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How to Create a Headshot for Auditions

Working as a performer often means selling yourself. Like any good product, you need both a marketing strategy and effective, high-quality marketing materials. The headshot photograph represents your first foot forward in the auditioning process. It can mean the difference between getting an audition and adding to the casting director's recycling bin. Headshots can get expensive, ranging up to $1,000 for a photography session. If you can't afford a professional headshot, you can take and format your own.

Things You'll Need

DSLR camera
Photo-editing software

Instructions

Shooting
- 1
  Use a "flat" lens. Lenses of approximately 50mm will create a "flat" look that is more flattering than shorter, fish-eye type lenses.
- 2
  Shoot in the shade. Areas such as garages, balconies, awnings and other shaded areas provide indirect light that looks great in headshots.
- 3
  Focus on the eyes. The eyes communicate the most about an actor's personality, so make sure you focus on the subject's eyes.
- 4
  Shoot smiles for commercials, and more serious looks for film and television. Commercial casting directors often want to see your teeth when casting, whereas film and television casting professionals take more notice of your overall look and emotion.
- 5
  Shoot the subject's face or from the chest up. Most casting takes place online using thumbnail photos, so an actor with a full-body shot will get lost in the shuffle.
- 6
  Shoot down on the subject for the most flattering angle. Shooting up will highlight a double chin and aim right up the nostrils.
- 7
  Keep the subject's entire head in shot. Casting professionals like to see the candidate's hair, so make sure to leave it in frame. You can crop the image to your liking later.
Formatting
- 8
  Open the headshot photo you wish to format with photo-editing software.
- 9
  Select the "Crop" tool and crop the image to the industry standard of 8-inches-by-10-inches.
- 10
  Click on the "Image" menu selection and increase the "Canvas Size" until you have a white border of approximately 1 inch to 2 inches from the sides of the image.
- 11
  Click the "Text" tool and type the actor's name in the headshot. Use a simple, legible font for maximum clarity and professionalism.
- 12
  Click and drag the actor's name to the bottom white border of the image. You may place the name anywhere along the bottom as long as it remains legible.
- 13
  Click the "File" menu, select the "Save As" option, enter the filename and save location and click "Save" to save the formatted file.

Photography