The Best Background for Acting Headshots in 2023

Before you book your next headshot session, give this a read-through so you know what photographer to hire and how to properly prepare for your headshot session.

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What's the Best Background for Acting Headshots?

As a general rule of thumb, your actor headshot should have a white, gray, or natural outdoor, blurred backdrop. Occasionally you can do a flat colored backdrop, but only if it's a pale, subtle color that doesn't distract too much from the eyes and expression of the actor in the picture.

​​Now, take a look at some quotes from industry experts, and then at the bottom of the article I'll add my own two cents, summing up what everyone has to say:

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Mari Lyn Henry
Veteran Casting Director and Co-Author of How to Be a Working Actor

​"A good, well-lit commercial or professional headshot is essential for an actor. Regarding background color,  sky blue or muted gray used to be the standard for background color and it still works. I personally don't prefer white as a background.

"The face must NOT be upstaged by any color in the background. I compare this to wardrobe colors for headshots... Only colors that enhance the features and the hair color should be used. Colored backgrounds are a trend right now and trends, like fads, don't have much longevity."

www.howtobeaworkingactor.com

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Kim Graham
Veteran Casting Director at Graham Casting

"My feeling is that the headshot should lead us straight your eyes. We want to be led straight to you, who you are, you as a person. Too often, backgrounds are busy and draw focus away from the eyes of the actor.

"Truthfully, I could care less about color. What I care about is that the focus stays on YOU."

www.kimberlygraham.net

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Debby Schwartz
Co-Founder of Cinematique Film School, Acting Instructor, and Director

​"It’s better to use a light-color or white backdrop so the actor pops. Colored backdrops like red, yellow, orange, etc., take away from the actual headshot. Be aware that there is also no difference for kids. Kids' headshots should be done the same way as adults.

"Actors getting their headshots done should bring with them 3 different tops in three colors that bring out the eyes, hair color and complexion. They should not have loud prints or wear pale gray, flat black or bright white tones. There should be no writing or logos on shirts."

www.cinemanj.com

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Joshua Nelson
Professional Actor & Acting Teacher at LaGuardia Acting School

​"Over the years (the MANY years I've been in the business), I have grown very partial to outdoor shots actually. Something about flat, colored backdrops always gives me a hint of "Sears" or those photo places in the mall. An actor's headshot is absolutely the most important tool they have... No headshot, no audition.

"While certain flat backdrops are OK, I would much rather see an actor shooting outside. Ultimately it's about how the actor comes across in the photo through their eyes and expression. A colored-backdrop headshot is almost like a wonderful dinner being served on a distracting or unclean plate; it takes away from the food itself. Some of the better headshots I've seen as of late have a natural background blurred out with razor-sharp focus on the actor/actress. This is just my opinion on the shots that come across as not only industry-standard but also ones that grab your attention.

"You have to stand out from thousands and thousands of headshots, so you want yours to be fantastic. I just feel natural that outdoor headshots are all around stronger than photos done on colored-backdrops."

www.laguardiaacting.com

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Gregory Korostishevsky
Professional Actor & Comedian

​"Lately I've been seeing more and more headshots from aspiring actors with colored backdrops. I feel like it's sort of on-trend now, but I'm sure it's quickly going to fade. For me, headshots with colored-backdrops look more like creative portraits rather than true actors' headshots. The bright colors are quite distracting.

​"The picture might look more beautiful or dramatic, but in reality those types of headshots are going to attract amateurs in the industry. Experienced agents and casting directors are NOT looking for headshots with colored-backdrops."

See his IMDB page here.

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My Take

As you can see, in general most acting industry experts prefer that actors steer clear of colored-backdrops.

Remember that certain headshot styles, just like certain cars, will always be fashionable... Now or ten years from now. Although it was super popular for a few years, the Hummer quickly went out of fashion, whereas Mercedes was never considered a "fad" brand.

Colored-backdrop headshots might be popular right now, but are you willing to possibly waste hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a "fad" that might become unpopular a year or two from now?

​Here's what I suggest:

If you're seriously considering shooting on a colored-backdrop, try to keep the tone subtle. Don't go for something strong and distracting like bright red, pink, or blue. Instead, keep it simple with a pale yellow or blue.

The bolder the color, the more distracting it is and in my opinion, the shorter its life span will be before casting directors completely stop taking them seriously.

If you're not looking for a colored-backdrop, I recommend trying a light gray or blurred, natural outdoor headshot. Those will probably never go out of style.

I recommend checking out our article on Headshot Backdrop Trends for Actors to learn which backdrop will work best for you based on your brand.

Below is an example of a recent outdoor headshot we took with a blurred, natural background.

Outdoor, blurred backdrop headshot.

​Further Reading:

• What to Wear for Acting Headshots
• Acting Headshots Dos and Don’ts – What Makes a Good Headshot for Actors?
• How to Take Acting Headshots at Home