your face even and true. Two colours to leave at home: pure white, which the camera reads brighter than your skin, and bright primary red, which throws colour up into your face.
What to bring
- Two or three plain tops
- Hairbrush and light makeup
- Your glasses, if you wear them
- A drink of water
At the studio
My studio is at Base Business Park in Rendlesham, about 15 minutes from the A12, with plenty of free parking. There is a private changing room, a mirror to get ready, and toilets on site. Arrive as yourself. We will sort the rest between us.
Questions actors ask
How many looks will we shoot? +
Two or three is plenty for most actors. One relaxed and approachable, one with a bit more weight to it. More than that and the choices start to blur. We would rather have three strong options than ten you cannot pick between.
Should I bring props or costume pieces? +
No. A headshot is you, not a character. Props and costume tell the casting director you can only be seen one way, which is the opposite of what you want. Range comes from your expression and your eyes.
Glasses on or off? +
If you wear glasses day to day and would go to an audition in them, bring them and we will shoot both. We can manage reflections in the studio, so that is not a worry. If they are only for reading, leave them off.
What about hair, stubble and beards? +
Come as you usually are, or as you want to be seen for the work you are chasing. If you are between clean-shaven and a full beard, we can shoot early then trim and shoot again, so you leave with both. Just tell me before we start.
Do you retouch the final images? +
Yes, lightly. I even out skin and tidy stray hairs, but I keep you looking like you. A headshot that does not match the person who walks into the room does neither of us any favours.
How long does a session take? +
Allow two to three hours, and up to four if we need it. That gives us time to settle in, work through your looks without rushing, and get the expression right rather than snatching at it. Nobody does their best work against the clock.
Studio in Rendlesham, Suffolk · call 07884 366342 · bob@foyers.photography
See also my guide on what to wear for your headshots.