Having the right headshot is one of the most important things you need in this industry. Don’t just pick any photographer out of the yellow pages without doing a little research and asking a few questions.

For those of you living in LA or the NYC area, InstantCast makes it simple. We’ve formed great partnerships with professional headshot photographers in both cities–click here to learn more.

If you don’t live in LA or NYC, look to friends or fellow actors who have gotten their headshots done and find out where they went. Get referrals. Ask your acting teacher who they recommend.

Once you narrow your search down to a few choices then now it’s time to find out a little information from the source. Here are a few questions you should ask BEFORE booking your photo shoot.

What’s the price and what does that include? Do they do hair and make-up? How many poses are included? Does that include both photos and a CD? What is the price difference for color or black and white and can you do both?

Will you be directing the shoot or do I come up with my own poses? For a first timer, you are a looking for a professional photographer who can help you look your best. You’re not going to immediately know how best to pose or be able to portray the right emotions without prompting.

How long will the session be? Make certain you know how much time the photographer is giving you. You don’t want to worry about not getting to something because you’ve run out of time.

And lastly, how easy is it to make additional copies? What will that cost you? You can only assume you’ll be going back at some point for more headshots and it helps to know that information upfront.

By Casting Director Renee Godbout

Want one-on-one advice from Casting Director Renee Godbout? Click here to get your own Personal Casting Consultation today!

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