If you're new to acting, choosing the right clothes for headshots can feel a bit tricky. Don’t worry, though—I’ve got you covered with some easy tips that will help you look great!

Keep It Simple

When it comes to clothes for young girl actors, less is more. You want the focus to be on you, not your outfit. Keep it simple and clean so Casting Directors can see the kinds of roles you’d fit into, without being distracted by busy clothes. Most of the time, it’s best to stick to solid colours and simple designs.

Avoid Slogans and Logos

Slogans on T-shirts might be fun, but they’re not ideal for headshots. Big logos or words can clash with the roles you’re trying out for and make it hard for Casting Directors to imagine you in different roles. If you have a small logo on your shirt, don’t stress—it can usually be edited out. Just try to avoid anything too big or bold.

Avoid the Frills

Frilly and decorated outfits might be super cute, but they don’t always work for headshots. Keep it smooth and simple. Busy clothes can take attention away from your expression, which is the real focus of the picture.

Solid Colours usually Work Best

When in doubt, go with solid colors. They make you look clean and let your natural energy shine through. Earth tones, pastels, or even bright colors can work well.

Go for Colour in Commercials

If you’re going for a commercial, go for colour! Bright, happy colours can help you stand out and match the fun energy that commercials are all about. Just avoid wearing all white, as it can look too bright on camera and take attention away from your face.

Go Darker in Dramatic Lookss

For a more serious or dramatic headshot, darker colours work great. Think deep blues, greens, greys, or black. These colours give off a more thoughtful vibe.

Layers Can Add Depth

Light layers, like a nice jacket or cardigan over a simple top, can look really good. They add some depth to the picture without being too much. Just make sure the layers aren’t too bulky.

Fit is Key

Let’s talk about fit. Baggy clothes might be cool for everyday wear, but they’re not great for headshots. Make sure your clothes fit well. Casting Directors want to see you, not just the outfit.

Keep Accessories to a Minimum

When it comes to accessories, less is more. Keep jewelry and other accessories simple and not too flashy.

Bring Lots of Options

It’s always smart to bring different clothing options to your shoot. Sometimes something that looks great in the mirror might not work as well on camera. Having backups means we can quickly change to find the perfect look that works best on screen.

Check out some wardrobe samples below to get a better idea of what works well for headshots. These examples will help you see how different colours and styles look on camera.

So, you’re interested in breaking into commercial acting in Vancouver but aren’t quite sure where to start? Well, you’re in the right place. Let me offer you some insight.

When I first began acting, it took me quite a while to grasp how the industry works. I spent years figuring out how casting directors operate and how to navigate this competitive field. But, after plenty of trial and error, I eventually learned how to position myself to get auditions and, more importantly, how to book roles. Incidentally, commercials were my entry into film and television—this is true for many actors.

Now, acting is very much a numbers game. The more auditions you attend, the more likely you are to book something. On average, a good actor might expect to book 1 in every 10 to 50 auditions. It sounds daunting, but it’s simply the reality of the industry. Don’t fixate on booking every single role. Rejection often has nothing to do with your talent—it could be something as trivial as your hair color not matching the rest of the cast. The key is to persevere, present yourself well, build rapport with casting directors, and consistently deliver strong auditions. The roles will follow in due course.

To get started with auditions, you’ll need the following:

• The ability to take direction and engage an audience emotionally (i.e., acting talent).

• Quality commercial headshots.

• A reputable agent.

• The ability to self-tape auditions at home (which is becoming increasingly necessary).

WHAT MAKES A GREAT COMMERCIAL HEADSHOT?

To understand what makes a great commercial headshot, you must think like an advertiser. After all, commercials are designed to sell products to a specific audience. Your job is to portray someone the target demographic can relate to or engage with emotionally. Most of the time, you’re playing ordinary people—someone viewers can picture themselves being or knowing.

