Everything you need to know before booking your performer or actor headshots, from wardrobe choices to what casting directors actually want to see.
If you're an actor, musician, dancer, or any kind of performer, your headshot is doing a lot of work on your behalf before you've even walked into the room. It needs to look like you — not a dressed-up, over-retouched version of you — and it needs to give whoever is looking at it a genuine sense of your presence and personality. That's a harder brief than it sounds, and it's why so many performer headshots fall flat.
The most common mistake I see is people treating a headshot session like a glamour shoot. Heavy makeup, outfits chosen to impress rather than represent, expressions that feel performed rather than natural. The result is a photograph that looks polished but doesn't actually communicate anything useful about the person in it. Casting directors and agents are experienced at scanning images quickly, and what they're looking for is connection — a face that feels real and a person they can imagine in a role.
So let's talk about what actually works. First, clothing. Keep it simple. Solid colours tend to photograph better than busy patterns, and you want the focus firmly on your face, not your top. That said, don't wear something so neutral that you disappear into it. Think about what you'd genuinely wear to an audition or a meeting — something that feels like you, fits well, and doesn't distract. Bring two or three options to the session and we can make a call together on the day.
Makeup and grooming should be a version of how you normally look, perhaps slightly elevated for the camera but not dramatically different. If someone who knows you in person wouldn't recognise you from your headshot, that's a problem. The same applies to retouching — I'll clean up any temporary blemishes but I won't remove the things that make your face yours.
One of the questions I get asked most is whether to shoot in the studio or on location. Both have their place. In the studio at Papworth Everard or Waterbeach, we have complete control over light and environment, which means we can be really consistent and deliberate about how you're lit. For headshots where you need a clean, professional result — something for a casting website or a CV — studio almost always makes sense. Location shoots can add energy and context, particularly for performers who work in a specific genre or want something with a bit more character. A musician might want something that feels more editorial; a stage actor might benefit from a neutral studio look for their Spotlight profile alongside something a little more expressive for their website.
The session itself usually runs between one and two hours, which gives us enough time to work through a few different looks and find the shots where you're genuinely relaxed and present. The first twenty minutes of any headshot session are rarely the best ones — it takes a while to settle in, and I'd rather we took that time than rushed straight into it and ended up with fifty images of someone who looks slightly uncomfortable. I'll talk you through the session as we go, give you honest feedback, and direct you when you need it rather than just firing off frames and hoping something works.
If you're based in Cambridge or the surrounding area and you've been putting off updating your headshots, it's worth thinking about what your current ones are actually communicating. If the answer is 'not much' or 'they don't really look like me anymore', that's reason enough to get new ones done. Performers often underestimate how much a strong headshot changes the quality of enquiries they receive.
If you'd like to talk through what you're looking for before booking, I'm always happy to have a no-pressure conversation about what will work best for you. You can find out more about commercial and portrait sessions over on the commercial photography page, or just get in touch directly — I'm easier to reach than you might expect.
Common questions
How many outfit changes should I bring to a headshot session?
Two or three is usually the sweet spot. You want enough variety to give yourself options without overcomplicating the session. Think about bringing looks that represent different sides of what you do — something neutral and clean, and perhaps something with a little more personality. We can look through what you've brought at the start of the session and make a plan together.
Do I need professional hair and makeup for my headshots?
Not necessarily, but it depends on your budget and how confident you feel doing your own. If you're going for a natural, approachable look, you can absolutely manage that yourself. If you want something slightly more polished or you find that camera-ready makeup is outside your comfort zone, booking a makeup artist for the session is worth considering. The key thing is that however you arrive, you should look like a recognisable, lived-in version of yourself — not someone else entirely.
How long does it take to receive my headshot images?
You'll typically receive a small selection of lightly edited proof images within a few days of your session so you can make your final choices. The fully edited, high-resolution files are usually delivered within one to two weeks. If you have a specific deadline — an audition, an agent meeting, a profile update — let me know when you book and I'll do my best to work around it.
Something Blue Productions
Photography and video for weddings, families, newborn and maternity. Two studios in Cambridgeshire.
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