What is headshot photography?

Headshot (noun; also written head shot, plural headshots): a close-up photograph of a person’s head and shoulders, taken to show clearly what they look like now.

A headshot is a photograph that captures a person’s face, expression and personality, typically framed from the head and shoulders up. It is used to give a clear, honest representation of how someone looks — most often by actors, performers, models and business professionals.

What are headshots used for?

• Acting and casting: actors send a headshot to agents and casting directors and keep one on their Spotlight profile. It is usually the first thing a casting director sees.
• Drama school applications: drama schools and theatre schools often ask for a recent headshot with an application or audition.
• Performers and models: singers, dancers, musical theatre performers and models use headshots on CVs, agency pages and comp cards.
• Children in the performing arts: child actors and theatre-school pupils need headshots for agencies and auditions.
• Business profiles: LinkedIn, company websites, speaker bios and press releases.

What is headshot photography?

Headshot photography is a type of portrait photography that focuses on capturing a person’s head and shoulders, typically from the chest up. The purpose of headshot photography is to provide a clear and accurate representation of a person’s facial features, expressions, and personality.

Headshot photography is often used in professional contexts, such as for actors, models, corporate executives, and business professionals. The headshot is typically used as a promotional tool and is often included in a person’s portfolio, resume, or on a website or social media profile.

Headshot photography is typically shot in a studio with professional lighting and a neutral or plain background to ensure the subject is the main focus of the photograph. The photographer will work to capture the subject’s best angles and expressions, and may provide direction on posture, eye contact, and other aspects of the shoot. The resulting photos are usually edited and retouched to ensure the subject looks their best.

At Mad Photography in London we specialise in natural, expressive actor headshots — see our London headshots work for examples.