Actor Headshots: Everything You Need to Know

A headshot is a tightly cropped portrait that focuses on your face, traditionally taken from the shoulders upward; headshots are often formatted as an 8-by-10-inch printed photograph or a digital file. 

Headshots are to actors what business cards are to corporate climbers and stunning Instagram grids are to aspiring influencers: the foundation of a professional brand. Your headshot is sent to casting directors when you’re up for a role and to agents when you’re looking for representation. 

Your audition begins the moment you walk into the room—but your headshot may determine whether you get the chance to walk into that room in the first place. 

Why are headshots important for actors? 

It doesn’t matter how brilliantly talented you are: Without the right headshot, the chances of anyone taking the time to discover that brilliance plummet. Actors need headshots for: 

• Marketing materials (e.g., postcards or business cards) 
• Online casting profiles 
• Personal actor websites 
• Professional social media profiles 
• Submitting to agents and managers for possible representation 

Your headshot serves as the cornerstone of your marketing materials, tying together your website, social media, casting profiles, postcards, business cards, and résumé. Just like the Nike swoosh or McDonald’s Golden Arches, your headshot should make you instantly recognizable across channels. As an actor, you are pitching yourself as a product, and a professional headshot should be the image that best represents that product. (For that reason, many actors use their headshot as their profile picture on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms.) 

Establishing your brand is the big-picture reason actors need quality headshots. On a more practical level, headshots are required to be considered for most roles. These days, most auditions start with online submissions, so in addition to hard copies (which are still important), you’ll need digital copies of your headshot for online casting profiles. Many projects won’t even let you submit unless your profile has a headshot, and it’s the first thing casting directors see with your submission. 

For theater auditions, it’s standard practice to bring a hard copy of your headshot, so always come to an Equity Principal Audition (EPA) armed with one. Many 2026 EPA notices from Actors’ Equity Association ask actors to bring a headshot and résumé stapled together, and some request multiple copies. Some theater casting offices still accept headshots and résumés by mail, though email and online submissions are now far more common. For film, commercial, and print auditions, hard copies are less common, but it’s never a bad idea to bring one. 

When you submit yourself to agencies for possible representation, a headshot is the first item on the list of required materials. And any time you attend a workshop with a casting director or agent, bring a headshot. 

Actors should format their printed headshots as follows: 

• In color 
• 8 by 10 inches in size 
• With their name printed on the front 

Your headshots should always be in color; black-and-white headshots are all but obsolete. Most actors print their headshots vertically (portrait), though some print horizontally (landscape). While it’s a matter of personal preference, printing vertically makes it slightly more intuitive for a casting director to flip your headshot over to read your résumé on the back. 

Even though your headshot will be attached to your résumé, it’s important to have your name printed somewhere on the photo. There’s no standard font, but it should be easy to read. If you choose an external white or black border, your name can be printed within it. 

Digital headshots need formatting, too. Raw camera files are too large for most websites to process. Although the specifics vary, most casting sites require digital headshots that are: 

• Compressed: Compressed images are usually .jpeg, .jpg, and .png file types. Some casting sites also accept .tiff files. 
• High-resolution: Resolution is usually expressed in dots per inch (dpi). A file of at least 300 dpi at 8-by-10 inches will look crisp as a thumbnail, a full-size image, or a print. 
• Without names: Unlike printed headshots, digital headshots usually don’t include your name. 

For casting websites, where your headshot will appear alongside many others, consider a tighter crop on the face “so that the eyes can be seen more easily,” recommends Los Angeles headshot photographer Marc Cartwright. “A three-quarters shot won’t stand out as much in an online gallery of actor headshots.” 

How to attach a headshot to your acting résumé 

Your résumé should be stapled to the back of your headshot. Trim your résumé to size or print it on matching 8-by-10-inch paper (these acting résumé templates can help). Staple the two together at all four corners, with the staples positioned a quarter of an inch from the edges. Keep the headshot facing up as you staple, so the staples’ pinchers are visible on the résumé side. 

Alternatively, you can have your résumé printed directly on the back of your headshot. Some casting directors discourage this, however, because they prefer to keep headshots and résumés separate for filing. Printing directly on the back also makes it harder to update your résumé. 

Some headshot tips are obvious—for instance, don’t use a selfie. Others are a little more nuanced—for example, don’t show so much skin that it distracts from your face. If thinking about how to get the perfect acting headshot makes you nervous, here are a few guidelines:

Headshot dos

• Do shop around for a photographer who makes you feel comfortable.
• Do wear a little makeup (even if it’s just powder).
• Do wear flattering, solid colors.
• Do prepare your looks based on your unique talents and booking goals.
• Do professionally format your headshot to industry standards.

