Role Types:

For your headshots, you have booked with me based on a number of looks that you want. A "look" is a role/ character type or an archetype. Before coming in, think about what roles you see yourself playing, which can be pulled from plays, musicals, TV/film, so that I can achieve that with the color backdrops we choose as well as the outfit, hair, and makeup.

What are my role types? Please read carefully.

This is where I want you to think of the roles you are currently going out for, the roles you are getting callbacks for, and the roles you are booking.

For roles you are currently going out for…are these roles getting you callbacks? Are the auditions you are making for these roles showing results? If any of the answers to these are a no, you will want to rethink your role types. You may have once seen yourself going out for the young ingenue, but is this realistic to what you give off in the room? Is that who you are, or is it really just how you think you want to be seen? This is where I ask you to be very honest with yourself. While my mantra is that we are more than just one thing or slot to fill, I also want you to stand on business and think about the roles you see yourself being able to play believably. (Whether this is on-stage or on-camera for you, this concept applies.) For the ingenue example, the situation can be reversed: the middle-aged woman or man you were playing in your college production of A View From The Bridge is not going to be a role you would be going out for once you have graduated into the real world as a 21-year old. If this is confusing you or making you unsure, please consult with your teachers, coaches, and people you have worked with in the past to gain their perspective. These may be your current teachers, your agents, your manager, or professional consults. Stray away from asking friends and family, even if they are in the industry, as they have a biased view (and most lovely and close view) of you, as this will distract from what will help you book jobs most effectively. You want to understand yourself as a business and brand so that you can have the most effective career possible.

If you already know what roles you can play because you are already getting callbacks and / or booking these roles, then you are on the right track. If you have to look over your spreadsheets to see your auditions in the last 6 months to a year and add up the roles you have gotten callbacks for, really parse apart what those roles are. Those ones are working for you in your favor; those are how the world and the casting directors behind the table are looking at you

What if I am just starting out? What if I do not know because I do not have experience? Congrats on starting out! Getting your headshots is such a great career step into the right direction. The best part about headshots is that they are one of the only things in this industry that is in your control. If you are currently in classes and have not auditioned or booked yet, ask your teacher for help. Or, think about the scenes you have been working on with your coach. Do you feel like when you watch these scenes back, or when you are doing them in class, that you are progressing in these scenes? Do you feel like you are getting better at it? Or, do you feel like they are stagnant, and they aren’t unlocking any new discoveries for you as an actor within that scene. If it is the latter, please rethink these roles. That being said, if you are starting out and still are not sure after these questions, we can still get you some amazing shots! Having professional shots is a great way to show agents, managers, etc. that you are professional and ready to start auditioning. If you can get as specific as possible, it will positively affect your photoshoot and results in the long run. If you feel overtime your role types have changed since your first session, you can always do more headshots when you have a clearer idea.

Headshots are your power…

We cannot decide who a casting director chooses for that project you were in final callback for. We cannot control what shows they choose to do this season at the regional theatre you usually book every summer. We cannot decide that the kid in your class who never really even tried in school keeps booking roles left and right. But what we can decide is how we choose to navigate our careers. This is exciting for you. I want you to have fun with this and let this be a token of freedom and authority on your career. Once you have the clear idea of what you want to achieve, the rest is a celebration of YOU. When you receive these photos, not only will they visually showcase what roles you can play, but they will also show true to who you are, that when your friends and family finally get to see the results, they recognize your soul. We will stand on some good business. We want you to be so beyond booked and busy.

To be camera-ready, use at least a few days to a week to prep by getting good rest the night before your shoot, drinking lots of water to keep your skin clear, glowed, and hydrated, and using your regular skincare routine. Be sure to use a moisturizer on your lips especially as it gets colder when the weather makes skin drier than usual.

During the shoot:

Location:

The location is in your confirmation sheet.

Feel free to bring your music/playlist, as I have speakers in the studio to get you in the mood of the roles you are trying to convey through the photos, or just something to jam to during the shoot.

You do not need to arrive any earlier than your appointment time, even with a booked hair and makeup artist.

IF YOU HAVE ***NOT*** BOOKED A HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST, READ THIS*****

If you are concerned with coming in from traveling, the train, walking, etc. with the hair and makeup at the chance of getting ruined, I highly advise you to add on hair and makeup to your appointment. I do not have any makeup or tools to provide you if you need to fix anything. Having them there takes off all extra worries, where we can focus solely on the work we do rather than the way you look. Having them there is for your benefit and an investment in yourself.

