PREPARING FOR YOUR SHOOT

We're looking forward to working with you!

​If you have any questions, feel free to email us at [email protected].

General Prep Tips

• ​Want to do your own makeup? Keep it simple – don't overdo it. Headshot makeup should be natural and something you can easily replicate for self-tapes and auditions. Feel free to read our Ultimate Guide to Doing Your Own Headshot Makeup.
• Try to keep stress levels down: The week of the shoot, eat well, drink lots of water, and avoid sunburns or scratching your face. Think happy thoughts to avoid stress and blemishes, but remember that if a blemish shows up, it can be retouched!
• Bring contact info and plan to arrive early: Plan your route ahead of time because you don't want to be stressing out about arriving late and cutting into your shoot time!​

What to Wear

• Think about Types you can realistically play: Remember that headshots are about your face, meaning you should keep your outfit simple. We recommend thinking about the kinds of characters you can realistically play based on your age and look, and then dress to capture some of those characters. For instance, if you can play lawyers, well they often wear suits, so it would be good to bring a suit as an option for one of your shots.
  • Tip: Want to learn more about Types and how to find yours? Check out this article on Actor Types and Brand.
• ​Avoid distracting outfits: Strong patterns with contrasting colors don't work well on camera. Large logos are also distracting, and some brightly colored accessories can be as well. If you're not sure, feel free to bring it and we can take a test shot to see how it looks.
• Should I wear glasses? If you wear them in regular day-to-day life when you meet people, yes. You want to look like how you'll look when you record audition tapes and meet people in person for the first time. If you only wear glasses for reading or computer work, then we recommend avoiding them in your headshot. If you want to do a few shots with and without glasses, just let your photographer know!
• Wear well-fitted clothes. The baggier the clothing is, the heavier it will make you look. But don't go too tight or it will just look awkward!
• Avoid sleeveless and/or low-cut shirts. Sleeveless or low-cut shirts are generally considered less professional and can draw attention away from the face, and instead to the arms or neckline.
• Avoid shiny clothing. Under bright studio lighting it can be distracting and any imperfections (wrinkles, etc.) are highly noticeable.
• Bring 1-2 backup clothing options: We recommend bringing a few extra options just in case something doesn't look good on camera.
• Tips for hot & cold days: On hot days, to avoid sweating feel free to wear shorts to the shoot. You can change in our air-conditioned studio in the changing area. If it's cold and you're shooting outside, bring an extra layer to wear underneath your outfit to stay warm (since you'll need to take your coat off during the shoot).
• Colors to wear: Rich, deep colors look great on camera. We recommend staying away from white or pastels as your primary color. They can work fine underneath a darker jacket, but for the outermost layer, darker usually works best. Avoid black if possible because it can often just look too dark/dull on camera (charcoal gray is a good alternative to black).

2 Final Tips for a Great Shoot:

• Be honest with your photographer about what you're not liking: We'll show you the images throughout the session, so if you see anything you don't like, just point it out and ask if it can be adjusted.​ We won't be offended!
• ​Arrive mostly camera-ready if you didn't book a makeup artist: You'll have about 5-10 minutes before the shoot begins to make some last-minute adjustments. There probably won't be enough time to put on a full face of makeup or full hairstyling work. If you DID book makeup however, show up bare-faced and there will be plenty of time before your session begins!

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Want to dive deeper on what to wear? Check out our in-depth, long-form guide here.