Wear what makes you feel comfortable, but don't stress too much about it. Bring plenty of options, but try to be selective. Aim for outfits you'd wear to a casting - something that shows off your creative range. Choose 4-5 of your best looks, and we’ll decide together what works best.

Avoid oversized clothing; it’s not flattering in headshots. Instead, focus on well-fitted items, especially around the neck and shoulders. For women, garments that highlight feminine lines work well. Shirts, jackets, denim, and black tees with interesting necklines are safe bets. Earthy tones like dark greys, greens, burgundy, and navy also photograph well. Steer clear of bold patterns, distracting logos, or bright white t-shirts. We can shoot a white tee if you really want to, but best layer it with a jacket or shirt. You can wear something with detail, but please no distracting logos, bold patterns or images.

We also tend to avoid shooting plain brilliant white t-shirts, but there may be a place for it if you wish - breaking it down with a classic jacket or a shirt layer works well. 

We have a steamer here at the studio, so don't worry too much about creased or wrinkled clothing.

Lastly, please bring as many outfits as you can. It's always good to have options and you don't want to have that "oh $#!@!”, I wish I brought my ..." moment!

Most people opt for at least three to five different looks. This helps show your range to casting directors - whether you're going for commercial, dramatic, or comedic roles. Each look can highlight a different aspect of your personality or casting type. But as touched on above, the more options we have to look through the better. Some clothing will surprise you by not photographing well, so having lots of options is great!

A typical actor headshot session lasts between 2 to 3 hours, depending on the number of looks you’re going for. This gives us plenty of time to capture a range of expressions and styles while keeping you relaxed and comfortable.
We allocate the whole day so we're not clock watching and stressing you out about how long we've got left.

We offer an express session for people with time constraints. This lasts one hour only.

When you book, we’ll email you an info sheet with all the details, but here’s a quick prep guide:

Get a good night’s sleep (start going to bed early for a week, if you can), drink plenty of water, and avoid too much alcohol the day before. Eat well, take vitamins if you want—but don’t diet for headshots, it’ll make you look and feel tired.

Exercise, like yoga, can give your skin a nice glow. Take a relaxing bath the night before, and avoid sunburn or fake tanning—it won’t photograph well, and can limit casting opportunities.

Keep your hair clean and styled in a way that boosts your confidence. Please don’t make any drastic changes on the day of the shoot. If you're getting a cut or color, do it at least a week ahead to give it time to settle. (or so we can reschedule if you have a hair disaster!).

These tips will help you look your best, but don’t stress - we all know life sometime gets in the way. Think about the roles you’re aiming for and we’ll guide you from there!

You're not alone feeling this way. More people than you think feel self-conscious about having their photo taken, but our relaxed and friendly approach will put you at ease. We've over 25 years experience of getting the best out of people and we’ll guide you through every step, ensuring that the process is stress-free and enjoyable.

Everyone is photogenic. When people say they don’t like how they look in photos, it’s usually because they feel nervous or uncomfortable. Our goal is to eliminate that discomfort. After just a few minutes, you’ll be surprised to feel yourself actually enjoying the experience. You’ll see your shots on the monitor at every step of the way, so in the very rare event that we take a picture you don’t like, we’ll simply delete it - no worries!

That’s completely normal! Many actors feel nervous about headshots, but our sessions are designed to be relaxed and stress-free. We’ll guide you through the entire process, making sure you feel comfortable and confident. Our goal is to capture the real, authentic you.

Yep - don’t be!

We promise it’ll be relaxed as possible. JC hates having his photo taken, so he’ll never put you in a situation he wouldn’t want to be in himself.

Think of it as a chat with photos along the way.

Absolutely! At the start of each session, we'll have a good chat to make sure we're on the same page. Throughout the shoot, we'll show you the photos as we go to ensure you're happy with the results. It’s helpful if you bring reference shots you like from our website or Instagram, so we can collaborate to achieve those looks together.

Yes! Your headshots will be delivered in high-resolution, perfect for uploading to casting platforms like Spotlight, Casting Networks, Backstage, or even your own website. We also provide web-optimized versions for easy online use.

It’s a good idea to update your headshots every 1-2 years or whenever your appearance changes significantly. Casting directors want to see a current and accurate reflection of you, so keeping your headshots up to date is essential.

Of course! If having a friend or family member helps you feel more comfortable, they’re welcome to come along. Just make sure their presence won’t distract you during the session so we can focus on getting the best shots.

NO. Definitely not. Leave it at least a fortnight before the shoot. Taking the chance that it will come out exactly as planned is not worth the risk!

Yes, we have a dedicated hair and make-up station for plugging in hair tools. We suggest coming with your hair styled as you would for an audition. If you’re undecided between straight or curly, we recommend loose, beachy waves for natural movement and volume. We can always brush it out and add serum for a sleeker look during the session - just let us know at the start!

Yes, bring plenty of aftershave - red rashes and shaving cuts aren’t ideal. Make sure your battery trimmer is fully charged. If you need to wet shave, there’s a bathroom, but only do this if it's your usual routine, as it can leave skin irritated.

If you usually have stubble, stick with it - it strikes a good balance between rugged and professional, and enhances your jawline and cheekbones. Shaving mid-session can interrupt the flow, so consider saving clean-shaven shots for the end, especially if you're going for younger roles (16-25). It’s also a good idea to chat with your agent about the most useful looks for the roles you're targeting.

Absolutely! Based on your skin tone, hair, and wardrobe colors, we can recommend the best backdrops to match the mood and vibe you're going for. Choose from our wide range of options, including coloured, white, and grey Colorama papers, as well as our vast selection of hand-painted canvas backdrops.

If you’d like to reschedule your booking, please give us 72 hours notice.

You will be able to reschedule your booking twice for free. If you need to reschedule a third time, we may charge a £75 rescheduling fee.

Yes, all our headshots are professionally retouched, focusing on quality control. We remove blemishes and soften under-eye shadows when needed, but we won’t make you look artificial. Headshots should be an honest reflection of you - recognisable to casting directors.

Over-retouching - making you look plastic, or like erasing lines or unique features, detracts from authenticity and isn’t suitable for headshots. Our approach keeps the focus on your expression, with retouching so subtle it’s invisible. The goal is to create a true-to-life engaging image.

We optimise for brightness, colour & contrast and apply a subtle cinematic grade to all images. We deliver all your images in both print and web-ready formats (with the correct embedded colour profile to match each format).

No, I’m afraid not - we don’t give out any unretouched / raw images.

Unfortunately not, we don’t provide RAW or unedited files.

Retouching is an essential part of the image-making process, ensuring the final photos look polished, authentic, and natural while showcasing both you and us at our very best. We also apply subtle grading to give each image the unique JC Headshots signature style we’re known for.

This is standard practice in professional headshot photography, as retouching gives the images their final look and feel, and we want to ensure only the highest quality work is out in the world. That being said, we keep your images on file for up to two years, so you can easily order additional final shots whenever you need them.

You’ll receive all images digitally via an easy-to-access online gallery. The images will be provided in both high-resolution (for print) and web-optimised formats (for websites and social media).

We understand the importance of a quick turnaround for actors needing to update their profiles promptly.

Within 24 hours of your session, usually later the same day, you'll receive an online gallery containing all your RAW (unedited) images.

Final Digital delivery of all your retouched selects within 5-7 working days of receiving your final choices.

Need the images sooner? No problem! We offer an express turnaround service within 48 hours.