What Makes A Good Headshot?

What Makes A Good Headshot?

I met up with Alison Solomon – casting co-ordinator of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre – to find out what she looks for in a headshot. These were her thoughts and preferences.

Classic :

A classic headshot is of an actors’ head and shoulders.

• black and white
• 10×8 inches
• portrait orientation
• 80% of the image will be taken up with the actors face

Simple:

Nothing should be present that can distract from the actors face.

• No ‘busy’ backgrounds
• No jewellery
• No patterns or stripes on clothing

Clear:

The image should be a clear and accurate representation of the actors face.

• No quirky poses
• No heavy make-up
• No glamour looks
• No posing astride a chair with your guitar
• No family snaps
• No moody or arty lighting that hides part of the face
• No dark backgrounds that do the same

Accurate:

Don’t hide anything – scars, moles, natural hair colour etc – that is going to be obvious when you attend auditions

Personality:

Show it

Looking back on these bullet points it shows that less is more. Many thanks to Alison for giving up her time for these tips.

Make it classic, simple, professional.

Other things that will always be discussed at any headshot session is the smiling question. To smile or not to smile?

Most Spotlight pictures are not of the smiley variety. Actors want to be seen as serious and professional but some actors are just overwhelmingly … smiley. And if they are they should show it. The casting director wants to see in the picture a good indication of who is going to walk through the door and that goes for personality too.

Most actors prefer a natural or serious look but I don’t think it hurts to have a hint of warmth and friendliness. My old stage-manager self always preferred a friendly company to a talented one. Preferably a friendly and talented one but don’t underestimate the need to be easy going in a stressful industry.

One last thing to bear in mind: please just send ONE picture along with your CV to the casting director. Several times a day their Inboxes gets clogged up with several pictures of the same person but it’s not necessary. Send your best picture and let the casting director do the rest.

Things For An Actor To Think About Before Your Headshot:

Research:

Look at other headshots before having yours done. What is good about the pictures that appeal to you?

Although it’s great to have a headshot that is different from others ensure that the pictures you like meet the criteria set out above. Remember it’s all about a clear representation of the actor and not art.

Time:

Put aside time so that you aren’t worried about making your next appointment. Most of my sessions last between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. Also, remember that it’s a work session albeit (hopefully) enjoyable. Don’t go to your session after work or after a particularly good party. Tiredness always shows in the pictures.

Relax:

It is the photographers job to get you relaxed in front of the camera. Without relaxation your headshot will not show your personality. Word of mouth recommendations are helpful to hear about whether other people had a good rapport with their photographer. Failing that try and arrange a meeting with a prospective photographer before booking your session.

Clothes:

Bring a variety of tops that you like.

Absolutely no stripes or patterns but texture is fine.

Natural or studio:

Decide what type of picture you’d like. Light is very important and creates very different looks. If you decide on natural light – and some headshot photographers only offer this option – bear in mind that bad weather can prevent your session going ahead.

Remember that a headshot is your first contact with a casting director and an essential tool in the quest for that theatre, film or television role in an overcrowded industry. Also, you will be looking at it for the next two years at least (and hopefully seeing it in many theatre programmes) so make sure, as best you can, that you will be proud of the finished image.