For male-identifying clients, I understand you may not wear makeup on a daily basis, but having male grooming there is more beneficial than not during your photo session — the camera captures every spot and redness /discoloration on your face, so if you do not have coverage on, please note that it will be shown on camera. All male identifying clients in my portfolio and on my Instagram have opted for the grooming. If you change your mind and want the HMUA male grooming there, please email me ASAP. Having them there is for your benefit and an investment in yourself.

If you have still opted to do your own, it is required you come hair and makeup ready with how you would look in the audition room. You can touch up here anything that needs to be fixed before we get started, but please come ready. As stated prior, I will not provide any hair or makeup tools.

Stray away from glitter and shimmer, as the lights will reflect too much off that type of makeup, and avoid trendy makeup tricks and styles (Tik Tok/ Instagram trends). While trending makeup looks great in the real world, you want your headshots to transcend time; if a trend goes out of style, then you will be stuck with that trend in a headshot you want to use for a long time. If you have hired your own independent MUA, please have your hair and makeup ready before. If you want makeup done here at the studio, then we have to hire one of the artists I provide. Please email to coordinate, if so.

***IF YOU HAVE BOOKED HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST, READ THIS***

Hair and Makeup Artist:

If you have opted for the highly recommended HMUA, then the HMUA will be there when you arrive. They will have all the makeup and hair products for all skin types and textures. There is no need to bring your own products, the products we use are made specifically to be read on camera. If you have just opted for makeup, that is fine. Hair is optional but highly encouraged — you can always change your mind to the day leading up if you want hair done by the HMUA.

For female identifying clients, arrive with a clean, blank canvas and hair. Come in with an idea of what you want for hair and makeup; you can bring in photos on your phone that show your normal day to day look if you want! The makeup artist will style it based on the roles you discuss, as well as how you would normally wear it going into an audition. You want your headshots to look like you as much as possible, we won't overdo it!

For male identifying clients, come in with a blank canvas. If you want to shave mid session, you are welcome to bring your razors and products. Come in with an idea of what you normally look like going into an audition in terms of your hair, and we will discuss your role types with the hair and makeup artist.

For non-binary clients, come in with suggestions from either or both paragraphs above.

***Our HMUA works closely with you for makeup and hair, so be aware of and take care of any sweaty body odors and cleanliness before coming in.***

***Come with clean hair, as the HMUA will be working through your hair***

***I HIGHLY ADVISE NOT GETTING HAIR CUTS THE DAY BEFORE YOUR SHOOT! Give contingency between your haircut and the session to let your hair settle in the way you like. The last thing you want is something wrong to happen with your haircut in time for your session***

Clothing:

Bring in options and more than the number of looks. I repeat, bring in options and more than the number of looks — so that we have a big selection to choose from. Best prepare while thinking about your role types when picking out your tops. What would this character wear? How will this shirt most visually represent this character?

Try your best to avoid just bringing black, white, and grey. Also avoid tube tops, overly bulky sweaters, baggy clothing, and logos. Tiny lines/ stripes and neon don't read well on camera. Colors look great on camera, as well as jewel and earth tones. Think about textures and patterns, but nothing overly patterned or distracting; if you are unsure about patterns, bring it in anyway. We want the photo to be interesting and fun. Textures give dimension to the photo. Fabrics with texture can mean unique stitching or that are woven, as well as silk. If you want black, I recommend silk or leather (black leather jackets work well).

For female-identifying clients, favor cuts that flatter you best. Tank tops with interesting necklines look great on camera, and always opt for more form-fitting clothing versus sizes that bury you. When choosing between different sizing, choosing the smaller size is your best bet. Make sure to bring proper bras/ nip coverings for your tops. Bras with lace textures against thin and tight fabrics will show up on camera, so bring smooth bras.

For male-identifying clients, bring in necklines that best flatter you such as crew necks, fitted button-ups, and v necks. When choosing between different sizing, choosing the smaller size is your best bet as former fitting clothes will always be the best choice; baggy clothes that don’t fit you will not read well on camera.

For non-binary clients, bring anything suggested above.

Visual examples are in the headshot tab.

There is a steamer here if your clothes get wrinkled.

Do not arrive wearing any of the clothes you will be using as an option in the photos — this will avoid sweat stains (those WILL show up on camera.)

COME SHOWERED AND CLEAN, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

FOR EYE GLASSES: Depending on what type of glasses you wear, the lights may catch a glare. Warby Parker lenses tend to have the least glare, however, for other brands, while glares can be toned down or removed in retouches, it is not guaranteed. I highly recommend finding a way to pop the lenses out beforehand or buying a fake pair of glasses matches to the glasses you wear already so we can pop out those lenses.

