Preparing For Your Acting Headshot Session.

At BK Rose Studio, we understand the stress that comes with preparing for a photo session.
That's why we've created this guide to help minimize your stress and ensure a successful shoot.

Wardrobe

PREPARE WARDROBE EARLY
Choose your outfits well in advance of your shoot day. Once you have the outfits picked out, place them on hangers and put them on one side of your closet. Selecting your outfits ahead of time will help eliminate day-of stress of finding the right outfit and also help you avoid forgetting something at home. If possible, arrive with your clothing hung and ironed.

BRING ONLY WHAT YOU LOVE
If you don’t love the outfit, you won’t love your pictures.

A NOTE ABOUT GLASSES
Glasses that have anti-glare coating and are not light sensitive are the best for photos. If we see a heavy glare on your glasses or they are transition changing with the light, we may ask you to remove your glasses so we can clearly see your eyes. If you think your glasses will be problematic, consider an alternate pair without these issues, or a pair of glasses with the lenses popped out (we will not be able to see the lenses are popped out in the photos).

COLOR PALETTE
Try to stick with solid colors. Patterns work when layered underneath something else. If you are using these photos for branding purposes, think about the color scheme of your website and try to wear colors in that theme. Otherwise, choose colors that look good on you and work with your skin tone.

NAILS
Make sure your nail polish is freshly manicured and not chipping. We rarely see nails but just in case it’s a good idea to have a clean manicure.

ADD LAYERS + ACCESSORIES
Layers and accessories help add a lot of texture to a photograph. What we mean by this is bring a jacket (or cardigan, or sweater, etc) to throw over a top you love. Or bring a fun hat or scarf, and don’t skimp on the jewelry accessories. For women, throwing a bracelet on a bare wrist can instantly bring style and texture into the picture. These are just a few ideas, have fun with accessories and layers.

Makeup/Hair/ Nails

Please arrive with your hair styled and your makeup done. We recommend spending additional time getting ready in the morning than you normally would. If it normally takes you 20 minutes to get ready, plan 30-40 minutes to get ready the day of your shoot. This will allow you to look a little closer at yourself (make sure makeup is blended evenly, hair is styled just as you like it, etc).

If you are interested in having professional makeup and hair done for your session, please check out our makeup artist recommendations HERE.

GET YOUR HAIRCUT EARLY
Don't wait until the last minute to get a waxing/haircut/tan/etc. You may need time for healing if something doesn't go as you liked.

WOMEN
Please use new mascara. Even mascara that is a month old tends to clump. Bring a variety of lip colors with you in case your first choice doesn’t look good on camera. Spend extra time blending foundation and eye shadows. Make sure your foundation is blended into your neck as well around your jaw line. We also encourage you to bring your makeup kit with you to your shoot in case you need to do any last minute touchups. Please make sure your nails our manicured as sometimes hands are in photos.

MEN
Take extra time to look over yourself before you leave the house. Things that are often missed are stray nose hairs, eyebrows, food in teeth. This sounds redundant but it does make a huge difference to take extra time in the mirror prior to your shoot.

TEENS AND KIDS
Agents really like kids and teens to look like a kid or a teen. Meaning, they don’t usually like heavy makeup or to be too “dolled-up”. For younger children (3-12), you can add a tiny bit of mascara (for girls) to help elongate and highlight lashes. Also a tiny bit of lip balm can help accentuate lips and avoid any dryness. Any blemishes can be touched up with a natural color foundation but avoid anything heavy or that we can see. Kids over 12, you can apply a tiny bit more makeup but please keep things very natural. Hair should be styled nicely. Consider using hair product for even younger children to help maintain fly-aways, etc. Using hot tools (curling iron, etc) is acceptable and welcomed.

Consult With Your Agent

If you have an agent, please let them know that you are getting headshots. They may have certain looks they would like to see from you to help when they submit you for auditions.

What To Expect When You Arrive

Our studio is our converted garage. It is temperature regulated (we have heat and a/c). There is a changing area and mirror for you to do last minute touch-ups. You can pull your car all the way up to the garage when you arrive for easy loading and unloading. We have a bathroom in our home you are welcome to use.

Tips For Taking Better Photos

Getting a great headshot can be intimidating if you don’t know what to do. We will be directing you to ensure great photos, but here are some easy-to-follow tips to help prepare you ahead of time. We find that the better prepared our clients are the better chance for photos you will love!

  1. First things first, take a DEEP breathe before stepping in front of the camera. This one thing we find to be the most beneficial elements to taking a better photo. If you are holding your breathe and not breathing properly you will appear stiff.

  2. Practice your smile in the mirror at home prior to your shoot day. This may sound silly, but it does help!

  3. Sit or stand for your photo with your back straight. If you are slouching, it will show in the image and make you appear less confident.

  4. Get a strong photo-jawline and avoid any of those unpleasant double chins by exaggerating and extending your neck. Lean your head slightly forward while pointing the tip of your nose at the camera.

  5. Relax your eyes. Avoid that deer-in-headlight look. A bit of a squint can sometimes add a nice allure to a photo.

  6. Angle your body at 30-45 degrees towards the camera. It will make you look slimmer.

  7. Don’t lock your arms out straight or hold them stiff beside your body, they’ll look unnatural or bigger than they are. Slightly bend them.

  8. To get a more relaxed pose, try clasping one wrist with your other hand letting your hands rest in front of you. You can also try putting your hands in your pockets (or one pocket) or crossing your arms in a relaxed way. If you choose to cross your arms, do so lower to your waist, the higher your forearms are when crossed, the stiffer you’ll look.

Prepare Your Mind

As best as you can, try to let go of any stress you have felt from the day. Leave any family arguments or stressful emails at home and arrive knowing you are doing something positive for yourself and your career!

Feeling Stuck?

If you feel stuck with your wardrobe or need additional suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us anytime. We welcome our clients to send over photos of what outfits they are thinking about ahead of time. We are here to help!

Email: BKRoseStudio (at) gmail.com