What digitals are for
Digitals are a record, not a shoot. An agency uses them to judge your face, skin, hair and proportions without styling in the way. Clients ask for current digitals before they book, so you will retake them throughout a career. Learning to do them well is worth the ten minutes.
The set-up
- Light. Stand facing a window in daylight. Avoid direct sun, flash and overhead lights, which all put hard shadows on the face.
- Background. A plain, light wall. Nothing behind you that draws the eye.
- Camera. Use the main camera on the back of the phone, not the wide lens, which distorts proportions. Ask a friend to hold it, or prop it up and use the timer.
- Height of the camera. Eye level for the headshot. Chest height for full-length shots, so your body is not stretched or shortened.
- No editing. No filters, no portrait blur, no face tuning. Agencies spot it at once, and it counts against you.
What to wear
Fitted and plain. A black or white vest or T-shirt with slim jeans or leggings works for everyone. No logos, patterns, jewellery, hats or sunglasses. Keep makeup to little or none, and tie your hair back for at least one photo so your face and jaw are clear.
The shots to take
- Headshot facing the camera, relaxed expression.
- Headshot with a natural smile.
- Profile, from the shoulders up.
- Full length facing the camera, arms loose at your sides.
- Full length in profile.
- Waist up, facing the camera.
Hair, skin and grooming
Arrive at the photos the way you would arrive at a casting. Clean hair, worn the way it naturally falls for most shots and tied back for one. Skin clean and moisturised. Tidy nails without bright polish. If you have facial hair, show it the way you normally wear it. If you have tattoos or piercings, let them show, because agencies need to know.
Add a short video
Twenty to thirty seconds is enough, and it shows how you move, which no photo can. Say your name, age, height and where you are based. Then walk towards the camera, pause, turn to each side and walk away. No music and no editing. Hold the phone upright unless the agency asks otherwise.
How often to retake them
Whenever your look changes: a haircut, a new colour, a change in build. Otherwise every few months. Clients book from your digitals, and turning up looking different from them is the fastest way to lose a job.
Mistakes that get applications passed over
- Filters or retouching of any kind.
- Mirror selfies, group photos and photos cropped from a night out.
- Feet or the top of the head cut off in the full-length shot.
- Photos from months ago. Use the last few weeks.
- Posing hard. Stand the way you stand. Direction comes later.
Applying to Star? You need at least two photos to send the form. A headshot, a full-length shot and a profile are ideal, and video is welcome too, up to 1 GB. Upload them here.
Quick answers
- Can I take my own digitals?
- Yes. Prop the phone at the right height and use the timer, or ask a friend. The back camera gives a better result than the selfie camera.
- Should I smile in digitals?
- Take both. One relaxed and neutral, one with a natural smile. Commercial clients in particular want to see the smile.
- Do I need a photographer for digitals?
- No. A professional shoot is the opposite of what digitals are for. Plain and honest is the point.
