THE BASICS

  • We live in Brooklyn, NY. Our primary studio is located in Brooklyn, and we have studios in Cambridge MA, Boston, MA, and Providence, RI, though we try very hard to only shoot in Brooklyn and Cambridge.

  • Sessions start at $440. However, most clients invest around $1000. Detailed rates are here.

  • Yes! While obviously much of our marketing and portfolio is actor-centric, we very much enjoy working with musicians, entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, small businesses, and more. Whether you’re you’re looking for a simple LinkedIn headshot or a more elaborate branding session with multiple locations, props, creative direction, and more, please head to here to check out our bespoke portraiture and branding packages.

  • Yes! We offer self-booking in Brooklyn; please use our booking page to get started.

  • Absolutely! We travel to Boston frequently for theatre photography and schedule headshots around this; please head to our booking page to get started.

  • We do! We highly recommend hiring one of our amazing artists; you can get to know them on our about page. Hair and makeup starts at $240.

  • My wife and I consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have been the preeminent theatre photographers in New England for over a decade. We still travel to Boston to cover lots of performances, and are actively seeking opportunities in New York City. We also occasionally photograph events such as galas or opening night parties. We are open to wedding coverage, though only through referrals. Please see our work here.

  • Yes! We often create between 800-2500 images per session, and will do a first cull to remove any blinky/blurry/badly lit/boring shots. The selects will be edited and are yours to download and use, but we highly recommend requesting retouching on any images you intend to print or use in an online portfolio.

  • If you’re in NYC, chances are pretty good Odin will joining us for the shoot. In New England, it’s a toss-up, but we love to have him around! (Of course, if you’d rather not have a dog present for any reason, please let us know when you book and we’ll leave him at home.)

BOOKING YOUR SESSION

  • For NYC sessions, we offer set dates, 1-2 months in advance; a mix of weekdays and weekends.

    We generally offer between two and six shoot days a month in New England. These dates are chosen well in advance and are based around prior travel plans. We offer mostly weekdays, though weekends are sometimes possible.

  • Please use our self-booking system to snag a shoot in NYC. For Boston, please submit a request via our contact form. Both can be found on this page.

  • It very much depends on our schedules, but it may be possible to meet as soon as a couple of days in advance. We highly recommend trying to book a shoot at least six weeks out, however.

  • Yes. All sessions require a non-refundable $200 retainer.

  • Absolutely! We're happy to offer a complimentary consultation/discovery call. (We highly recommend chatting before booking- it helps so much!)

  • Yes! We don’t have an official discount for a shared session, but get in touch and we’ll work it out.

  • We generally deliver a gallery of edited images within one week of our shoot date. If you require your edits sooner, let us know and we'll see if we can make it happen. Once you make your selections for retouching, you can expect final images within one week.

  • Your $200 retainer is not refundable under any circumstances.

    If you need to reschedule your shoot, you must do so at least seven days in advance. You may reschedule your shoot one time (at least seven days in advance) without requiring a new retainer.

    If you must reschedule your shoot fewer than seven days in advance, you will be required to book a new session with a new retainer.

    Cancellation of your shoot will result in the loss of your retainer.

    Remember, our availability in New England is extremely limited, so please make every effort to keep your shoot as scheduled. Rescheduling a session in New England may mean pushing your session a month or more.

  • Kind of - for now, please contact us to book a session on behalf of another person.

  • We have no official discounts and rarely have sales. However, you can always ask - we might be open to working something out if you’re flexible with scheduling or can share a shoot with a friend or two. We do not offer payment plans, though you are welcome to use payment solutions such as Klarna, Afterpay, etc, via our payment processor when you pay for your session.

  • Every session requires a nonrefundable $200 retainer to hold your appointment time. This retainer will be applied towards the total cost of your session. The balance can be paid with check, cash, or Venmo/Zelle/PayPal and is due on or before the day your shoot.

    The hair/makeup artists are paid separately and prefer Zelle/Venmo/Paypal, though cash, check, or card are fine.

LOCATIONS AND LOGISTICS

  • Our NYC location is in Industry City, just off the 36th street stop on the R train. The Cambridge studio is near the intersection of Rt. 2 and Massachusetts Ave, just a little northwest of Davis Square. The Providence Studio is at the Rooms & Works complex in the West End of Providence. The Allston studio is by the old Regina Pizzeria in Lower Allston (same building as where Boston Casting used to be). Please note that as of 2025, we are no longer offering headshots in Allston or Providence.

