Guidelines for Headshots
From- The Actor’s Picture/Resume Book
An Actor’s Guide to Creating a Picture/Resume for Theatre, Film, and Commercials
2nd revised edition
By Jill Charles, with Tom Bloom
Published by Theatre Directories, a program of American Theatre Works,
Inc., Dorset, Vermont
While looking through the photographer’s books, make notice of
certain things that will be important
to you when you are deciding on where to have your
headshot made.
1. The texture and tones of the skin should be real, not retouched or airbrushed.
2. The light and the contrast should separate the hair/face from the color of the background. (For example, blonde hair should look blonde and dark hair should not blend in with the chosen background.)
3. Note the cropping. In a standard, accepted headshot, the eyes should be closer to the center of the picture. The head itself should be over ½ the picture size.
4. Clothing or background should never pull the focus away from the actor (especially in outdoor shots).
5. Lighting should be soft and even.
6. Sharp shadow lines should be avoided; no places on the face should be in dark shadows that might obscure features.
7. Pictures should not have a pronounced texture to them.
8. The actor’s eyes should be focused into the camera.
9. Do the eyes work? (They are the most important part; the photographer should not be caught up in cosmetics; the life in the eyes is what gets the actor the audition.)
10. The people in the photographs should look different from each other. (The headshots should reflect the attitude of the actor.)
11. Trust your personal impressions of their work.
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Be sure to find someone that makes you feel comfortable at the shoot. The purpose of the shoot is to capture your essence.
Find a photographer who will worry about all of the physical necessities so that you don’t have to.
A cosmetically perfect or controlled picture won’t look exactly like you, because it won’t necessarily reflect your personality (which is what you want).
After searching through all the books, leave it alone for a little while. The right photographer will become evident to you. Use the photographer who feels the best to you.
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