If you watch commercials, you’ll notice they often feature everyday individuals enjoying life or using a product. Whether it’s a parent preparing breakfast or a young professional in a new car, the key is relatability. Your age and type will dictate the kinds of roles you’re suited for. Take myself, for example—I’m in the 25-35 age bracket, fairly clean-cut and athletic. So, I’ve been cast as the ‘guy at the gym,’ ‘guy driving a car with friends,’ and the ‘young professional couple buying their first home.’ These are not particularly unique characters, but that’s the point.

I can’t stress this enough—watch commercials and observe who’s being cast. Why did they select that particular actor? Could you see yourself in a similar role? If so, make sure your headshot reflects that. In commercials, it’s less about having a strikingly unique look and more about being approachable and relatable to the audience.

EXPRESSIVENESS IS KEY

Commercial acting is all about expressing emotion, often joy, curiosity, contentment, excitement, frustration—sometimes subtly, sometimes exaggerated. The more expressive you are, the better. And when I say expressive, I mean you should be able to convincingly portray a range of emotions at varying intensities on command. There’s also a frequent element of light-heartedness or humor in commercials, so a good sense of comedic timing will only improve your chances of booking roles.

When we shoot your headshots, we want to capture this expressiveness. For commercial headshots, you need to look like someone who enjoys life—someone who can sell a product. If your headshot doesn’t convey that sense of joy or engagement, you might struggle to land auditions. Your photos should be professional, your wardrobe carefully considered, and, above all, you should appear approachable and joyful.

Let’s look at a few examples.

Here’s Autumn-Marie, a young actress who came to me for headshots as she prepared to seek representation. We captured a variety of expressions, focusing on her ability to engage and be relatable. You can easily imagine her in a commercial for a family meal, a road trip, or a soda advertisement. She has the kind of presence that fits seamlessly into commercials aimed at families or younger audiences.

Autumn-Marie also happens to be a ballerina, so we made sure to capture a headshot that subtly reflects this special skill. Commercials often call for people with specific abilities—whether that’s dancing, cooking, or anything else. Including headshots that hint at your particular talents gives casting directors a much clearer idea of what you bring to the table.

In fact, commercials sometimes require very specific skills or looks. They could be casting for anything from truckers and band members to yogis, chefs, or ballerinas. This is why it’s useful to include headshots that showcase the different sides of you on your casting profile. Although Autumn-Marie isn’t actually dancing in this shot, she absolutely looks like a ballerina, which she is. Her résumé will list the specific types of dance she excels in, and her future agent can easily use this shot if a casting call comes up looking for dancers in her age range. It’s the kind of headshot that immediately catches a casting director’s eye because she fits the part effortlessly. And with a closer look at her résumé, she’ll be landing that audition, no question.

Hopefully you get the idea, but let’s look quickly at a few more examples:

Next, we have Laura, a working mother. Her headshots convey a sense of capability and warmth—you can easily picture her working from home, driving a new car, or enjoying dinner at a restaurant.

Then there’s Moises, who exudes a vibrant energy in his headshots. Whether he’s imagined at a barbecue, playing with his children, or shopping for the latest tech gadget, Moises comes across as the everyday man who simply enjoys life—exactly what commercial casting directors are looking for.

I hope this sheds some light on the world of commercial headshots. If you're looking for more tips on how to prepare for your session—whether it’s advice on wardrobe, expressions, or anything else— CLICK HERE

If you’re interested in working with me on your next headshots, you can find INFO ABOUT MY SESSIONS AND RATES here.

Contemplating the infinite and the infinitesimal—a side-effect of observing an epic view, for me—would overwhelm my mind with ideas and questions, unfathomable and unanswerable. The only resolution was to submit to a state of acceptance regarding my relative insignificance.

There in front of us, sprawled across the surface of the earth were mountainous islands—some ‘private’ sized; some as big as Maui—risen from the sea for us to admire. All backlit with sunlight: refracting across the water; shimmering in the Hemlock greenery of the islands’ forest carpet. It is there we stood, my daughter and I, perched above it all, on that rock. We’d hiked for hours, enduring burning legs and sweat-stung eyes—the memory of which was dispatched by the reveal of the pleasant vista. Even my increasingly common abdominal-cramps were temporarily forgotten.

