Are Cheap Headshots Really Best for Beginning Actors?

If you’re searching for the best headshots for actors while trying to decide whether to save money on your first round, you’re not alone. Every beginning actor hits this exact fork in the road, and most of them get pointed in the wrong direction by other actors who mean well but don’t actually know what they’re talking about.

The answer is no, and not because I’m biased.

Here’s why. 👇

If you don’t have an agent, and you’re just starting out, you’ve probably heard from other actors that if you spend money on headshots, once you get an agent, your agent is going to ask you to re-shoot.

Why not take some cheap headshots now, get an agent, and then spend the money on good ones?

Read these two sentences again. 🧐

Now think about it. This is probably the WORST advice you’ll ever get from another actor. The reason why most agents ask actors to re-shoot in the first place is because they get cheap headshots to begin with!

IN THE END, having to shoot twice, rather than shooting once, ends up costing you more 💸. Regardless of how expensive or cheap a headshot is, you still have to spend the money uploading them to casting sites.

Why Do Cheap Headshots End Up Costing More Than the Best Headshots for Actors?

Because the bill doesn’t stop at the photographer. Every actor eventually learns this the hard way: uploading fees, retouching, and the time you lose sitting out of submissions while you wait for round two all add up, and none of that shows up on the sign advertising a “$99 headshot special.”

SO WHY SPEND THAT MONEY TWICE?

If you do it right the first time, not only will it cost you less in the long run, but any legitimate agent who isn’t benefiting from illegal kickbacks, is going to recognize your headshots to be high-quality and not ask you to re-shoot. ✅

Professional headshots should not only score you great representation, but they should also bring back a return on your investment for years to come.

This is the whole idea behind investment vs. cost, my friend. A cheap headshot isn’t actually cheap. It’s a delayed bill with interest, and the interest is paid in missed auditions while you save up to do it again.

• The cost of professional headshots on average runs between $200 and $500, and can climb past $1,000 depending on location, photographer, and package (source: Casting Networks).
• A cheap session that gets rejected still costs you the uploading fees, the retouching, and the months you spent submitting with a headshot that wasn’t working.
• A quality session done once typically holds up for two to three years before it needs a refresh.

What Do Casting Directors Actually See When They Open a Cheap Headshot?

They see a reason to pass on you before they’ve read a single line of your resume. Casting directors look at thousands of headshots for a single role, and if yours doesn’t grab them immediately, your training, your credits, and your talent never even get seen (source: Casting Networks).

That’s the part beginning actors underestimate. It’s not that a cheap headshot looks obviously bad. It’s that it looks generic, slightly off, or not quite in focus in a way that reads as amateur in a millisecond, and a millisecond is all you get. If you’re comparing headshot photographers right now, ask each one how many “cheap package” clients come back within a year needing a redo. The answer tells you everything.

How Much Should a Beginning Actor Expect to Invest?

In 2026, most working photographers price sessions based on looks and time, not a flat “headshot fee,” which is exactly why comparing a $99 special to a real session isn’t comparing apples to apples. A single professional session that includes proper direction, lighting, and real guidance beats that quick set of headshots two or three cheap sessions stacked together promise, both in quality and in what it actually costs you by the time you factor in redos.

If you’re new to the LA market specifically, this matters even more. At Poyey Photos, I see it constantly: la actor headshots get compared against a deep, competitive pool every single day, so a headshot that reads as “starter” here gets passed over even faster than it would in a smaller market.

The only legit reason to re-shoot would be if your look has drastically changed or if you need to add more looks to your collection.

Don’t waste your time or money on “starter” shots you’ll just have to replace.

So Are Cheap Headshots the Best Headshots for Actors?

No, and now you know exactly why: the true cost isn’t the price tag, it’s the time you lose while a headshot that isn’t working sits on your casting profile. In my own experience as an LA based actor headshot photographer who’s been shooting for over two decades, I’ve watched plenty of photographers hustling for your business without the track record to back it up, and the actors who get called in consistently are almost always the ones who treated their first session as the only session they wanted to pay for.

If you’re a beginning actor asking yourself whether cheap headshots are the best headshots for actors, the honest answer is that they’re rarely even good headshots, let alone the best ones. Do it right the first time, my friend. I’m in your corner either way, but I’d rather see you spend once than twice.

Ready to stop guessing and get headshots that actually work? Get in touch and let’s talk about your session, or grab my free Look Guide first if you’re still figuring out which looks fit you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheap Headshots for Beginning Actors

Are cheap headshots the best headshots for actors just starting out?

No. Cheap headshots almost always lead to a reshoot once you land representation, which means you end up paying for two sessions instead of one and losing submission time in between.

How much should beginning actors expect to spend on professional acting headshots?

Professional sessions typically run $200 to $500, and can go higher depending on location and package, but a single quality session usually costs less overall than a cheap session plus a reshoot.

Will my agent make me re-shoot my headshots even if I already paid for a professional session?

Only if your look has changed significantly or you need additional looks added to your collection. A legitimate agent who sees genuinely high-quality headshots has no reason to ask for a redo.

What’s the real cost of getting cheap headshots redone?

It’s rarely just the second photographer’s fee. You also pay twice for uploading and retouching, and you lose the months you spent submitting with a headshot that wasn’t getting you seen.

How do I find good la actor headshots without overspending?

Look for a photographer who specializes specifically in actor headshots, ask to see full galleries instead of a handful of best shots, and treat the session as an investment instead of shopping for the lowest price.

How often do actors need new headshots?

Roughly every two to three years, or any time your look changes significantly. Headshots reflect a current version of you, not a timeless one.

Not sure if your current headshots are helping or hurting your submissions? Get in touch and I’ll give it to you straight, or start with my free Look Guide to see which looks you should be shooting for.