Headshot don’ts

• Don’t use your senior yearbook photo, a selfie, or an AI-generated image as an acting headshot.
• Don’t wear so much makeup that you’re unrecognizable.
• Don’t wear distracting patterns or colors.
• Don’t choose a pose or look that plays against the types you intend to audition for.
• Don’t airbrush out all your freckles or laugh lines.

The best way to find a good headshot photographer is to ask for referrals. Look at your actor friends’ headshots, make a list of your favorites, and ask your friends to connect you with the photographers who took them. Take the opportunity to ask what their shoots were like and whether they enjoyed working with the photographer. Like everything in the acting world, finding a good collaborator makes the finished product stronger.

It might be tempting to have a friend with a camera take your headshot (or worse, to take some selfies). Your friend might photograph great landscapes, but a good general photographer isn’t necessarily a good headshot photographer. Headshot photography is all about capturing essence and expression, and since your headshot’s quality directly reflects on your professionalism, it’s essential to get it right. Many headshot photographers offer free consultations, so schedule one and ask the right questions before moving forward.

These are some of the best questions to ask a headshot photographer:

• Do you have a portfolio of your past work?
• What are your rates? What’s included in your rate?
• Do you shoot indoors or outdoors?
• How many looks does your session include?
• How long is a session?
• Do you recommend anyone for makeup, hair, or retouching?

Do your research on any prospective photographer: Visit their website and browse galleries of past work. Before committing to a session, have a conversation to make sure you share a vision for the final product.

Credit: antoniodiaz/Shutterstock

Most professional actor headshot sessions cost between $300 and $1,000, though in-demand photographers in Los Angeles and New York City can charge $1,500 or more. A typical session is priced based on its length and number of looks, and adding another hour or look usually increases the price by a fixed rate. Some photographers include photo editing and light retouching in their base price, so ask for an estimate before signing on. You’ll usually pay a deposit in advance and the remainder on the day of your shoot. 

Most photographers charge a flat fee for the session itself, but a headshot’s total cost extends well beyond the shoot. Budget for these common add-ons: 

• Additional looks: $50 to $150 per extra outfit or setup 
• Hair and makeup: $100 to $250 for a professional artist 
• Photo formatting: About $15 to $25 per image for name setup and borders at many print labs 
• Printing: Roughly $90 to $140 per 100 prints at 8-by-10 inches 
• Retouching and editing: $20 to $75 per image beyond what your package includes 

You don’t have to break the bank to get a great headshot, but you don’t want to cut corners either. Your headshot is a direct reflection of your professionalism, making it an investment in your career. 

Keep the focus squarely on your face by choosing simple, nondistracting clothing for your headshot session. Solid primary colors and bright jewel tones work well, while busy patterns and large, distracting jewelry are a no-go. But you know what looks best on you—pick colors that bring out your eyes and complement your skin tone. Stay away from white (which can wash you out) and black (which can seem to absorb light from the rest of the photo). 

If you play buttoned-up characters, wear a jacket. If you play free-spirited characters, you can show a bit more skin, but don’t overdo it; revealing clothing can pull attention from your face. When selecting your headshot wardrobe, ask yourself: 

• What types of projects do I want to work on? If you want to work on noir shows or late-night crime dramas, a dark, gritty-looking headshot fits the tone. If you aspire to join the cast of “Saturday Night Live” or become a sitcom darling, a bright, goofy shot is a better idea. 
• Which types of roles do I want to play? If you’re going out for a high-powered executive, your hair, makeup, and clothing should be polished. If you’re going for a high school queen bee, make sure your wardrobe and makeup are age-appropriate. 

The best headshot backgrounds are simple and well lit. Shooting outdoors or indoors is a matter of personal preference: Natural light gives a softer quality, while studio lighting is sharper, more dramatic, and leaves you less at the mercy of the elements. Look for contrast, too. If you have dark hair, you can melt into a shadowy background, while a light gray or cream backdrop will make you pop.

It’s worth asking a photographer whether they have their own studio setup or which outdoor locations they typically use. Either way, a professional headshot photographer will guide you in the right direction. After all, a headshot is your calling card as an actor, but it’s also an example of the photographer’s work.