When I marvelled over a thing of immense beauty I wondered about the unseeable intricacies in each detail—the ecosystem thriving under a stone; the microbiology on a bird’s feather—then I realized that everything within my field of vision could also, from a godly vantage, be considered minutiae. I wondered if I would ever wrap my mind around that concept. The wonder of everything, and the substance of an experience like this, together with any collateral emotion, in its entirety, I thought, was surely too much to quantify.

Click. Click. Click.

My daughter snapped photos wildly.

"Wow, it’s so nice,” she said.

“Did you at least take in the view for more than a second before you got your phone out?” I asked.

“This is a prime photo-op, Dad. How can you not take a photo?”

“By living in the present moment. I don't need photos when there’s a constant display of things to admire right in front of me.”

“Well, I like to keep memories.”

I wanted to educate her about the fact that she didn’t need a solid-state-flash-drive within a communication device in order to store memories in her brain, but I refrained. She then came up beside me, pressed against me, stuck the phone in front of our faces—and with a big, childish smile, she took a photo. No permission requested; just an obligatory selfie.

She tapped away at the device.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m posting the view.”

“Why?”

“So that my friends can see.”

“If they want to see they should go out and hike."

“Well, Dad, maybe this will inspire them to do that—chill out.”

Kids and their phones—they live half their lives on them I swear. Being her father, I could have enforceably ordered her to put it away, but she did so without being told, thankfully. I’d hoped for some quality time together, free from any incumbent domestic errands—so we could get away from the city for a moment, not bring it with us in her pocket. After all, it’s not often we got to do that sort of thing, and I’d taken a day off work just for it.

We put out a blanket to sit and enjoy some snacks of fruit and sandwiches, as we faced towards the expansive ocean scape. There was the sonic backdrop of the forest behind us: chattering birds; murmuring leaves. The tender warmth of the sunlight. The atmosphere; calm and unspoiled. Little birds—Chickadees—fed on seeds from our palms. I thought: how sacred it was to hold one of God’s creatures in my hand, and nourish it. For an instant, I thought I saw my daughter as a baby once more, as I observed her cheery expression.

“Do you like it up here?" I asked.

“Yes," she said with a smile, “It’s amazing. Can we come again sometime?”

“Of course.” I replied.

It was only one month later that a doctor informed me of my fate: of cancer. It was definite, and so I didn’t hike again; I couldn’t.

Over time, all strength disappeared from my body: it took another month until there was none, until my material form was gone.

Now.

My daughter stands solemn at my grave. Her face displays an age greater than it should. Her eyes bear a weight: perhaps the sinking realization of what it truly means to be fatherless evermore. Her flesh hangs on a posture unsure, precarious, and tender with the sentient of mourning. I want to tell her I am here, but she cannot see or hear me. She places flowers by my headstone—ocean-blue Forget-Me-Nots. She removes an item from her pocket, and fixes her gaze to it. A tear drips down her face, which she hurriedly wipes away before another forms to replace it.

What she holds in her hand is a photograph, and admiring it makes her smile, forming wet dimples on her cheeks. It’s the selfie of us on that rock, posed before the infinite sea; her arm wrapped around me; her youthful smile frozen, everlasting, and documented.

She bends to place the picture on my grave, and fixes pebbles around its edges to anchor it.

“This one’s for you, Dad, for when I’m not here. So you don’t forget me… Please don’t forget me.”

“You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by; but some of them are golden only because we let them slip by.”

— James M. Barrie

It'll be exciting, to me at least, to see how the weather plays out for the rest of season since weather is the unsung character in my outdoor work. Here in Vancouver we managed quite fortunately to begin the month with crisp, clear skies and beautiful rays, allowing for a sublime golden hour. While a photographer's job is to make any situation look epic, we all do love a bit of evening sunshine no?

“A good idea will keep you awake during the morning, but a great idea will keep you awake during the night.”

