Marie
Hair Up or Down for Headshots? It Depends What Job the Photo Needs to Do
The most common question I get asked before a headshot session: "Should I wear my hair up or down?"
And my answer is always the same: "What's the photo for?"
I know, I know - you wanted a simple answer. But here's the thing: asking "up or down" is like asking "should I wear jeans or a suit?" Well... where are you going? A wedding or a barbecue?
The right hair choice isn't about what looks "better." It's about what job the photo needs to do.
For Beauty and Modeling: Show Everything
If you're shooting for beauty or modeling work, the answer is usually up - or at least pulled back enough that nothing is hidden.
Why? Because casting directors and agencies need to see your full features. Your jawline. Your neck. Your bone structure. Your ears. Everything.
Hair that covers any part of your face isn't mysterious or artistic in this context - it's just information they can't access. And when they're making decisions about who fits what job, they need all the information.
Think of it like showing a house. You wouldn't leave half the rooms closed off and expect people to make an offer. Same principle.
For Acting: Match the Character
This is where it gets fun - and way more specific.
If you're going out for FBI agent roles - think Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs or Olivia Dunham in Fringe - you want straight, polished hair. Professional. Put-together. Someone who has their act together even when hunting serial killers.
Action movie hero? Sarah Connor in Terminator or Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games - ponytail. Practical. Ready to run. Not worried about looking pretty, worried about surviving.
Quirky best friend? Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries or Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls - cute, hair down. Approachable. Fun. The person you want to grab coffee with.
The casting director isn't just looking at your face - they're looking at whether you FIT the character. If you show up with a full blowout and balayage trying to play Cosette from Les Misérables, you've already told them you don't understand the role.
Your headshot should show you AS the type of character you're going for. Not you on your best hair day.
For Branding: The Polished Version of Your Everyday Self
This is where people get confused, because branding headshots feel like they should be "professional" which somehow translates to "not really me."
But here's my rule: if you wear a messy bun to important business meetings, then come to your headshot with a messy bun.
The goal isn't to look like someone else's version of professional. The goal is to look like the professional version of YOU.
Because here's what happens if you don't: you show up to that client meeting or conference with your normal hair, and they look at you like "wait, who are you?" There's a disconnect between the photo and the real person. That's not good for anyone.
That said - and this is important - I want you to spend a little more time than usual making sure your hair looks exactly how you want it. Not different. Just the best version of your normal.
If you usually wear it down and wavy, make sure those waves are doing what you want them to do. If you rock a sleek ponytail, make sure it's sleek. This is your everyday style turned up to about an 8 out of 10, not a complete transformation to a 10.
Pro Tip: Don't Wash Your Hair Right Before
Seriously. Don't do it.
Freshly washed hair has a mind of its own. Flyaways everywhere. Static. It won't sit right. It won't do what you want.
Wash it the day before. Style it the morning of. Your hair will cooperate so much better, and you'll spend way less time fighting with it during the shoot.
The Bottom Line
Hair up or down? It depends on what job the photo needs to do.
Are you showing your features for beauty work? Up.
Are you showing yourself AS a character type? Match the character.
Are you showing the professional version of yourself? Be yourself, just polished.
Stop asking "which looks better" and start asking "what's this photo for?" That's how you make the right choice every time.