Actors Headshots; Re-Size, Crop to 8x10 Using Adobe Photoshop

Welcome, Thespians! This user-friendly guide will show you how to properly prepare actors headshots as quality 8x10s for your manager, agent, and casting directors. You will learn how to re-size and crop, touch up, type in your name, and get the best service when you go to a copy center for prints and cuts (for résumés also).

Sample scenario. Your agent wants new headshots. You do a photo shoot. The photographer gives you a website link to your digital images. Your agent views them, chooses three, and asks you to print them. The images are Jpegs—the file names have jpg extensions. Let's begin with one file.

Make a Copy of your Source file. In Adobe Photoshop, open up a file your agent chose. Since you always want to keep your Source file (Fig.3-a.) in its original state, you will make a copy. You can do this either by simply re-naming the Source or by using my preferred method—make a Copy file in a new window. To do so, click on the first icon (of three) at the base of the History window. Don't rename the Copy file yet (each Save of a Jpeg loses some image quality—but don't worry about a few Saves).

Enhance the headshot and touch up blemishes. You can do this before re-sizing if you want to touch up the entire image in case you decide to crop it differently in the future. Or you can enhance and touch up the headshot after re-sizing and cropping. This will give you less image to work on.

If you are skilled in using Photoshop (PS), touching up will be a snap. If not, you can easily become proficient by playing with the various tools. You will often use a 'soft brush' (zero% hardness) when using the Clone Stamp or Paintbrush but not always. You might even decrease the brush Opacity. You can do nifty things with Liquify if you get adventurous. Some PS devotees like using Gaussian Blur, which you'll find in the Filter drop-down menu. You'll have to experiment—it's well worth the time. Just be sure you're playing with a copy file rather than your Source.

Check the Resolution in the Image Size window. With the copy file of your headshot open, click on Image from the Menu and select Image Size from the drop-down menu. Look at the Resolution. It should be 300 for quality printing. If not, then type in 300. Don't use 600 Res—it makes too large a file, often causing printer errors.

Change the Width and Height of your copy file. While in the Image Size window (ignore Pixel Dimensions), look at the Document Size—it shows Width and Height in inches—(the default measure units). Below are three boxes, including Constrain Proportions box, which should already be checkmarked as the default. If not, then check them off. Otherwise, your headshot will be distorted when you re-size it—as if seen in a funhouse mirror (Fig.3-c.).

You are about to make a crucial choice re your headshot. Here's what you need to know first—.
1. Once you change your headshot width to 8, the height will automatically alter to 12, possibly 11—depending on your camera's output of image size. 2. However, in order to achieve a quality 8x10 headshot, you will size and crop your digital image to 8.1x10.1. This will give the headshot a 'bleed' so that when the printed copies are cut, no random white edges will show. We'll return to this topic later.

For our scenario, we'll assume your image is 8x12. Whether your actual image differs in size or has landscape orientation (horizontal) rather than portrait (vertical) as most actors use, the same principles apply. Your two main options to choose from are—. Option 1. Re-size the width of your headshot to 8.1 and then crop off the additional inches to make the image 8.1x10.1 or Option 2. Re-size the height to 10.1 and extend the canvas width to 8.1.

If you choose Option 1, you could spoil the photographer's composition. Worse still, if the shot is tight, you could lose the top of your head or your chin. However, if the photographer has left enough room to play with (i.e. a head-to-waist shot), this is an excellent option and is your best one.

If you choose Option 2, you will not have to crop the image—thus the photographer's composition will remain intact. But your headshot will end up with large borders on either side. Use Option 2 only if Option 1 will crop off vital areas of your image.

Using Option 1: Re-size image and crop canvas. In Adobe Photoshop's Image Size window, change the headshot Width to 8.1 inches. The height will automatically alter in proportion (Fig.3-b.). Click Okay. Now you must crop the height to 10.1. To crop the height—
Click on Image in the Menu and select Canvas Size from the drop-down menu. In the Canvas Size window, enter 10.1 as the new Height. To control where the image will crop, you'll use the Anchor box with its nine squares. The highlighted square represents your image. The default is the center square. If you leave your image anchored there and click Okay, your headshot will crop equally top and bottom.

If you want to crop the top only, click on the bottom middle square to highlight it. This anchors your image to the bottom and will force your image to be cropped at the top. Since you've already entered 10.1 as the new Height (see above), just click Okay. If you want to crop only the bottom, click on the top middle square (Fig.2), (Fig.3-e.) and then click Okay.

To crop less from the top of the headshot than from the bottom, you can either experiment or calculate exact measurements. You can always Undo the crop (or any other current action) by going to Edit in the Menu and clicking Undo or by using Command+Z—PC users will do a Ctrl+C. These commands will also Redo an action.