— Marilyn vos Savant

Admittedly and unashamedly I avoid Granville street like it's some sort of diseased cesspool of filth...which it most certainly is, I've heard some say. But you know how it goes, you're around the corner in an underground bar talking with a couple of actor friends about debauchery and more debauchery and the plans to create your next collaborative masterpiece, when before you know it you've got a belly full of cider, a camera in your hand and you're being drawn to the Granville street lights. Here we go again. But luckily for me this time, the friend I'm with happens to be the legendary Tarun, aka Mr. Hollywood-Blockbuster (soon to be appearing on your cinema screens in 3D) and there's a sh*t ton of pretty lights on Granville. So I carefully light my fine subject using only the subtle glow eminating from the glorious shop windows and had him do what he does best, look good and act cool.

You know how it is, you're looking at somebody else's photograph and you're wondering how the hell they took it. Not that gear makes a shred of difference with regards to artistic talent, but, from a technical stand point, the depth of field is spot on and complementary, the creaminess of the bokeh is so nice. So what lens? What aperture? Doesn't take long before you conclude that it's a 1.4 prime of course, one that you don't have. Ok, now lets see how much I can get one for. Between one and two thousand dollars! Ok sure, why not...but wait. Maybe before I get this 35mm 1.4, I must ask myself is it really going to be worth the money. Of course it is, but still, I better not. Then I remember I have an old 50mm 1.4. Haven't used it in forever because I've been a fool. Lets give it a spin and see what happens. The conclusion....hell yeah, this is a mighty sweet piece of glass.

“A good director creates an environment, which gives the actor the encouragement to fly.”

— Kevin Bacon

We're racing around the edges of a roof top, inches from a plummet that would leave us badly hurt. Chad Mathew doesn't care, and neither do the rest of us (we do really, but it’s fun to pretend). We live for this. His approach to an acting career - it's all or nothing. We need to get these shots, pilot season is approaching, the flight to LA is booked and the Vancouver daylight is fading fast. I've got my eye through the viewfinder, ignoring the drop behind us while Derrick Daniels, our videographer swoops by with a glidecam as Chad gives us look after look in an effortless display of versatility.

Chad approached me at Rogues West Actors Studio in Vancouver (a great place to study and meet emerging talent) with the opportunity to help him produce photos for his press kit in preparation for LA. With the personas that he brought to my frames, I think we got some great shots.

-Mat Lo

“After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul’s indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer.”

— William R. Alger

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There's a little more direct sunlight coming over the west coast yet. Though it may be chilly, those skies have been exceptionally clear; the sun low in the sky, making good for prime outdoor shooting. I always had it in my head that you should snap with the sun behind you. It may have been some old-school photography rule they used to throw around when I was a kid, but it took me until my twenties to start breaking it. Of course with digital weapons you can actually check your exposure and adjust accordingly on the fly, without blowing a roll and ending up with a reel of silhouettes. Now I love getting the sun's rays in my photos. I like to aim so the sun is just out of frame, and even let the lens catch some glare. Either that or put the sun directly behind the subject—so that the subject becomes engulfed by a brilliant tenor of glorious light.

Here are some of the shots that I got this week whilst on a mother-daughter portrait session, all featuring our good friend, Mr. Sun, who happened to be hanging out just beyond the frame or hiding behind something.

Enjoy,

Mat Lo

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“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

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It suddenly dawned on me—I hadn't really been trying. My mindset had a narrative along the lines of: it can wait, it's too hard, society requires me to pay bills so I can't do what I really want to do, and, I'm not really bothered if I get this gig or not.

When you find yourself without any other means of income, an audition suddenly becomes really important. That photo you take now has to be that much more desirable, and the music you write could be the reason you have food on the table in a few months.

And so for the first time ever, I gave it my everything in that audition room today. I left the old me behind, the kid that was too shy to cheer at a football game, and I said hello to the new, all singing, all dancing, give it everything you've got guy that I'd never before needed to be.

Making my way home and considering that time is now a precious commodity, every moment an opportunity to improve, I couldn't waste it. If there's a bus to be waited for, there's a moment to be seized.

Here's what I captured:

Enjoy.

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