How to Prepare for Actor Headshots in London

You're booked in - what comes next? There are a few things to think about before your session: what to wear, makeup and appearance, any specific image requirements, and your mindset going into the shoot.

Outfits

Let's start from the top (literally). I recommend bringing around five outfit options — have a think about what works best for you. Ask yourself: does the colour suit me? Does it complement my features? Is the top too "loud"? If someone looks at your headshot and their eyes go straight to what you're wearing rather than your face, it's probably not the right choice. Avoid anything with a tight check pattern too - this creates a phenomenon called "moiré" and let's just say it looks pretty weird. Here's a link to what I mean!

Makeup and hair

My view on makeup is to keep things as natural as possible. A big part of a headshot is showing your face as it is - casting directors know what can be done with makeup and can visualise how you might fit certain roles. If you're heavily styled in a particular direction it can make that harder for them to see.

For the guys - facial hair: if you can offer both bearded and clean-shaven looks, I'd recommend coming with facial hair. Once we've got some good shots we can go from there, then you can pop to the bathroom and shave so we can shoot the clean-shaven look too.

Hair works in the same way - wear it as you normally would, and if you can style it a few different ways we can try out a couple of options to show some variety. Just bear in mind you don't want to cover too much of your face. Bring any products that work well for you so you can make adjustments or tame flyaways as needed.

Mindset

Have a think about how you'd like to be seen - what inspires you, what types of characters you love playing, or the kinds of productions you want to be part of. It really helps to go into the shoot with that in mind. I also find that listening to music while we work makes a big difference, so think about any artists or playlists that help you get into the zone. My taste is pretty varied so I'm happy to go with whatever works for you.

In the days leading up to the shoot

Try to be well rested - a good night's sleep before the session will really help with your skin and the energy you bring on the day. I'd also recommend avoiding alcohol and too much sugar or salty food in the days before, as these can affect both your skin and your sleep.

Avoid heavy fake tan just before the shoot, and try not to get a haircut on the same day.

Any specific requirements?

I'm very happy to do my thing and get you great headshots - but if you have any specific requirements, it's really helpful to know about them beforehand. It's worth checking with your agent before the session in case they have particular preferences around crop, background, or format.

For more on session length, image delivery, and turnaround times, head over to my headshots page.