In this guide, we'll specifically focus on how many different kinds of headshots you need to start getting auditions.
But if you want to go deeper and learn everything about actor headshots including what to wear, good headshots vs. bad headshots, actor headshots examples, how retouching works etc., I recommend reading my guide called The Ultimate Guide to Actor Headshots. How Many Headshots Do You Need for Acting?As you can probably guess, the answer is: It depends. But no one wants to hear that, so in this article I'll break everything you need to know down step by step. Here's what we'll cover:
Ready to begin?
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Martin Bentsen (author of this guide) is an actor marketing coach who uses “outside the industry” thinking to help actors book more work. He’s helped over 6,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues. Want to book more acting work by thinking different? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com. |
Some Additional Q&A
Do You Need Headshots to Be an Actor?
Unless you're already famous, you absolutely need a headshot. If you don't have any, your chance of building a successful acting career go WAY down.
How Do I Know Which Headshots to Choose?
When it comes to selecting the best headshot from your shoot, I have an in-depth guide that shows you how to quickly narrow all your photos down and pick the best possible shots: How to Select the Best Headshot from Your Shoot.
But for the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume you're trying to decide which photo to submit for a specific audition, where you're choosing from headshots you already have.
To pick the best possible shot for each audition, I recommend that you use Google Image Search. Type the character Type you think the casting director is looking for (example: [professor] OR [detective]) into Google Image Search. Google will show you examples of people who look like that. Then you can look through your headshots and pick whichever ones most closely resemble the images you're finding online.
But for the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume you're trying to decide which photo to submit for a specific audition, where you're choosing from headshots you already have.
To pick the best possible shot for each audition, I recommend that you use Google Image Search. Type the character Type you think the casting director is looking for (example: [professor] OR [detective]) into Google Image Search. Google will show you examples of people who look like that. Then you can look through your headshots and pick whichever ones most closely resemble the images you're finding online.
How Many Headshots Should I Send to an Agent?
It really depends on what the agent asks for. You should plan to send at minimum 3-4 headshots, but some agents will want to see more than that. Be sure to ONLY send your best shots however – most agents are very discerning and if you have unprofessional marketing materials, they'll assume you don't take your career seriously and will be less-inclined to want to represent you.
Learn all about how to get an acting agent here.
Learn all about how to get an acting agent here.
How Do I Use Other, Non-Headshot Photos?
It's always good practice to have at least one full-body shot in case a casting director needs to see your body type. You don't need to actually submit it, but should have it on hand in case you're asked.
Beyond that, I highly recommend you take headshots that align with your Special Skills. To start, skim through my Acting Resume Special Skills guide. It will show you what types of special skills are marketable. Then you can take a few photos that show you engaging in those special skills. The photos don't need to be professionally taken – they can simply be snapshots taken by a friend. For instance, if you know how to play piano, make sure you have a picture of you doing so. If you have a high level of physical fitness, take a fitness shot that shows your body type.
Finally, you might consider taking a few lifestyle portraits where you play your 3-4 Types each doing something they would typically be seen doing. For instance, if one of your Types is 'detective,' try doing a shot walking down a city street where it looks like you're secretly following someone.
Beyond that, I highly recommend you take headshots that align with your Special Skills. To start, skim through my Acting Resume Special Skills guide. It will show you what types of special skills are marketable. Then you can take a few photos that show you engaging in those special skills. The photos don't need to be professionally taken – they can simply be snapshots taken by a friend. For instance, if you know how to play piano, make sure you have a picture of you doing so. If you have a high level of physical fitness, take a fitness shot that shows your body type.
Finally, you might consider taking a few lifestyle portraits where you play your 3-4 Types each doing something they would typically be seen doing. For instance, if one of your Types is 'detective,' try doing a shot walking down a city street where it looks like you're secretly following someone.
Can You Take Your Own Headshots for Acting?
I generally discourage it unless you're absolutely positive you know what you're doing. Casting directors see thousands of headshots every day and can quickly tell who is willing to invest in their career and who isn't. That being said, if you want to try your hand at it, I have an article that shows you how to shoot your own headshots with a smartphone.
How Often Should Should an Actor Get Headshots?
In general, aim to update your headshot every 2-3 years, depending on your age. The younger you are, the more frequently you should update your shots.
You should also update your shots if you significantly change your look, such as cutting your hair more than a few inches, dying your hair a different color, gaining or losing more than 10 lbs, etc.
I have in-depth instructions on this (including how often to update your headshots by age) in my Ultimate Guide to Actor Headshots.
You should also update your shots if you significantly change your look, such as cutting your hair more than a few inches, dying your hair a different color, gaining or losing more than 10 lbs, etc.
I have in-depth instructions on this (including how often to update your headshots by age) in my Ultimate Guide to Actor Headshots.
How Can I Find a Good Headshot Photographer?
When asking "how many headshots do you need for acting," you might realize you need more than you currently have. For that reason, I decided to include a simple, quick process to narrow down photographers and find someone who'll be able to help you capture some new, even better headshots.
Here's a simple, 4-step process you can use to find the right headshot photographer for you:
Here's a much more in depth article on how to pick the right headshot photographer for you.
- Find at least 10-20 photographers to consider: To find photographers, you can ask anyone you know who already has a headshot or you can search Google and Yelp for "actor headshot photographers."
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Narrow those 10-20 photographers down to a few top choices: Once you have your list of photographers, you should narrow them down using the following criteria:
- They should specialize in headshots – if they usually shoot weddings or events, that's not a good sign since headshots are such a specialized branch of photography. With headshots, the need to direct and be highly specific is critical, whereas there's little to no directing of expression involved in most other types of photography.
- Their prices should be clear and straightforward – make sure they don't charge hidden fees (be careful of photographers who charge both a "session fee" and a "per image fee" – it should be just one or the other, not both). Also, sales tax isn't legally required by law in most states/countries for services (unlike for physical goods), so be careful of photographers who charge sales tax – they might be pocketing the extra money.
- The photos in their portfolio should look great – make sure you like what you see and that the images line up with what we've discussed throughout this guide. You should also look to see if they have any shots of people who look like you in their portfolio.
- Contact your final selections and see how they respond: Email or call them to see how quickly they respond and how accessible they are. Some photographers (especially very expensive ones) will offer a free in-person, phone, or Zoom consultation to explain their process and sell you on working with them. During this consultation, you can ask them questions to get an idea of their personality and see if they seem like someone you'd like to work with.
- Go with your gut and commit: Once you choose a photographer, go all in. Many will charge a booking deposit that's applied to the total fee – don't be afraid of placing this deposit. If you try to avoid putting the deposit down, the photographer might get too busy and could schedule someone else over you.
Here's a much more in depth article on how to pick the right headshot photographer for you.
Further Reading:
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