Choosing your outfit for your actors headshot photography session can make a big impact on the way the photos turn out, and you want to make sure to select clothing that will be comfortable and attractive at the same time. The goal with the headshot is to make you appear confident, talented and emphasise your face and your eyes instead of the clothing. Celebrity Headshot photographer Rory Lewis offers tips and advice for What to Wear for Your Actors Headshots Session.

Recent Clients
Los Angeles IMDb Photographer – Rory Lewis
Los Angeles IMDb Photographer – Rory Lewis

Los Angeles is one of the most competitive acting markets in the world. Your headshot isn’t just a photo — it’s your calling card, your first audition, your introduction before you enter the room.

For over two decades, Rory Lewis has worked with countless actors to help jump-start and elevate their careers. From emerging talent to established names, his work blends fine-art lighting with industry awareness — creating images that are cinematic, contemporary, and castable.

Grant Southard — London Actors Headshots by Rory Lewis
Grant Southard — London Actors Headshots by Rory Lewis

There are moments in an actor’s career when a new headshot is not simply an update — it is a recalibration. A shift in tone. A refinement of identity.

Grant Southard returned to the studio ready to capture that shift.

Capturing the Many Faces of Shane Atwooll
Capturing the Many Faces of Shane Atwooll

From the West End to Hawkins: A Session at the London Studio

In my latest session, I had the pleasure of photographing the formidable Shane Atwooll. Currently commanding the stage as Chief Hopper in the West End hit Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Shane is an actor whose resume reads like a masterclass in versatility.

Madison Pernell — First New York Actors Headshots
Madison Pernell — First New York Actors Headshots

A powerful debut in New York.

Madison Pernell came into the studio for her first New York actors headshots with a clear intention — to create images that feel cinematic, honest, and casting-ready. In a city where first impressions are everything, your headshot must do more than show your face. It must suggest story.

Oscar Pavlo Returns — A New Chapter in New York
Oscar Pavlo Returns — A New Chapter in New York

Oscar Pavlo first stepped in front of my lens in 2019. At the time, we captured a powerful foundation: intelligent, watchful, composed. Since then, his range has expanded, deepened, matured. When he reached out for a second session in New York, it wasn’t simply for “new headshots.” It was because his casting had shifted — and his imagery needed to reflect that evolution.

Haysam Ali: Directing Character Through the British Lens
Haysam Ali: Directing Character Through the British Lens

In the high-stakes world of Los Angeles casting, a headshot needs to do more than just show a face—it needs to tell a story before a single word is spoken. Our recent session with Brazilian-American actor Haysam Ali is a masterclass in how cinematic lighting and intentional direction can capture the range of a truly transformative performer.

The Art of the Executive Edge: Capturing Sean Henney in the Heart of London
The Art of the Executive Edge: Capturing Sean Henney in the Heart of London

Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Sean Henney, a man who is as focused on the future of private markets technology as I am on the future of fine-art portraiture.

Lighting the "Data Obsessed" Professional

When Sean came to me, we talked about his mission—navigating the "hardest problem" in his industry: data. My goal as a photographer isn’t just to get a clear shot of a face; it’s to use cinematic lighting to reveal the character of the person solving those problems.

Capturing Steven Cole — Los Angeles Actor Headshots
Capturing Steven Cole — Los Angeles Actor Headshots

Since then, Steven has built a steady and varied career across British television, appearing in populist and long-running dramas including Death in Paradise and Doctors. In 2012, his career expanded onto the global stage when he joined the vast international cast of Game of Thrones, a production that redefined the scale and ambition of television drama worldwide.

Elisha Davis — Signature Portrait Session, Los Angeles
Elisha Davis — Signature Portrait Session, Los Angeles

WhenElisha Davisstepped into my Downtown Los Angeles studio, the objective was clear: create imagery that matched the pace and scale of his career right now.

With a growing body of television work and a slate of recent and upcoming releases, Elisha booked my Signature Actors Headshot Session—a session designed for actors who need more than a single “casting look.” This is about range, presence, and longevity across platforms: Spotlight, IMDb, press, agents, and editorial use.

Chauncey Allen — Actor Headshots in Los Angeles
Chauncey Allen — Actor Headshots in Los Angeles

This recent actor headshot session with Chauncey Allen was photographed at my Downtown Los Angeles studio, created specifically for casting, representation, and industry submission. The focus throughout the sitting was simple and deliberate: authentic presence, emotional clarity, and cinematic restraint.