Keep clothing and accessories simple. A shirt with a V-neck or scoop-neck puts the focus on your face and will print well on either color or black-and-white film. Stick with solid colors in rich tones, as pastels and loud prints will wash you out and distract from your face. Avoid large dangling earrings and heavy necklaces, especially on children -- prominent jewelry will overwhelm younger, smaller features. Stud earrings are best for single ear piercings, but use a flesh-toned insert to fill in nose piercings or multiple earring holes. One of the goals of a headshot is to show that your look is flexible; if you are auditioning for a period drama and your face is covered in piercings, directors may be turned off by your modern look.
Go lightly with your makeup and use it judiciously. While it is important that you look like yourself in your headshots, most women from their late teens onward benefit from makeup that evens out skin tone, hides dark circles and brightens eyes. Tinted moisturizer, powder, mascara, well-blended eyeliner and a rosy lip balm emphasizes your natural beauty without overwhelming your face. Young girls need even less makeup; anything more than tinted lip balm will appear heavy and artificial. If you have never touched a makeup brush but want to polish your everyday image, visit a makeup counter at a department store and schedule a consultation. Be clear about your abilities and needs and ask the artist to help you create a look that you can easily repeat yourself.
Wear your hair down in a natural style that is as free of heavy styling products as possible. Brush it so that it is off of your face, and emphasize the natural wave pattern of your hair. Do put some effort into your hair; messy bed-head is not the ideal style for any headshot. You can blow dry hair and curl the ends with a large-barrel iron to give them definition, or spray a hairbrush with hairspray and run it lightly though your hair to tame fly-aways. If your hair is curly, don't straighten it unless you plan to do so for every audition. You need to be recognizable from your headshot, and such a drastic change can leave directors wondering who you were when casting occurs.
Choose shirts in solid, rich colors with V-necks or collars. Wear the proper attire under your shirt as well; cotton V-necks can be clingy, emphasizing un-toned stomachs or the effects of a chilly room. Young boys can choose crew-neck T-shirts in solid, bright colors -- anything too precious or contrived, like a tuxedo or a sweater vest, limits the versatility of your photos. T-shirts should be free of logos and cartoon characters.
Keep hair and makeup simple. A touch of makeup tones down shine and evens out the skin tone of adult men. Tinted moisturizer, powder and lip balm are typically the only products necessary for men when they pose for head shots. Young boys need only a touch of lip balm. Hair should be clean and natural, with minimal styling products. Stiff, spiky hair with visible gel is not a desirable look for a headshot. Hair should be styled off of the face, especially for young boys; while swoops of hair that leave bangs in the eyes are popular, this style covers too much of the face for a headshot.
Use a professional photographer. You may own an excellent camera and have a friend that's willing to snap pictures, but a professional photographer will have the photographic, lighting and editing equipment necessary to create a powerful, timeless headshot. This is especially important for young actors of both genders; professional photographers who specialize in working with kids can effectively direct a photo shoot and deliver the best product for young actors. It may be expensive, but a quality headshot is a worthwhile investment in your career. Seek recommendations from actors whose headshots you admire, or ask different professional photographers in your area to see a portfolio of their work.