Preparation Tips to help you get the most out of your Actor Headshot Photoshoot

The day-before checklist

A short checklist to glance at the night before your session:

• Clothing options chosen, ironed, and packed
• Any makeup or skincare you are wearing on the day packed for touch-ups
• Sticky lint roller packed
• Hair washed (or washed in the morning, whichever fits your routine)
• Travel route to the studio confirmed, including a buffer for delays
• Alarm set early enough to arrive fifteen minutes before the session
• A moderate meal planned for an hour or two before the session
• Water to hand in the morning
• An early night, if you can manage one

After the shoot: what happens next

Most actors ask what happens after the session, so here is a quick overview of a typical workflow.

Proof gallery. You will usually receive a private online proof gallery within 24 hours of the session. This contains a selection of unedited images for you to choose from.

Image selection. You select your favourite images from the proof gallery for retouching. If you are not sure which to pick, it can help to ask your agent, a trusted friend, or another actor whose eye you trust. A mix of expressions, tonal ranges, and looks usually serves your casting better than multiple near-identical frames.

Retouching. Selected images are retouched carefully. Standard retouching evens out skin tone, removes temporary blemishes, sharpens the eyes, and cleans up stray hairs, while keeping texture and character intact. Heavy reshaping, smoothing, and anything that makes you look like a different person is not part of the process.

Final delivery. Final images are delivered within the timeframe quoted at booking, usually via a shared folder or download link. You will receive high-resolution files suitable for Spotlight, Mandy, your agent, and your own website.

For more detail on what the retouching process actually involves, see the retouch information page.

Frequently asked questions

How soon before my photoshoot should I start preparing?

Start a week ahead for the full benefit. That gives time for skin to settle if you are giving it a makeup break, for a haircut or trim to bed in if you need one, and for several nights of decent sleep. The night before is especially important for sleep and hydration, but preparation concentrated into a single evening rarely produces the same results as a week of small, consistent decisions.

Should I get a haircut before my actor headshots?

Only if you need one, and only at least two to three days before the shoot. Hair needs time to settle into its natural shape after a cut. A same-day or day-before cut often photographs too sharp, too styled, or not yet how you will actually wear it. The same applies to colour.

How do I decide between tops on the day?

We work together to decide which tops work best, and if there's any uncertainty, we can always try some shots which you'd see on screen as they're captured. If the top doesn't work, we'll know pretty soon and can move onto another one. When deciding on what to bring, don't discount something you're uncertain about, as lighting changes colour perception dramatically, and a top you're unsure of can come alive in the studio with different background options. The clothing option that makes your eyes and face feel most present in the image is usually the right choice, regardless of which one you prefer off-camera.

What should I bring to the session?

Your clothing options (ironed or on hangers if possible), any makeup you are wearing for touch-ups, a sticky lint roller, water, and a relaxed attitude.

Why do I feel more exposed in a headshot session than on stage?

Most actors do, and there is a real reason for it. Performance gives you a character to inhabit and a scene to live inside. A headshot session asks you to hold your own presence without the scaffolding of a character. That is a different muscle, and it is genuinely harder for a lot of experienced performers. The fix is not to try to overthink every expression, but to relax, breathe, be fluid and enjoy yourself. Give yourself time to settle into the session. The good frames almost always start coming once you have stopped thinking about being photographed.

How do I know if my agent will like the final images?

If you have already been working with your agent, the images that reflect your agreed casting direction will usually be the ones they want. If you are not sure what that direction is, ask them before the session rather than after. A short "what are we aiming for with this set of headshots?" conversation with your agent ahead of the shoot is worth more than any amount of on-the-day guesswork.

A note before your session

Good preparation turns a competent session into a strong one. Once you have prepared properly and arrived on the day, the rest is collaboration between us. The aim is to show up rested, loosely prepared rather than over-rehearsed, and open to direction. From there, most sessions look after themselves.

If you have any questions before the session, get in touch and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Maxim is a London-based headshot photographer with over eight years' experience, operating from a studio in Herne Hill, South East London. Infinity Focus Photography provides actor headshots, business and LinkedIn headshots, and corporate team photography for clients across London.