• Wardrobe and makeup: Bring all your wardrobe changes. If you don’t have a makeup artist on hand, also bring essential makeup and a small mirror for touch-ups. Even actors who don’t typically wear makeup should bring translucent powder, since studio lights can leave you hot and shiny around the nose and forehead.
• Outdoor essentials: If you’re shooting outdoors, bring comfortable shoes. You may need to walk to multiple locations, and your feet won’t be in the shot anyway. Since outdoor shoots may not have changing facilities, consider bringing a towel to cover up during quick changes (or stick close to public restrooms).

When you pose for a headshot, stay relaxed. These photos are all about your face, and any tension will show up there. The best headshot poses combine strong posture with great facial angles. These classics can get your creative juices flowing:

• Head-on, facing the camera: This pose is a classic for a reason: The camera gets to see all of you.
• Leaning in: Leaning slightly toward the lens makes it look like you’re in the middle of a conversation, so it’s easy to give off a “best friend” vibe.
• Over the shoulder: This angle is slightly more mysterious, unusual, and edgy.

You want your headshot poses to capture your strongest qualities, and your eyes need to tell a story. The irony of a headshot is that, though it’s a still image, you shouldn’t look still. The last thing your headshot should be is boring. Some attention-grabbing quality should leap out at the viewer, whether that’s an enigmatic Mona Lisa smile, a mischievous glance, or a pensive stare. Think of a headshot as a freeze-frame of you in action.

To pick the right headshot, ask other people for advice. Industry professionals such as agents, managers, casting directors, and fellow actors are the most helpful (although friends and family can offer feedback, too).

Your photographer should send you a link to an online gallery or download of the images from your shoot. Ask people to look through the gallery and pick their favorites, then tally the winning shots. Have them share why they were drawn to their picks, including adjectives that came to mind (“You look fierce in this one!”) and features that pop out at them (“Your eyes are boring into my soul!”). Compare their responses with the qualities you were trying to embody: How do they match up? Were you going for bubbly but ended up with moody? Choose the shots that align with the projects and roles you want to book.

It may seem self-absorbed to ask other people to look at 100 pictures of your face, but an outside point of view helps. We’re not always the best judges of ourselves!

Print 20 to 100 headshots at a time, depending on how many agents and casting directors you’re meeting and how many auditions you’re attending. Since you should get new headshots every one to two years, don’t overdo it by printing 1,000.

If you’re trying to land an agent, keep your headshot bank well stocked so you can mail prints to agency offices or bring them to workshops. If you focus on Equity Principal and theater auditions, always bring a headshot and résumé with you. Hard copies aren’t always mandatory for film, TV, and commercial auditions, but many audition postings still ask for them, so it’s smart to have some on hand.

A good rule of thumb is to keep 20 prints in your bank. You can always print more when you need them.

Actors should lightly retouch their headshots. You want the photo to be the best possible representation of you, which often involves eliminating distracting visual elements and slightly enhancing your best features. Acceptable retouching includes smoothing stray hairs, evening out skin tone, and bringing out the light in your eyes. Don’t go overboard with Photoshop to the point that you’re unrecognizable; retouching is all about striking the right balance.

Cartwright advises actors to keep their realistic age range in mind when retouching: “Skin has texture. Even the smoothest of skin. Skin gets more texture as we age. The first thought that pops up when I see a headshot with overly retouched, plastic-looking skin is, What are they hiding? Something feels off. In overly retouched photos, casting can’t trust what the actor will look like, and therefore won’t waste time calling that actor in to audition.”

Another thing to keep in mind when retouching is how polished you want your headshots to look. If your goal is to get cast in an edgy role, says Cartwright, “You might want to see all the flaws to help with the illusion. Of course, you still want to be professional. Your retoucher should work with you on striking a balance between what looks character-driven versus what looks like you don’t care. On the other hand, if, for example, you are going for the upscale business look, you may want to clean the shot a bit more to give a feeling of impeccability.”

What about AI-generated headshots?

An AI-generated headshot may seem like a cheap shortcut, but skip it. These images tend to look idealized rather than like the real person a director will see onscreen, and SAG-AFTRA has fought hard for protections around performers’ digital likenesses. Casting directors need to trust that the actor who walks into the room matches the photo.

Credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

As a general rule, actors should update their headshots every one or two years—and any time they change their look. You should get new headshots whenever you:

• Cut your hair more than a few inches
• Dye your hair a different color
• Gain or lose a significant amount of weight (more than 10 pounds)

“You want to stay current with what casting directors are looking for in a headshot,” Cartwright explains. “For instance, at one time black-and-white headshots were popular. If you present a black-and-white shot today, some may assume you haven’t auditioned since 2005.”

Have your headshots? Great! Now, it’s time to apply to casting calls!