  • While we think outdoor headshots can be spectacular when weather and lighting conditions are perfect, we vastly prefer shooting indoors. We have selected and built out all of our studios so that we have the ability to provide the blurred background look of an outdoor photo inside. Additionally, we find that outdoor headshots provide less of an opportunity to tell a story in a photo, particularly for screen actors. If you’d really like to shoot outdoors, or in multiple locations outside of the studio, you’ll want to book a branding/lifestyle session here.

  • We move quickly and tend to shoot three or four sessions per day, especially in New England, where we work to consolidate sessions as much as possible. You may briefly see another client as you end or begin your session. We may also have another client in the hair and makeup chair while we take photos. Don't worry -you will not see or hear the client in the makeup chair while we are shooting!

  • The NYC studio is in Industry City, which has a fair bit of metered street parking, as well as unmetered and private paid parking, available nearby. However, parking is not guaranteed and we highly recommend using public transit to reach the studio.

    The Cambridge studio has two guaranteed, free off-street parking spots.

  • Sometimes! Almost all of the images in our headshot portfolio are from sessions lit with studio lighting. Some of the portraits were shot with natural light, however.

  • We offer hourly rentals at all of our New England studios. If you are a creative looking for a space to rehearse, teach, or make media, please check out our rental pages for more info.

  • Both the Cambridge and NYC studios are wheelchair accessible. Allston is also wheelchair accessible, though we probably won’t shoot there. Providence is not wheelchair accessible, but we are even less likely to shoot there than Allston.

CHOOSING A PACKAGE

  • We offer three headshot packages, which hopefully cover the needs of most actors. If you need help choosing a package, check out this page, or reach out via email or phone.

  • Honestly, we still have trouble defining this term. Every photographer and client is different, and we'll do our best. Usually it’s a big change- a backdrop or outfit or lighting setup or hair and makeup change, or some combination of those. Since we price our sessions based on studio time instead of looks, it shouldn't be that big of a concern.

  • We'll have around ninety minutes from when you walk in the door (or get up from the makeup chair) to get around six looks. This session is great for actors who need more time to breathe and relax, have a wide range of looks they'd like to capture, or need help with planning their shoot in the room. We will have time to discuss clothing and strategy in much more detail than we would in the Mini Session. We can shoot portraits as well as headshots, though a head-to-toe look will require a paid add-on. Depending on the day and your needs we may go longer or shorter than ninety minutes but we'll try to stick to that timeframe. While the makeup artist may choose to be present throughout the shoot, significant mid-session changes to hair/makeup are not possible. People with beards may trim or shave during this session. You will receive 4 complimentary retouched images.

  • We'll have around thirty minutes from when you walk in the door (or from when you finish your hair and makeup) to get up to three looks. You may get lucky and end up with a little more time, but we try to keep it short and sweet. We can capture headshots or portraits, but won’t have time for both, and we definitely can’t make any full-length images. Not recommended for the camera-shy or folks who really need a wide range of looks. You should arrive to this session with your looks planned out in advance. We will have very little time to choose clothes and get comfortable, so come ready to work! This session is a great fit for high school and college students, as well as experienced actors looking for a quick, specific update to their portfolio. This session includes two retouched images.

  • This session is best for experienced actors looking to get serious about their on-camera career. We'll have up to five hours in the studio to get a wide range of super-specific looks. We can shoot headshots and portraits, and probably a simple full-body look. We'll have time to do major changes to hair and makeup as well, and the makeup artist will stay the entire shoot. You will receive eight complimentary retouched images with this session.

  • Yup! We’re open to shooting both actor headshots and simple portraits in a Full Session. The Mini Session allows time for portraits or headshots. If you’d like to shoot a full body look, please book the Ultimate Session, or add the full-body option to the Full Session. Non-actors seeking branding, lifestyle, corporate portraiture, and anything else should check out our packages here.

  • A headshot is a tightly-cropped photo of the face, usually from the top of the head to mid-chest. For an actor, it is a precise tool, used to represent them as either a specific character type, or serve as an intimate and multi-faceted representation of their personality and potential for a variety of roles.


    A portrait is a  relaxed, open-ended photo that breaks the “rules” of a traditional actor headshot. Much more (or all) of the subject’s body can be shown. The purpose of this photo is to give the viewer a more authentic sense of the subject. The portrait is not necessarily a casting tool, but is extremely useful on a website, business card, or social media. It should almost always be loose, inviting, unguarded, even a little weird.

    A headshot gives an idea of what an actor will look like on stage/camera, and a creative portrait should be a window into what the actor is like when not performing.

    Our portraits in NYC will utilize whatever backdrops, lighting, and objects are available in our small Brooklyn studio. Portraits in Cambridge can have more variety, as we have a number of environmental features to play with in that space.

    If you have grander ideas for a shoot that requires more room, special furniture, multiple locations, or additional help, please head here to learn about our bespoke portrait and branding experience.

PRE-SHOOT PREP

  • Most importantly, READ EVERYTHING. This website, as well as the websites of many other headshot photographers, casting directors, and educational resources, have pages and pages of information about how to approach a headshot session. We're available to chat via phone before you book, which we highly recommend.

  • I would highly advise against coming in with too few choices- at least six tops is a great start. Conversely, please do not pack your entire closet- bringing say, twenty or thirty or more choices to a shoot is overwhelming and we'll waste a lot of time managing clothes.


    The best way to make sure you're making the right amount of clothing choices is to plan ahead- definitely take advantage of the opportunity to speak with us before our shoot so we can strategize about hitting the sweet spot between 'too many choices' and 'not enough.'

  • If you really wear glasses, you should bring them - they can be great for character looks and for adding variety to the shoot. We'll do a couple of test shots with them to check for glare; if it looks like they're going to be a problem we can either pop out the lenses (if you're comfortable) or you can use one of a few pairs of lensless glasses I keep onsite.
    Feel free to bring jewelry, hats, accessories, and more, especially for film/tv/commercial shoots. We are totally fine with any of those pieces, assuming they help reinforce the story of the photo and they're not incredibly distracting.

  • First, head to the contact page and book a phone call with us. It's free and we'd love to hear your story and help you get started on the right path to success in our shoot.

    Second, start looking at headshots- mine, other photographers, friends, etc., to get some inspo for styles and vibes you like and don't like.

    Third, start asking friends and colleagues questions like "what celebrity do I remind you of", "what TV shows do you see me being on", "what was your first impression of me," "if you didn't know, what age would you think I am," "what part of the country or world would you think I was from," and more. This will help you get an idea of how you might be seen by casting directors and what looks you might want to focus on for your shots.

    Finally, take stock of your wardrobe. You shouldn't feel the need to buy an entire closet of new clothes for our session, but seeing what you have and what you need is a great idea so you can start shopping for or borrowing tops that will fill in any gaps.

  • First, you should have most of your looks chosen by now. Make sure you're not going shopping right before your session. Start putting aside clothes you own to be washed and prepared for our shoot. Think about what music you might want to listen to in the studio. Schedule a call with us if you haven't done so already. If you're getting a haircut or manicure or other self-care, now would be a good time to do so. It might also be wise to stop drinking alcohol and avoiding food with lots of salt, as these things may make you look puffy or red on-camera. You may want to start wearing a mask in crowded areas to avoid getting sick, and be sure to avoid any activities that could be a risk for injury.

  • Get your outfits packed and ready and be sure to grab a water bottle and some snacks. Resist the temptation to go out or stay up late, and try to keep today as chill as possible. Stay away from anything that might make you sick or cause injury, and go to bed early. Double-check addresses and directions, and make sure your transportation to the studio is all set. Rest, relax, and get ready for the big day!

  • I mean, if you want? But, good news - all studios are equipped with steamers and lint rollers.

DURING THE SHOOT

  • If you're less than five minutes late, no big deal. If you're shooting a Mini Session and are more than five minutes late, you start to seriously cut into our shoot time. If you expect to be late for a Mini Session, please text or call us ASAP and we'll see what we can do. It may be possible to have you start a little later, or swap you with a later session.

    For any other session, being fifteen minutes behind isn't that big of a deal, but we still may not be able to make up that time.

    If you are severely late and we are unable to reschedule the same day, you will be required to pay a new retainer and book a new session.

    If, for any reason, we are running late, we will let you know ASAP and will do everything we can to make sure you are given the time you need at your convenience.

  • If you think it’ll help you relax and feel comfortable, sure! All studios have lots of room for guests to hang out, and if you’re planning on bringing a pet just make sure and let us know in advance.