***If you think you don’t have any of these types of clothing in your closet, a smart thing you can do is go to a store like H&M, Forever 21, Zara, Urban, etc. and buy clothes there. If they are not used in our session, you can return them.*** THE BEST examples of clothing are on my portfolio, which can be found in the header, if you are having trouble figuring out where to start.

Get creative and clever! Don't go too basic.

Layering up: When you bring in tighter-fitting tops, you can layer up with jackets, sweaters, blazers. These do not count as an extra look as long as the top underneath is still shown in the photo.

If you are having trouble deciding what to bring, think about the characters/ role types and what they would wear. When going into an audition, you would think about how you dress for the role you are going in for and how that matches the traits, energy, and persona of the character. For example, if the role is the type that is upbeat, friendly, spunky, quirky, or even maybe a little crazy, perhaps Rebecca from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, take a look at the episodes and see what her wardrobe is like. If you are going in for roles that are cleaned up, professional, studious, focused, and lawyerly, bring in a solid and structured blazer or office dress. Or for a CW angsty teen drama, bring in something edgier and darker for that rebellious teen girl with a broken home. The item of clothing tells a lot about a person, so allow that to express you and who you are in that role. Bring in things that you love and feel confident in!!!

Examples from past clients:

“These are the role types I usually get auditions for: 

1. Military / security tough guy, or troubled boy who ends up getting drunk and fight at bars.

2. Boy next door, very nice and positive, the “safe” choice of the lead even though she chooses the other leas who’s bad guy but makes a good script… 

3. Sexy, seductive, “I knew you were trouble when you walked in” T.S.

4. Hardboard student, business man, young teacher who’s really good with kids”

or….

“1. Seductive, manipulative antagonist (Cheryl Blossom in “Riverdale” or Elizabeth Gillies in “Dynasty”)

2. A look for my comedic side. Quirky, fun, and sarcastic (giving Rachel green energy)

3. Emotionally high lead in physiological thriller/horror (think Victoria Pedretti in Haunting of “Bly Manner” or “You”)”

***Make sure all clothes have no stains, are clean and odorless, and are ready to be worn on camera. I have a steamer and iron here.***

Your Picks & Final Gallery...

After you sent in your payment for your session and up to 10 business days after your session, you will receive the entire gallery of your shoot, non-watermarked and ready to download for you to have. You will pick the set number of favorites to choose from that you want to be retouched. Additional touch-ups beyond what is included in your package is $25 each.

Payment:

For payment, I prefer Zelle or cash for no-fee transactions; a third option is Venmo with small fees. The form of payment for your makeup artist will be these options. We do not take Paypal or Cashapp. You will have paid the online deposit when booking, the remaining payment will be made on the day of our session. No payment plans available.

Reschedule & Cancellation Policy:

There is a $155 non-refundable deposit when you schedule a session with me. If you cancel, you will not receive your deposit back. The deposit goes towards the total of the session. If you have to reschedule and set a specific time and date, I will move that deposit to that session.

I allow up to 1 reschedule for your session. If you have to reschedule after already doing so once, you have to re-book with another deposit. You must reschedule at least 48-hours in advance. A reschedule that is within 48 hours of the shoot time will require a new deposit of $105, to be sent via Zelle or Venmo.

If you cancel your session, you will not receive your deposit back. If you cancel within 24 hours of your session, you will be charged another $105 with the card you booked your session with to compensate the lost session.

I also do not offer free re-shoots. If you want something different than what we already shot, you can re-book with me for a new shoot! With that, it is important you speak up during your session to get your desired results. Changes to colors and outfit choices cannot be made once the shoot is over and in post-production. I strongly encourage actors to understand and respectfully verbalize their needs and wants as much as they can during the shoot!

An important note from me:

I am excited to be a part of your career journey! If you have followed all the above on the prep sheet here, we are already on such a great track.

I want to be the best vehicle for your career as possible. My only hope is that these headshots will help catapult your career into something great. That being said, coming here with the clearest intention and ideas are integral to making your headshot dreams come true. We are both artists: I am not just a camera, but also an artist with a soul, ready to connect with you. I aim to uphold my artistic integrity for you, and you can help me do so by also sharing your unique artistic integrity with me. Of course, please be kind, I am also human; if you come in with the best efforts you can, we will create something truly amazing!

See you soon,

Julianna