A 2-look Teen Actor Headshot Session

If you’re curious how many shots we take during your teen actor’s headshot session, this will give you a good idea of what is standard!

Normally, a teenager only needs 2 looks to get started (or keep going) in this industry.

If your teen actor is auditioning for commercials, film and TV, a two-look session is recommended to get the most opportunities.

If your teen is only a stage / theater actor, 1 look will usually do just fine! The only time you may want to consider two looks for a theater actor is if they tend to go out for different types of roles - for instance, a role in Hamlet will probably need a more serious headshot than a role in Suessical :)

Abby is a teen actor in Orlando that spent her child years on the stage, and is now going for screen roles. Her new agency needed headshots that were more in line with industry standards for film and TV (instead of just a theater-type of headshot), so she booked a 2-look session to get her going.

Her first look included a yellow tank and green sweater. We did a few with the sweater around her shoulders, and then put the sweater on more fully for a second mini set. 1 of your looks can include a layer, which allows us to expand our options.

We opted for a change in scenery and also worked with a solid background. Some talent agencies prefer a bit of background, while others prefer a totally simple backdrop. In nearly every teenager acting headshot session, we will photographer each look on two different backgrounds to satisfy all agencies, whether in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, or Orlando.

With her first look, we had about 100 shots to choose from, each with slight variations in posing and expression.

Having small changes in expression is important for teenage actors so that their true personalities are captured.

It may seem like there are lot of “the same” photo up there, but in reality, each expression is slightly adjusted, which is necessary for a few reason:

We need to make sure to capture images that reflects the true personality of your teen, and are what the agency needs.

• You know how your teen looks when they are relaxes, connecting, laughing, smiling… but sometimes these photos are hard to “catch” on camera. We create a fun, relaxing environment so your teen can be themselves, and capture lots of shots so that perfect one is going to be there.

• We also need to make sure there is a strong eye connection so that their headshot pops off the page and invites a casting director to learn more about what your teen has to offer.

• Lastly, the reason we shoot so many micro-changes is because your agency may need a serious shot for dramatic films, or, may need a fully smiling shot for comedic TV roles! Or anything in-between. You get the idea :)

Abby’s second look was geared toward a more youthful teen appearance, which is normally a non-negotiable for agencies’ teen actors!

By changing up Abby’s hair and styling, and choosing an outfit to keep her looking youthful and .. well.. teenager-y, we were able to capture a full new set of images that have a fully different “look” about them. This is why actor headshots are normally called “looks!” It’s a feeling you get when you see the image, and everything about the headshot matters. Expression, outfit, background, lighting, and styling are all focused toward successfully creating a look that can’t be ignored by casting directors.

For this portion of her second look, we opted for a seated pose, which created a confidence and down-to-earth type feel that the agency was going for.

We also added a pose that had a bit more “bounce” and approachability to it, for light-hearted roles.

When it came time to edit Abby’s headshots, we kept it bright and simple, which is perfect for film and TV actors.

Editing acting headshots needs to look natural, but also needs that “punch” that camera’s cannot create on their own. We have a unique way of editing that will create the perfect brightness, boldness, color that is true, and “pop” factor.

And here are Abby’s final picks, with help from her coach and two agencies. They chose headshots that can be used in different ways, and will help market Abby as the fun, bubbly, highly talented and professional teen actor that she is!