Don’t Go Full Cowboy: When “Character Headshots” Start Looking Like Costumes
Ok, I gotta vent… and before I do, ya gotta know that these are all just my opinions and thoughts and what I’m seeing and I wanna give ya something to think about before you go put together your wardrobe for your next headshot session.
WTF is going on with these character shots right now?
Sorry.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a smart choice to dress “towards” a character or type and to put together a contrasting set of images buuuuuuuuut… I’m seeing actors use headshots that feel like they came straight out of a Spirit Halloween catalog. Not quite full comp card territory but getting awful darn close.
Holy crap.
It seems we’ve lost sight of TYPE and I’m seeing actors and photographers go FULL STEREOTYPE. And I’m not blaming anyone for going there for print stuff I suppose and commercials maybe, but I think it might be helpul to pump the brakes a little bit.
“Look at me, I can play a doctor”…and here’s me wearing scrubs with a lanyard around my neck.
No. Not for an actor’s headshot.
Or full construction worker. Bandana, tool belt, overalls/coveralls (depending on where you’re from whatcha call ’em). The only thing missing was a reflective vest. And yet, perfect, styled hair. Spotless makeup. Eyelashes. And a bright flat, Brady Bunch colored background. Um?
I’m not judging the photography at all, because it was beautiful, seriously. But my thought is this, unless you’re specifically targeting the role of friendly, neighborhood construction worker on a kid’s comedy show or that one commercial that needs a “this is my first five minutes on the job as a construction worker” role and you can tell because this is most definitely my first time wearing any of these clothes, that shot is not helping you and likely costing you a few bucks to upload to your profile. And to me, I’m gonna say it, it looks like cosplay. Because I will only see the outfit. Does that make sense? And then the story of the whole headshot doesn’t add up if I’m casting and trying to picture the actor in a real, gritty environment and for film and tv, and that’s mostly what we’re seeing for those types of roles these days. That headshot seemed way too literal, limiting, and ultimately, I didn’t believe it.
Authenticity.
Hang on to that thought.
Yesterday - I’m still ranting here - I saw a kid’s headshot and I guess someone must’ve suggested the old trope “get a quirky shot” to the parents and somehow that translated into the kid wearing several clashing colors at once, some mismatched plaids, sparkles and sequins, glasses and pig tails and behind them was that bold, flat brightly colored background. It looked like a confetti cannon of ideas just exploded. All I could see was the styling. I’m sure there was a talented young actor under there somewhere but that headshot was asking me to cast a clown costume and it didn’t really matter who was wearing it, ‘cause it was so hard to see them underneath it all. Did the headshot pop? Well. Yeah. It popped. But not in a way that I think is helpful if they’re pursuing an acting career. And there’s definitely no way I could pick out that kid out in a lineup. Quirky can be a little more subtle, no?
Let me back up a bit.
When I started doing headshots 20 years ago, I was already suggesting to actors that they hint at the worlds they fit into with their wardrobe. The roles they can play really well. Darker tones for were more for drama. Brighter for commercial, musicals and comedy. And brighter shot usually had a smile, of course. Two shots retouched, reprinted, resume stapled or glued to the back and you were good to go to most auditions. This was a while back, don’t judge.
Now that everything lives online, you can have range in your headshot set. You can show multiple versions of you, the actor.
That’s a great thing.
But somewhere along the way, using wardrobe to “hint at the world” or “hint at a character type” has turned into “dress up as a job.” (And by job, I mean the occupation of the character.)
And that’s where things start to fall apart.
“Don’t go full cowboy. It’s too literal and limiting.
Use your own clothes when you can and let your wardrobe point toward the world of the shows. Hint at them. Suggest them.
But we still need to see you. Your presence. Your point of view. Your life behind the eyes. The actor.
That’s what makes a headshot both clickable and castable.”
Here’s where I think actors get tripped up.
They stop at the occupation.
Therapist. Teacher. Lawyer. Mechanic. Resident.
But that’s not how breakdowns actually read right?
Here’s one for Law and Order:
DANA REEVES (late 30s–early 40s), female, any ethnicity
Licensed therapist. Grounded, perceptive, and composed. Works with trauma survivors and knows how to hold space without pushing. Doesn’t rush to fill silence. There’s a warmth to her, but also a clear boundary. Has likely been doing this for a while and has seen a lot. Strong listener. One scene, 3–4 lines.
or these from Only Murders:
NINA FISCHER (late 30s–40s), female, any ethnicity
Upper West Side resident. Smart, observant, a little guarded at first but opens up quickly when she feels safe. Has a dry sense of humor that sneaks up on people. Not trying to be funny, just is. Lives alone. Pays attention to everything going on in the building. Might know more than she lets on. One scene, 4–5 lines.
ELISE PARK (early 40s), female, any ethnicity
Building resident. Organized, polite, slightly controlling. Likes things done a certain way. Friendly on the surface, but keeps people at arm’s length. Notices small details others miss. Has opinions she doesn’t always share right away. One scene, 3–4 lines.
Even a simple costar breakdown gives you more than the occupation of the character. There’s tone. Behavior. A sense of the person.
That’s the useful part. You’d use that information to dress for your self tape, right?
