Tips For Taking A Professional Headshot For Acting

Need to have a professional headshot taken for acting auditions? If so, you will want this photo to look as great as possible, since many people will be judging you from a single photo. Here are some tips for taking a professional headshot when you hire a headshot photographer:

Match Your Existing Appearance A headshot is not the time to change up your appearance. If you are using a headshot for casting auditions, the expectations will be that you look like you do in your headshot. Now is not the time to straighten your curly hair for your headshot photo, especially if you show up to the audition with curly hair. Your hair and makeup should be done in a natural way so that you look like you do in the photo. If you show up and look totally different, you could end up losing out on a job because you are not what the client expected.

Avoid Showing Too Much Skin A headshot is not the opportunity to show off skin, since it can be kind of distracting. Women should not wear an outfit where their shoulders are exposed, and men should not wear big v-neck shirts that show off a lot of their chest. It is a good idea to dress in layers, since it shows off a bit of style in your headshot with the parts of your body that are shown. 

Turn Your Body

A professional headshot is not an ID photo, and does not need to be a straight on photograph of you. It's important to add some dimension to your photo by turning your body slightly. For women with long hair, it helps to have your hair draped over the opposite side so that more of your face is shown to the camera, all while still showcasing your hair. 

Avoid Bright Colors

The focus of your photos should be your face, not your clothing. Avoid wearing any bright colors that could be considered distracting. Stick with more earthy colors or pastels that will not stick out in a bad way.

Take The Photo Outside

You should avoid having your headshot taken against a plain colored sweep, since the background will seem flat and unnatural. It's always a good idea to go outside for your photo on a day when it is very sunny. It not only helps brighten up your face, but makes the background look great so that the whole photo comes together in a good way.