The Headshot Journal

Notes on getting photographed well.

Straight answers on headshots, portraits, and what to do with them once you've got them — written from behind the camera, not a content mill.

Headshot fundamentals

5 guides
22 September 2026 US vs UK Headshot Style: What's Actually Different The real differences between American and British headshot conventions — crop, expression, retouching, backdrop — and which one you actually need. → 22 September 2026 Do You Still Need Professional Headshots in 2026? Phone cameras and AI generators have improved. Here is when a professional headshot still matters — and when it genuinely does not. → 22 September 2026 Why Professional Headshots Beat AI Headshots What AI headshot generators actually produce, where they fall apart, and why a real photographer still wins for anything that matters. → 22 September 2026 What to Expect From a Headshot Session A walkthrough of an actual KSA Headshots session, start to finish, so nothing on the day is a surprise. → 22 September 2026 What to Wear for a Headshot Session Colours, patterns, layers and the two-outfit rule — a practical wardrobe guide for headshot day. →

Budget & student

2 guides
22 September 2026 Budget Headshots: What You Get (and Don't) for £100 An honest breakdown of the £100 Budget Headshot — what it includes, what it deliberately leaves out, and who it is actually for. → 22 September 2026 Student Headshots: What You Actually Need and What You Don’t Graduating, applying for placements, building a LinkedIn presence — here is the level of headshot that actually helps, and what to skip. →

By profession

5 guides
22 September 2026 Actor Headshots: The Complete Guide What casting directors and agents actually look for in an actor headshot, and how a KSA session is built around it. → 22 September 2026 Musician Headshots: Press Shots That Get Booked Press shots, single art, EPKs and socials — the different jobs a musician’s headshots need to do, and how to cover them in one session. → 22 September 2026 Theatre Headshots: What Casting Directors Look For Why theatre headshots differ from screen headshots, and how to shoot for a casting director reading a printed breakdown, not a feed. → 22 September 2026 Dancer Headshots: Portfolio and Casting Shots The difference between a dancer’s casting headshot and their movement portfolio — and why you need both. → 22 September 2026 How to Build a Model Portfolio (From Zero) A realistic, non-scammy path to a first model portfolio — what shots you need, what order to shoot them in, and what to ignore. →

Company & corporate

4 guides
22 September 2026 Company Headshots: A Guide for Whoever's Organising It A practical guide for the person in the office who just got told to “sort out headshots” — scheduling, briefing, consistency, delivery. → 22 September 2026 Does Your Company Need Headshots in 2026? Remote work, LinkedIn, and the death of the office ID photo — the case for updating your team’s headshots this year. → 22 September 2026 Why Company Headshots Matter More Than Ever in 2026 How mismatched, outdated or missing headshots quietly cost a company credibility — on LinkedIn, on the website, in the press. → 22 September 2026 How to Save Money Booking Company Headshots Batching, scheduling and briefing tricks that cut the real cost of getting a whole team photographed. →

Beyond the shoot

6 guides
22 September 2026 Should I Pay for Professional Portrait Photos? A straight answer to a straight question, with the actual scenarios where it is worth it and where it isn’t. → 22 September 2026 How to Make the Most of Your Headshots Beyond LinkedIn: every place a good headshot actually does work for you, and how to keep a set current. → 22 September 2026 How to Make Money With Your Headshots Stock, licensing, personal branding and content — realistic ways a strong headshot set pays for itself. → 22 September 2026 Can You Get Video Clips During a Portrait Session? What a video add-on during a stills session actually looks like, and when it is worth asking for. → 22 September 2026 Can I Get Help Shooting My Self-Tapes? What actually makes a self-tape land, and where a photographer can help beyond the headshot itself. → 22 September 2026 How a Video Introduction Improves Your Chances of Getting Jobs The evidence and the logic for pairing a short video introduction with your headshots when you apply for work. →
Ready when you are

Every guide here links back to a package — but if you'd rather just book, go ahead.

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