Why Headshots Matter for Performers (and How to Prepare for Yours)

Headshots are one of those things every performer knows they need, but they’re often misunderstood. They’re not about a perfect smile, dramatic lighting, or looking “glam”. A good headshot is really about honesty. It should show who you are, without distraction, and give casting directors, choreographers, and creative teams a genuine sense of you before you ever walk into a room. It needs to be an up to date, accurate and honest representation of you to use on your website, casting platforms, actor spot lights and at auditons.

For actors, a strong headshot is about connection and storytelling. It should feel natural and believable, showing a true likeness rather than a heavily styled version of yourself. Casting directors want to see your character potential, not your makeup skills or the lighting setup. Simple, clean, and real always works best. Actor headshots tend to be closely cropped to really focus on the face.

For dancers, the approach can be slightly softer. While personality still matters, there’s often less need for the intense edge some actors go for. A relaxed, approachable look tends to work beautifully, while still showing confidence, discipline, and presence. It’s about showing the performer so, unlike with an actors headshot, a wider shot is often used

Musicians, on the other hand, often use headshots to shape identity and personality. Whether that’s expressive, calm, bold, or understated, a headshot becomes part of how audiences and industry professionals first connect with you.

Preparing for your headshot photoshoot

Preparing for a headshot session doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the simpler the better:

Hair should be clean, natural, and tidy, without heavy styling or frizz. If you have long hair, it’s always useful to capture both hair-down and hair-up looks, giving you more variety for different castings and uses.

Makeup should stay subtle and minimal. Heavy eye makeup, strong lipstick, and contouring as it tends to distract rather than enhance. Casting teams want to see your real face. A little natural foundation or powder to reduce shine is usually more than enough. Bring your foundation with you so you can add more if needed whilst at the shoot.

Clothing is all about keeping attention where it matters: your face. Plain solid colours work best. Avoid stripes, distracting patterns, logos, and bright or neon colours. Neutral tones are usually best in order to keep the focus on the face. Simple necklines and solid colours help frame the face naturally and keep the image clean and professional.

Expression counts. You may assume you want a big smiley picture but that is generally only best for more commercial work. If you are looking for dramatic roles then a serious expression is better. Aim to have smiley, neutral and serious expressions for the various roles you might be going for.

When it comes to posing, this is where trust matters. You don’t need to arrive with a list of poses. A good photographer will guide you, talk to you, and help bring out natural expressions and body language that feel like you. It might feel unfamiliar at times, but that process is what creates headshots that feel real rather than forced.

Remember that in the end, great headshots aren’t about perfection. They’re about authenticity. Simple hair, simple makeup, simple clothing, and a relaxed environment that lets your personality do the work. Nothing should distract from your face, your expression and your presence.

Top Tips

Bring a few different clothing options so you have other tops to change into.

Try to avoid Frizzy hair

If you have long hair bring something so you can have your hair up.

Clean your glasses! Nothing worse than having a finger print on the lenses.

Bring some foundation or powder with you in case you need to reduce shiny skin under the photography lights.

Don’t forgat a hair brush or comb just in case the wind ruins your hair on the way in.

The Kinks: Musical Theatre Photography at Theatre Royal, Brighton

Working with the theatre is always fun. Whether I am shooting backstage photography, theatre production photography or, in this case some theatre PR photography. Whatever the theatre throws my way I am always happy…

This time I got to work with 60’s music rock legends The Kinks as the Theatre Royal Brighton had asked me to shoot some PR to help promote their upcoming show The Kinks the Musical. I’m a 70’s kid so I just missed the legendary 60’s music era but everyone know their music and I got to go back in time and do a 60’s rock band shoot which was amazing. The closest I have come to working with iconic music legends before was a photoshoot in Paul McCartneys Office last year for The Royal Mint but unfortunately that legend wasn’t there when we were)

We met backstage (free food yay), then headed to their gorgeously plush Georgian pub, The Colonnade Bar.

Two of the actors were being interviewed in the dressing room so we grabbed a few shots with just the two ‘brothers’ Danny Horn and Harry Curley. I knew straight away it was going to be an easy shoot. They both fell into character straight away and gave me both the attitude I wanted from a band but also the joking around you get from band members who get on well.

This carried on when the other two actors joined them and after a few more set ups in the bar we headed down to Quadrophenia alley (somehow I have never noticed this before and I have lived in Brighton over 20 years!).

With the BBC camera crew in tow (and one of the actors’ wife and baby) we got the boys posing and mucking around in the very tight alley way where Harry even started to climb the wall.

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It is quite unusual to have a cast in costume outside the theatre so we had someone from Wardrobe (who was trying not to worry as one actor climbed the wall and when Danny carried his baby – I asked if she was concerned that the baby could be sick down the costume and she nodded looking more than a little worried), Hair and Makeup (someone had to deal with the seaside wind), plus the producer and director and the fabulous marketing team from The Threatre Royal Brighton. Not forgetting Danny’s wife, the BBC’s camera man and journalist we had became quite an entourage.

Not having long we headed on down to the beach (I saw a great shot with the low sun as we walked along the road and made a note I would take a picture there on the way back as we couldn’t stop then). A few shots on the Brighton railings with Brighton Pier behind (had to fight the sunshine reflecting from the windows opposite) before heading on the beach. I wanted to keep the vibe of the boys having fun and messing around and they did it perfectly.

The TV guys were great and we took it in turns to get what we wanted (not always the case when working alongside a TV crew but these guys were great to work with). For the last shot on the beach I staggered them and got them walking towards me – Danny at the front with a bit of attitude and the boys having fun behind. The perfect ‘band’ picture and the boys did a great job.

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After a few minutes I got a tap on my shoulder and told it was time to wrap it up – I always ask someone else to give me time checks and keep me on schedule as I don’t have time to be checking my phone. On the walk back I kept my eye out for the pool of low sunshine but the sun had moved quickly and we had to divert up to the Laines where I found about 3m of sunshine to work with. Promising it would only take 1 minute I shot fast and got the last location pictures before we packed up and headed back to the theatre.

I have worked with the marketing team at The Theatre Royal Brighton quite a lot so the brief was pretty loose. They chose the venues and we moved quickly between them. A few different set ups in the pub. Another 2 in Quadrophenia alley, 3 down at the beach and then one last one on the walk back. That means I gave the client at least 8 setups in about an hour and their reaction?

“Shut up these are bloody incredible!!!! By far some of my favourite pics yet!! Thank you SO much for shooting today - you always make it so much less stressful.”

I love getting reactions from clients. Makes me so happy to get reactions like that especially when the job was so much fun. It didn’t even feel like work – definitely beats having a “proper job”..

Oh and my bald head made it onto BBC South East news - haha