So say your reps are requesting a “Therapist shot”- hopefully because they think you can play those types of roles.
Well, bring your context to it. You might know one, you might watch current shows where those types of characters show up, or use your actor imagination and instead of simply asking yourself “What does a therapist wear?”
You might start asking (based on what’s in your wheelhouse as an actor and a person): “What would a warm authoritative caregiver wear?”
Your version might just wear a sweater in an inviting color that works well, paired with a connected, “I hear you, it’s gonna be ok” expression. I might call you in for that role.
Then we’re not limiting ourselves to just one job or one role with a headshot by being hyper specific. Right?
We can put together looks that hint at roles and types that also cover more than one base, so to speak.
That sweater shot might also cover dad roles or teacher roles or neighbor at the bbq guy.
When I’m helping actors prep for headshots, I often tell them to “watch tv with purpose” and to keep their phone’s handy and take pics of what actors are wearing in roles that they could inhabit. Then use those images as inspiration before they raid their closets. (Also, pay attention to commercials.)
You’ll notice a lot of shows are not doing stereotypes anymore in how they dress the cast or how they write the stories. The charcters are a lot more complicated. We spend a lot of time with them outside of their “occupation” living their dramatic or comedic lives.
So what am I getting at?
I think you should build your idea of the role, type, or genre with clothes you already own as much as possible.
Why? Your own clothes sit better on you. They feel more like you. They’re lived in. They’re real. And they can (usually ) keep the clothes from drifting into costume land.
(As long as your clothes fit well and aren’t more interesting than you are, and hint towards the roles you’re tageting, you’re doing great. Run the clothes and your ideas by your photographer and see where you’re at. Maybe then you might decide to pick up one or two simple things you don’t already have covered in your closet, but don’t go nuts.)
You just need to point casting in the right direction.
Because as they’re scrolling through 2000 submissions, and looking very quickly at a sea of thumbnails, they’re not asking: “Do they own the outfit?”
They’re asking: “Do I believe this person exists in this world?”
And that read happens fast.
How many character shots should an actor have?
That sorta depends, I guess. To me, less is more and more is way too much (as my favorite miniature painter says). And right now I’m guilty for having too many redundant shots visible on my actors access page. I need to give it some attention and practice what I preach.
I’ve heard some managers say five or six shots can cover a ton of ground. I’ve had actors who do 10 or more. But here’s the danger: You don’t want your set of headshots on your profiles to feel forced and desperate. You want them to be believable. Authentic. Honest. I wish I had a better way to express it. You know what I mean, though, right? If you’re a serious actor, and want to be taken seriously for your craft, I don’t think it’s helpful to have a ton of shots that all scream “Look at me, I can do ANYTHIIIIING! Let me show you in a photo. LITERALLY! Please, sir, can I have a job???”
You know those kinda shots, right, and casting can sense that energy a mile away.
And you want casting to start remembering you right if they don’t already know you? If you’re gonna have a bunch of shots, just make sure they will remember your face and not your clothes.
If I can clearly see you in your headshot at thumbnail size, and get a sense of your proportions, and get an idea of the roles you can play, and I can place you in a few different worlds at just a glance, the headshot is doing its job and I’m more likely to click on that thumbnail to learn more about you, the actor.
Aim at the roles and shows that are being cast now in your area or where you can be a local hire.
From the get-go, we should believe your headshot.
Don’t be aspirational with your headshots. We’re not trying to trick casting. They don’t like that. When you’re putting together your wardrobe, go for the roles you can absolutely rock. The types of characters. The genres. Be realistic. Be authentic. Wear clothes you actually wear. Keep it real. And then do your versions after you do your research and hint. HINT!
Keep your shots versatile, cover a couple of roles or types with a few contrasting shots, and use them strategically, swap one out when there’s a specific role that a shot is suitable for, rather than give them everything all at once. Remember, the shot isn’t there to show them your range, it’s to show them how you, the professional, confident, reliable, authentic, not desperate, prepared actor… can fit into their project right now.
Show ‘em whatcha got under the hood when they ask to see your tape (or in person! It’s coming back a bit!)
OH! I did a little homework for ya, but you can go deeper on your own. Here are some wardrobe pieces that seem to pop up again and again on some of the shows in New York…
FBI / SVU New York Procedural world (depending on which side of the law you sit) you’ll often see dark jackets (Don’t wear a winter jacket), simple button-downs, clean lines, nothing too flashy.
Mare of Easttown world we see a lot of worn jackets, flannel, henleys, heavier fabrics, clothes that feel lived in.
Shrinking / Only Murders world seems to have a lot of cardigans, soft sweaters, open collars, relaxed layers.
Phew. Ok…let’s see this concept in action. Notice how nobody’s “full” anything. We just sorta hint at the roles and types and shows with some of these shots and each shot can cover a lot of bases.
If you want to read more of what I think about as a headshot photographer (and actor) check out some of my other articles:
How to Choose Wardrobe for Actor Headshots in NYC
What Makes a Headshot Successful (Before Anyone Clicks)
Beyond the T-Shirt: How to Make Your Headshot Send the Right Signal
And if you’re ready to build shots that actually target the roles you can book right now: