Bradford Rogne Photography · DTLA
Actor Headshots Los Angeles
Actor headshots in Los Angeles for commercial, theatrical and character-driven casting. Real expression, useful range, and a photographer who will tell your shoulders what to do. They have had enough responsibility.
You bring the face. Bradford will handle the light, the angles, and the brief diplomatic incident with your chin.
01 / Build your actor package
Your headshots belong to a bigger picture.
A useful actor headshot connects the person in the photograph to the performer in the room. Start with your current appearance, the roles you are being considered for, and the gaps in your existing materials. A new jacket alone is not a new casting idea.
Bradford has photographed Los Angeles actors for more than 20 years and brings a professional makeup artist’s eye to skin, hair, light and texture. You receive direction throughout the session; you do not need to arrive with a collection of practiced expressions.
The face has range
Real people.
Different possibilities.
Your photos need useful differences in expression, energy, wardrobe and light. Six versions of the same nervous smile are technically a collection. We can aim higher.
Explore the galleries for real people, different looks, and several excellent uses of a jacket.
02 / Different jobs for different images
Commercial and theatrical headshots.
The approachable version
Commercial: open and relatable
A commercial image often needs an accessible, engaged expression and an uncomplicated visual read. A smile is one option; ease, warmth and a sense of personality matter more than performing a universal “commercial face.”
The specific version
Theatrical: a believable point of view
Theatrical work allows quieter expressions, tension, humor, vulnerability or edge. The image still needs clear eyes and a recognizable face. Serious does not have to mean scowling, and dramatic does not require a dark background.
The individual version
Comedy & character: personality with restraint
A small shift in expression, posture or wardrobe can suggest a different world. We aim for a playable person, with enough specificity to be useful, without props or costume doing all the explaining.
Commercial and theatrical describe different uses. Your best pair should give casting two meaningful choices, rather than the same expression in two shirts.
Read the commercial vs. theatrical headshot guide to plan the difference before choosing your looks.
03 / Look at real photographs
Start with the face. Then notice what changes.
Expression, light and wardrobe work together.
When you browse the galleries, pay attention to eye contact, the amount of smile, the angle of the shoulders, the neckline, and the separation between the face and background. Those decisions shape how quickly a portrait reads at a small size.
Use the men’s and women’s galleries as a conversation starter. Save a few examples you respond to and tell Bradford what you like about them. They are references for direction, not characters you need to imitate.
A polished portrait can still feel natural. The goal is useful range while preserving the same recognizable person across your images.
04 / Plan your looks
A practical shot list for your session.
Your essential update
Which photograph is missing or out of date? Start with the commercial or theatrical image you need most, and let that priority guide the first look.
A genuinely different use
For a second look, change the casting idea as well as the shirt. For example, a relaxed everyday character and a more structured professional look can serve different submissions.
Representative feedback
Bring current notes from your agent or manager when you have them. Specific feedback is more useful than trying to photograph every possible role in one session.
If you are pursuing short-form vertical drama work, the Vertical Drama Headshots page covers planning images for that brief. For agency-requested unretouched views, use Model Digitals and follow the receiving agency’s instructions.
05 / Choose the pace
Coached by the look, or prepared and ready to move?
By-the-look headshots
One look is $325, two are $425 and three are $525; additional looks are $100 each. Choose this deliberately paced option for coaching, expression work and planned wardrobe/background changes. A look combines one wardrobe change with one lighting and background setup.
60-minute timed session
The $500 timed option is designed for prepared or returning actors who want a faster pace and wardrobe variety within a fixed hour. Changes happen within the session time, and there is no guaranteed number of completed looks.
Both options are for one person in the DTLA studio. Review current session pricing and inclusions before booking. Retouching is selected separately after the shoot, starting at $40 per image.
06 / Wardrobe, skin & hair
Prepare the options. Leave the posing to Bradford.
Build a small, useful wardrobe.
Bring clean, ready-to-photograph pieces that fit well and suggest the worlds you can plausibly inhabit. Solid colors, simple textures and a few layers make useful starting points. Try the options on before your appointment, including the neckline and any jacket you plan to wear.
Avoid distracting logos, tiny high-contrast patterns and accessories that pull attention from your expression. Bring alternatives instead of depending on one outfit that has never met a camera.
Arrive looking like your current self.
Your hairstyle, facial hair and overall appearance should match the person who will audition. Avoid last-minute experiments with a new haircut or an unfamiliar skin treatment. The camera needs your face, not a surprise recovery project.
Men’s camera grooming is complimentary. Women’s hair and makeup is available for $175 for headshot sessions. Bradford’s direction considers grooming and lighting together.
Keep Shoot Prep handy, and read the skin and hair preparation guide for more detail. For posture ideas, see the headshot posing guide.
07 / The session
A plan. A camera. Fewer mysteries.
Talk through the target
Start with where the photographs will be used, what needs updating, and the looks planned for your package. Review wardrobe options and representative notes.
Make small changes
Bradford directs shoulders, chin, eye line, posture and expression. Small adjustments create choices without asking you to hold one expression for the entire session.
Select images with a job
Use the proof gallery to choose photographs for distinct purposes. Check the small thumbnail as well as the full image, and consider your representative’s feedback if applicable.
Online proofing is available for 60 days, with the gallery delivered by online download. Current delivery and package details are on the pricing page. If an application or casting deadline is close, tell Bradford before booking.
08 / Honest finishing
Retouch the lint. Keep the human.
The headshot and the audition should agree.
Optional finishing can address a temporary blemish, lint, shine or a stray hair. It should retain skin texture, facial structure and the features that make you recognizable.
Choose the expression and casting value first. Retouching cannot turn an unsuitable expression into the right performance, and extensive reshaping creates a mismatch between your photo and the person on tape.
See Headshot Retouching for the approach and current finishing options. Headshots vs. Candids explains why an appealing everyday photo may serve a different purpose.
A USEFUL THING FOR ACTORS THE
WORKING
ACTOR’S
FIELD
GUIDE. OPEN THE GUIDE ↗
Beyond the excellent cheekbones
A little direction.
Off camera, too.
Headshots are one part of the actor package. The rest can become a browser with 47 tabs and one mysterious subscription.
The Working Actor’s Field Guide brings casting platforms, training, representation research and practical tools into one place. Find your next useful step, then check current requirements directly with the organization involved.
Once you choose your photographs, update the casting profiles that need them and select each submission image for the role. Your materials should tell the same current story about you.
Before you book
Actor Headshots questions
How many actor headshot looks should I book?
Choose the looks that solve real gaps in your materials. One can work for a focused update; two or three allow meaningful variations when you have different casting uses. Bring representative feedback if available. More wardrobe changes do not automatically create more useful range.
Do you photograph commercial and theatrical headshots?
Yes. The direction, expression, wardrobe and lighting are planned around the intended use. We can create a warmer commercial option and a more specific theatrical portrait without making either feel forced.
Do I need to practice poses?
No. You will be directed throughout. It is more useful to arrive with wardrobe options, a current appearance and a clear idea of what needs updating.
Can beginners book a session?
Yes. A coached by-the-look session gives room for direction and planned changes. You do not need an agent, previous professional headshots or camera experience to book.
Should I choose the timed session?
The 60-minute session suits prepared or returning actors who are comfortable working quickly. Wardrobe changes use part of the hour, and the number of completed looks varies. Choose by-the-look sessions when you want more deliberate coaching and controlled changes.
Can I use the same photo for acting and LinkedIn?
Sometimes a portrait works in both places, but the buying purpose differs. Casting images communicate a playable person; a business profile communicates your professional role. If you need both, discuss separate uses before the shoot and compare executive and actor headshots.
Where do the sessions take place?
The studio is at 1308 Factory Place, Unit 512, Downtown Los Angeles. Appointments are required. See the DTLA guide and your booking confirmation for arrival details.
When should I update my actor headshots?
Update when your current appearance or useful casting direction changes, or when the existing photos no longer represent you well. A calendar date alone is not the deciding factor. Read How Long Do Headshots Last?.
Keep exploring
The next useful page.
Your next portrait starts here
Your next role deserves a current photo. Your old one has done its shift.
Tell Bradford where the images need to work. We’ll plan the session around that.
Downtown Los Angeles studio · By appointment
For office, team and custom projects, request a quote.