What a working headshot has to do
Three things, and it has to do all of them:
- Look like you walking into the audition. Same hair, same face, same age. If casting feels like the photo oversold, that's the fastest way to burn a room — and they remember.
- Read at thumbnail. Most people first see your headshot the size of a postage stamp in a long list. Sharp eyes, a clear expression, and a background that isn't competing with your face.
- Suggest a type. A headshot is a casting suggestion, not a glamour shot. It should make it easy to picture you as the roles you'd actually get called in for.
You also don't need to drive into LA and feed a parking meter to get this. Our studio is in Signal Hill, about fifteen minutes off the 405 and 710, and the result meets the same casting standard the LA studios shoot to.
Theatrical vs commercial
They're two different pitches, and most actors submitting in the LA market want at least one of each:
- Theatrical — grounded, neutral to serious, a little more contrast. It says I can carry a scene. Usually simpler, darker wardrobe and a subtler expression.
- Commercial — brighter, warmer, a real smile that reaches the eyes. It says you'd hire this person / you'd trust this neighbor. Lighter wardrobe, more open energy.
We shoot both in one session. If your agent wants a specific split — say two theatrical and two commercial — tell us when you book and we'll build the session around it.
White backdrop, or colored to stand out
White or light grey is the industry-safe default. It's what casting expects, it never fights your face, and it crops cleanly for every platform. If you only get one set of looks, get these.
We also shoot colored and gradient backdrops for actors who want a thumbnail that pops in a sea of white ones — it reads well for commercial, for print, for an agency page, or if your brand is personality-forward. Our advice: bank your safe white and grey looks first, then spend a look or two on color.
The session: looks, wardrobe, and time
A one-hour session comfortably covers two to three looks — a look being a wardrobe or expression change. Two hours gets you theatrical, commercial, a color option, and a full-length if you want one for your profile.
- Misty coaches expression the whole time. The difference between “warm and hireable” and “trying to look warm” is tiny and it's most of the job.
- Tethered monitor. You and we pick the keepers together as we shoot, so you leave knowing you got it.
- Wardrobe: bring four to six tops. Solid colors, no logos, no busy patterns. Necklines that frame your face — crew, v, henley, collared. A jacket for theatrical, a brighter knit for commercial. Layers give you an extra look for free. Skip anything the exact color of your skin.
- Grooming: hair the way you actually wear it to auditions, not a special blowout. Light, natural makeup — or bring your own makeup artist and tell us in advance so the dressing room is ready.
- There's a dressing room and vanity on site to change and touch up between looks.
Retouching, and the files you leave with
Headshot retouching is deliberately light: temporary blemishes, stray hairs, flyaways. We don't reshape faces, remove permanent features, or take years off — the person in the room has to match the photo that got them there.
Every session includes the full styled edit — color, exposure, contrast, crop — on your gallery. Delivery is high-resolution files plus web-sized crops, and we can export to the exact specs for Actors Access, Casting Networks / LA Casting, and Backstage.
What it costs
| Package | Time | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Session | 1 hour | 2–3 looks, full edited gallery, platform-sized exports | $400 |
| The Full Treatment | 2 hours | More looks — theatrical, commercial, color, full-length — more wardrobe changes | $650 |
Standard portrait-session pricing — headshots just move faster, so you get more looks per hour. Both include Nani shooting, Misty coaching expression, tethered monitoring, use of the dressing room, and casting-platform exports. Retouching is $15 per photo, chosen after you see your gallery.
Actor headshot FAQ
The Session is $400 for one hour and The Full Treatment is $650 for two — the same as a portrait session. A one-hour session comfortably covers two to three looks with a full edited gallery and casting-platform exports. Retouching is $15 per photo, chosen after you see your gallery. A 50% deposit holds your date.
Bring four to six solid-color tops with no logos or busy patterns, and necklines that frame your face — crew, v-neck, henley, collared. A jacket for a theatrical look, a brighter knit for commercial, and layers to stretch one outfit into two. Hair the way you actually wear it to auditions; light, natural makeup or your own makeup artist.
Most actors submitting in the LA market want at least one of each — theatrical for grounded dramatic roles, commercial for warm, approachable ones. We shoot both in a single session, and if your agent wants a specific mix, tell us when you book.
White or light grey is the safe industry default — it's what casting expects and it crops for any platform. A colored or gradient backdrop makes your thumbnail stand out in a long list and works well for commercial and print. We usually shoot the safe looks first, then a colored option if you want one.
Lightly, on purpose. We clean up temporary things — blemishes, stray hairs, flyaways — and leave permanent features alone. Casting has to recognize you the moment you walk in, so the photo can't be a different person.
Yes. Along with the high-resolution files, we export web-sized crops to the specs for Actors Access, Casting Networks / LA Casting, and Backstage. It's included.
