How many looks do I need for actor headshots?

Three looks is the sweet spot for most actors — a primary type plus two alternates. Two works for narrow casting; four for actors who play across categories.

Actor Headshots Los Angeles | David Christopher Lee

Q: How much do actor headshots cost in Los Angeles?

David Christopher Lee's actor headshot sessions run $1,200 for 2 looks, $1,500 for 3 looks, and $1,700 for 4 looks, covering the full directed shoot. Retouching options are discussed at booking.

Q: What should I wear for actor headshots?

Solid colors, necklines that frame the face, and nothing that competes with your eyes. Bring more wardrobe options than you think you need.

A casting director gives your headshot three seconds. Not thirty. Three.

In those three seconds they're answering one question: can I see this person in the role? Everything about an actor headshot — the light, the expression, the crop — exists to make that answer yes.

I've been photographing actors in Los Angeles for 27 years. Here's what actually matters.

The flip-phone portfolio

In 2005, when I was 22, I met Jaime Pressly and showed her my portfolio — five images on the one-inch screen of a flip phone. She booked me. We shot a rooftop campaign, and the coverage ran everywhere: US Weekly, In Style, Vogue, Perez Hilton.

I tell this story for one reason: the picture matters more than the package. Five tiny images on a terrible screen won a national campaign because the images were undeniable. Your headshot works the same way. Casting directors don't care about your photographer's résumé. They care whether your face tells the truth in a thumbnail.

What casting directors actually look for

The eyes. Everything else is negotiable. The eyes have to be alive — present, specific, thinking something. A technically perfect headshot with dead eyes gets skipped. I'd rather deliver a slightly imperfect frame with a real thought behind the eyes than a flawless one with nothing in it.

Type clarity. Your headshot should cast you. Not every role — the role you're right for right now. The biggest mistake actors make is trying to look like everyone. Pick your lane and own it in the frame.

Range without confusion. You need more than one look, but each look should be a complete, believable person — not a costume. When I shoot, we build looks around who you actually are, then push each one until it's specific.

Permission, not instructions

Here's what 27 years taught me about directing actors: they need permission, not instructions.

When I shot Emily Ratajkowski at 16 — booked through Next Models, her father on set, a downtown penthouse location — she came back four more times. Teenagers don't rebook photographers who make them uncomfortable. They rebook the ones who make the shoot feel easy.

Constant posing instructions — chin here, hand there, now look pensive — produce stiff, lifeless frames. My job is to create the conditions where you feel free: the right energy, genuine reactions to what's working, and the confidence to let a great unplanned moment run. The best headshot of your session is usually the one where you forgot the camera was there.

The session

Actor headshot sessions are built around looks:

2 looks — $1,200
3 looks — $1,500
4 looks — $1,700

Each look is a complete setup — wardrobe, lighting adjustment, and a full directed series. Most actors book 3 looks: it covers your primary type plus two strong alternates without spreading the session thin.

How to prepare

The short version: sleep, hydrate, and don't do anything experimental the week of the shoot. Haircut a week out, not the day before. Bring wardrobe options in solid colors with necklines that frame your face — I'll help you choose the strongest combinations on the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do actor headshots cost in Los Angeles? My sessions run $1,200 for 2 looks, $1,500 for 3 looks, and $1,700 for 4 looks. That covers the full directed shoot; retouching options are discussed at booking.

How many looks do I need? Three is the sweet spot for most actors — your primary type plus two alternates. Two works if your casting is narrow; four if you genuinely play across categories.

Should I hire a celebrity photographer for actor headshots? Hire the photographer whose portraits make you feel something. Celebrity experience matters because it means I've directed every personality type under pressure — but the headshot has to serve your casting, not my portfolio.

What should I wear for actor headshots? Solid colors, necklines that frame the face, nothing that competes with your eyes. Bring more options than you think you need; we'll edit together.

How often should I update my actor headshots? Every two to three years, or whenever your look changes — new hair, new age range, new type. An outdated headshot that doesn't match the person walking into the room costs you the room.

Actor Headshots Los Angeles: What Casting Directors Actually Look For