Tips for Taking your Own Photos

What makes a good photo?

Please take the following tips into account before taking your photos.

  1. Resolution: Image Resolution should be at least 300KB Plus - use a camera or a decent quality phone.
  2. Colour: Please make sure your photos are in colour. You can share black and white/ Sepia tone shots in addition to these, to include in your portfolio.
  3. Smile: Please look to camera and smile! You can send alternative more dramatic looks to us for your portfolio shots, but we must have at least one smiling commercial style shot. You want to show personality and expression, this is what will make you stand out.
  4. Full face: Do not crop off the top of your head! Do not crop yourself from a photo with other people in it.
  5. Lighting: Please make sure you take your photos in a well-lit environment. The best light is natural light if you are not in a photographic studio. We need to be able to clearly see your skin tone, eye colour and hair colour. No filters.
  6. Surroundings/Background: Stand in front of a background that is as clean/plain as you can get. White wall at home, back garden wall or fence. You don’t want anything cluttered or distracting in the background e.g. standing in front of a kitchen with appliances behind you.
  7. Clearly show features that may impact role selection: We need to be able to see if you have any visible tattoos or piercings, or if you are missing any teeth or have braces.

What photos will not be accepted?

  • NO MIRROR SELFIES – ask someone to help you.
  • NO GROUP SHOTS WITH OTHER PEOPLE – unless they are family members registered with us.
  • DARK / BLURRY SHOTS/ SUNNIES/ DRESSUPS/ HATS- where we can’t see what you look like
  • NO INAPPROPRIATE SHOTS- please dress your age, no heavy makeup, don’t use over sexualised shots/outfits.
  • NO FILTERS

What should I wear?

  • Please wear a smart casual presentable outfit for your photos as a starting point. Once we have these, you can also send through different looks e.g. Swimwear, Formalwear, Sports/Fitness
  • Its best to wear solid colours, avoid crazy patterns, large logos, and trend clothing.
  • Make sure your outfit is not too baggy so we can clearly see your body shape and frame.
  • Pick something that is not too summery or too wintery as this will date your photos. Think short sleeve instead of long sleeve or singlet.
  • Don’t wear anything too formal (wedding dress, formal outfit) or too revealing. Please no dress ups.
  • AVOID: Don’t wear a hat, sunnies, fascinator in your hair, excess jewellery, no face paint or food on kids face or anything else that may impact a client’s ability to see what you look like.

How should I style my hair & makeup? 

  • Please style your hair the way you would naturally wear it. If you have long hair its best to please supply photos of your hair down and tied up. Especially Males with long hair.
  • Don’t over-style as you may be expected to attend a casting and you want to look as similar as you can to your headshots.
  • Very natural makeup please, no over the top false lashes or nails, very dark fake tans.
  • Males, please have your facial hair as you most often wear it. If you flip between stubble and clean shaven send us an example of both.