Every successful actor once started where you are now; they each left home in pursuit of their dreams and, if they were smart, their first big investment was to find the best headshot photographer in Los Angeles. Read More in “Headshots Throughout History.”

Things are a little different now however thanks to technology. In the modern world we are lucky enough to look at pictures seconds after they’re taken, and then edit and adjust them to our liking in post-production. It might seem crazy to imagine now, but even in the last eight years it was less common to use color headshots.

 

jennifer

Jennifer Aniston has been famous for her many changing haircuts but I doubt many people are bringing in this picture of her to their hair stylists. Her first big role was in the 1993 horror film Leprechaun.

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Surprisingly, this photo isn’t from George Clooney’s audition to play Billy Ray Cyrus in an Achy Breaky Heart biopic.

jack

Here’s a young Jack Nicholson giving us a bit of that classic Jack smile that we would later see in his films like The Shining and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.

winona

 This early shot of young Winona Ryder showcases her huge doe eyes that would later make her famous in movies like Heathers and Girl, Interrupted.

Looking back at old headshots induces a few chuckles but at their core, these photographs utilize the same key principles a headshot photographer in LA will use today such as: finding good angles, flattering lighting and showing the right amount of personality.