In order to stand out in the competitive business of headshots, some photographers will work diligently to develop their own unique style. In some cases, this won’t make any difference to you, as long as you like that style. On the other hand, there is an increasing trend by some photographers to incorporate overly cropped photos in their “style.” This results in cutting off certain features of a subject, like their hair, foreheads, chins, ears, etc. Sometimes, this is fine, but quite often, extreme cropping will mean your headshot goes straight into the director’s circular file, rejected without a second glance.

Here’s the deal: if your headshot is hiding something, some feature or characteristic, and that casting director thinks that feature or characteristic is important, then your photo has been excessively cropped. Excessively cropping an actor’s hairline can make the casting director think you are bald; an ear left out of the photo might be disfigured. A chin omitted from the photo might be hiding a scar. If your entire face is not in the photograph, it leaves far too much to the casting director’s imagination, and that can be a very bad thing for your audition prospects.