Actor Portfolios

Headshots, stage and on-set photos — the material a casting director sees first.

What an acting portfolio contains

A portfolio is an actor's set of photographs: a headshot, a full-length shot, and stage and on-set frames. The first round of casting selection is made by looking at these images, so quality and currency are decisive.

Photos should be no older than six months and must reflect how the actor really looks. Heavy retouching, artificial skin effects and strong filters create the impression at the audition that the person in the picture is someone else — and only do harm.

Advice for a strong portfolio

The headshot

Plain background, natural light, framing from the shoulders up and eyes to the camera. Minimal make-up and a single-colour top keep attention on the face and the eyes.

The full-length shot

A simple stance that shows build. Height, weight and physical shape feed directly into casting decisions, so this frame must not be retouched.

Stage and on-set frames

Photos taken in an actual role are proof of experience. Naming the project and the year under each frame makes the portfolio far more credible.

How many photos are enough?

Six to ten carefully chosen images beat forty random ones. There is no need to repeat near-identical frames shot in the same outfit against the same background.