    Of course, if you are under 18, we request that your parent/guardian be present at the shoot if possible. They do not have to help or participate, and there is comfortable seating and free WiFi available.

  • Yes please! All studios have Sonos sound systems and we've got an Apple Music subscription, so most songs and artists you’d like to hear will be available. You’re also welcome to bring your own device and jam out to your favorite playlist(s).

  • There’s always fresh drinking water at the studios. We do not keep snacks on-site, but we recommend bringing something if you’re worried about getting hungry. All studios have a fridge and microwave, and the Brooklyn studio is three floors up from lots of amazing food.

    If you’re over 21, a couple of drinks can sometimes help with nerves, and it is fine with us if you want to partake before or during the session.

  • Up to you! We do not encourage or actively solicit tips for photography, but if you feel the service was exemplary, we won’t say no. The makeup artist/hairstylists, however, graciously accept tips in any amount!

  • It depends. If you’d really like to look at them, we will allow it. However, we find that sometimes looking at photos on the back of the camera takes a lot of time and can make subjects self-conscious. On the other hand, it can be a great way to make sure we’re on track and that you’re getting what you need. Generally, the more experienced you are with headshots, the more comfortable we feel showing photos as we go.

    (No matter what, if you've hired hair/makeup, we’ll zoom in on each hair and makeup look to make sure you’re happy with the HMUA’s work.)

after the shoot

  • It super depends. We don't like to give hard numbers, but we've never seen anyone with fewer than 100 edited images or more than 600.

  • Once the keepers have been selected and the processing is complete, we'll send the photos in a beautiful, shareable, easy-to-use online gallery, from which you can create collections of favorites, and make selections for retouching.

  • Processing is light editing, during which we make global adjustments to each photo. This isn’t a slow and methodical look at every detail of an image- it’s more a quick “check” to be sure the photo is ready to show to the world. While we might do some precise corrections if the error is something we missed (a rip in a background, say, or a dust spot on the lens), we won’t be doing any detailed work here- no clothing logo removals or stray hair fixes or makeup corrections. (That all gets saved for retouching.)

  • Retouching is the next step after processing. It’s a close scrutiny of an individual photo, making precise local edits and looking out for any potential distractions, temporary imperfections, color discrepancies between different areas of the photo, and much more. This can take one or two hours per photo. All packages include complimentary retouching, and additional retouched images can be purchased for $40/ea.

  • You will receive your gallery of processed images within one week of our session.

    Once you select your images for retouching, you will receive final versions within one week.

    You will have access to your gallery for six months after receiving it. You will receive a notification once it is going to be removed from our servers; you may request a one-time extension of one week in order to download your images.

  • This is a pretty complicated topic, and probably needs its own article. Your "best" headshot is determined by so many factors- what market you're in, your type(s), and much much more.

    We recommend narrowing down your gallery with a quick pass, following your gut and picking as many as are appealing to you.

    Once you have that smaller group, take your time and whittle it down to between ten and thirty options, maybe more if you have more looks.

    Then, share that small collection with (in this specfic order):

    your representation,
    casting directors/directors,
    your coaches/teachers/professors,
    your castmates,
    your second-best friends,
    your best friends,
    your siblings,
    your significant other,
    and your immediate family.

    That order also represents whose thoughts and feedback are useful, from most to least - your immediate family is generally not going to be super objective at picking a headshot, while people who can cast you or are representing you will be incredibly helpful with telling you what photo feels the most like "you" and the most marketable in whatever media you are working.

    (Your own opinion, after the first pass-through, is, we believe, basically worthless. We really don't know what we look like outside of the mirror, and often our vanity and spotty self-conception gets in the way of choosing an authentic photo.)

  • While there’s virtually no limit to what Photoshop can do in the right hands, we discourage clients from going too far into “airbrushed” territory. We also highly discourage any digital changes to a part of your face/body that will not change significantly in the next two to five years. A pimple, for example, is temporary and should be removed. A high hairline or droopy eyelid or less-than-chiseled jawline is a part of your face, and your face is what casting directors are looking to see when they call you in to audition, Hopefully the lighting and posing we did in the studio will have you looking amazing on camera and you won’t feel the need to make any huge changes.

    That said, if you really feel that “transformative” retouching is what you need, we will work with you to make it happen, though at a higher rate than standard retouching.

    Also, be aware that while retouching is important for eliminating distractions and making sure your essence really comes through in the photo, many of these photos will never be viewed in large-format print. Digitally, they will rarely be seen in a size bigger than a playing card. Be sure to view the images in as many digital formats and sizes as possible- they should look best as a thumbnail on a laptop or phone screen.

  • Once you've sent your selections, we should be able to send you the retouched files within one week.

  • Please don't. We can't stop you, but we put a lot of time and thought into the choices we've made around color, lighting, makeup, and everything else that has gone into the image we've made. Please consider our artistic agency before you retouch your own photos. You are, however, permitted to crop the photos as you see fit.

  • For in-person auditions, headshots are expected to be 8x10", with a resume stapled to the back. Portrait (vertical) orientation is slightly preferable to landscape (horizontal) orientation, though no one will kick you out of an audition for having a horizontal headshot.

    As far as whether the photo has a border, where your name is placed, the font, etc., as long as the name is on the front, is legible, and the photo is 8x10, that's up to you.

    Be sure and pay attention to any specific formatting requests whenever you're submitting headshots, but don't worry too much about these details for general use.

    If you'd like us to format a retouched headshot or two with a name and/or border, please ask and we're happy to do so at no charge.

  • We do not offer printing services. You can, however order prints directly from your gallery. We do not recommend printing at pharmacies/Fed-Ex/Kinkos or on home printers. Our go-to printer is currently mpix.com.

hair and makeup

  • YES. Every person with a face should bring one of our favorite makeup artists in to help with their shoot. They know our lighting, and they know great makeup and hair.

    They’re also really lovely and professional people who bring another element of fun and energy to the room!

  • We work with a number of local professionals, all of whom are lovely people who are very experienced with on-camera makeup and hair for all age ranges, races/ethnicities, and gender identities. We will assign one to your shoot based on availability; if you would like to know who they are and speak with them before your session, please let us know and we will put you in touch.

  • For the Mini and Full Sessions, hair and makeup is a flat $240 for one look regardless of your age/gender identity/hair length/etc. For the Ultimate Session, hair and makeup is built into the cost of the shoot.

  • We believe flat-rate pricing is the fairest and least complicated way of offering hair and makeup to everyone while valuing the HMUA's time.

    Even if you're a male-identifying person with a buzz cut and perfect skin, the HMUA still needs to travel to the studio, set up their equipment, apply their expertise to make you look amazing, and then stay a while to make sure things are going well.

    Yes, you might spend 15 minutes in the chair instead of someone else's hour, but the result is worth every penny.

    (Also, it feels presumptuous to assume anything and charge a certain amount based on a person's appearance and pronouns. Do you look like John Cena but want makeup like Chappel Roan? Flat-rate HMU will cover that, and much more.)

  • Probably- our team has had successful shoots with people of all races, ethnicities, genders, ages, and more. Their kits cover the spectrum of skin tones, and they know how to work with all textures and types of hair. That said, you are always welcome to inquire about viewing a portfolio of their work, and/or speak with them about your individual needs as a client.

  • We do not recommend this, unless these are things you apply/wear daily. Headshots (at least for actors) aren’t a great place to try and look any different than you can look at your natural best. If the person in the picture doesn’t match the person in the room, casting directors will not be thrilled and may not call you in for another audition.

  • Yes, though we do not allow shaving during the Mini Session. If you're shaving, you should seriously consider having a HMUA available to help with post-shave redness and irritation. (However, while the hair and makeup artist will help correct redness and other post-shave problems, they will NOT be shaving you, nor will they be supplying shaving cream, razors, etc.) We have restrooms with warm water and mirrors at all locations.

  • Straightening or curling one’s hair usually takes a LONG time. The only session type that might be able to accommodate this change during the shoot would be the Ultimate Session, and even then, we advise against doing a full hair shift, as it will take up a lot of your shoot time.

    If you’re hoping to get some looks curly and some straight (or with braids/locs/natural/etc.) we recommend booking two mini sessions on different days or with a large gap between them. We may be open to a multi-session discount, but no guarantees- just ask!

  • We allot around 60 minutes for initial hair and makeup; this varies depending on desired level of makeup, length/thickness of hair, and many other factors. For the Ultimate Session, we'll spend 10-30 minutes adjusting hair and makeup between looks.

  • You’ll be at the studio longer for sure, but it won’t take away from time spent in front of the camera.

  • Nope! You’re certainly welcome to - if you have personal favorites that you want to use, feel free to bring them, but the hair and makeup folks have everything they need in their kits.