To undo multiple actions, use the History window. History holds a limited number of actions. So, you can back-track only so far before you're stuck in the present or have to undo everything and thus start all over. Unless you use Snapshots. Whenever you're happy with the current state of your headshot but you want to continue editing, create a Snapshot by clicking on the camera icon (middle) at the base of the History window. Then, if you don't like your new edits, you can return to your Snapshot and start from there instead of from scratch.

You can also crop your image by using the Rectangular Marquee from the Toolbar. Place and stretch the marquee on the image where you'd like to crop. Do not crop the sides, which you've already established as 8.1. And do not crop the height shorter than 10.1. For starters, you could crop just the top in a pleasing way and then use the Canvas Size window to crop the bottom so that the height is 10.1. This requires some finagling. Yet, this is what it may take for you to crop your headshot to how you want it to look.

If you use Option 1, skip the next two sections and visit section Save your file.

Using Option 2: Re-size image and extend canvas. In Adobe Photoshop's Image Size window, change the headshot Height to 10.1 inches. Your canvas width will automatically be less than the desired 8.1.

To increase the width, we'll increase the canvas size. Click on Image in the Menu and select Canvas Size from the drop-down menu. Change the Width value to 8.1. As in Option 1, you'll use the Anchor box—this time to extend the canvas rather than to crop it. As noted in Opt. 1, the default anchor is the highlighted center square. So, if you want even borders on either side of your image (Fig.3-d.), click Okay. (You can offset them but why would you.)

If you want a border only on the left, click the right middle square in the Anchor box. Click Okay. If you want a border on just the right, click the left middle square... and click Okay. The borders will be White by default. Other defaults are Black and Gray. If you want to color your border(s), choose Other from the Canvas Extension. A color palette will pop up. Uncheck the box for Only Web Colors if it is checked. Pick out a color. Then, click Okay. Your canvas will expand to the 8.1 dimension you entered and will display the border(s) with the color you chose.

Combine Options 1 and 2. For those who cannot use Option 1 but dislike the large borders left by Option 2, you can experiment using both options if you have some image to play with. Borders will still occur but will be thinner.

Save your file. Save your file as a Photoshop document. To do this, click on File in the main Menu and choose Save (or Save As) and enter the name you want to use (make it different from the Source file name). In the lower area of the Save window, you'll see Format. From the Format drop-down menu, choose Photoshop. The extension of your file name will automatically change to psd.

If ever a file won't open and gives an invalid marker message, it's because you saved the file in one format and gave it the extension of another format. However, you can quickly correct the problem—especially if you mostly use Photoshop (psd) and Jpeg (jpg) files. For example, if the extension is jpg and the file won't open, then the file is not a Jpeg file. It's likely a Photoshop file. If so, then when you change the extension to psd, the file will open.

Type your name onto your headshot. Go the Toolbar and select the Text Tool, which is Horizontal by default. Mark out a text box size—putting it roughly where you want your name to display. Type in your name at the blinking cursor. If you haven't already chosen the font size and color you want, highlight the text and make those changes using the Text Menu (near the main Menu bar). You can play with the font by using the Character window. Most of you won't find that necessary.

Note: If your Layers window (or any desired window) isn't open, press the F7 key (for later Macs, press fn+F7 keys simultaneously). Or go to Window in the Menu and from the drop-down menu, choose Layers. This way, if you want to further touch up your headshot, you can click on the headshot layer. To return to editing the text, click on the Type layer (remember to select the Text tool).

If you used Option 2 to re-size your headshot, you may want to use the Vertical Text Tool (right-click the Text Tool) and put your name as a column in a border.

Once your name looks as you want it to, click on the Return key. From the ToolBar, choose the Move tool (the icon resembles a bold plus sign and is at the top of the toolbar). Use either your mouse or the arrow keys to either shift the text around or to simply fine-tune its placement.

Save the final version of your headshot. Save your file with the text. The file now has two layers—your image and the text. But don't try printing a file with layers—you're asking for trouble. So, go to the History window and click on the first icon at the base. A duplicate of your file in its current state will show up. From the Menu, click on Layer and select Flatten Image from the drop-down menu. Then, save the file as a Jpeg file. Make certain the file name has the extension jpg. Save it at the Maximum quality, which is 12.

You could save it as a Portable File Document (PDF) if you know how to save at maximum quality—but still take along your Jpeg to the copy center. Almost always, Jpegs print at a much higher quality than do PDFs.

It’s time to print!
Unless you have an excellent printer at home that will take photo printer paper or glossy cardstock, you should store the final version of your headshot onto a jump drive (a.k.a. flash or thumb), a CD, or a Zip disc (floppies are unstable and have insufficient storage capacity) and go to a good copy center.

If you have a deadline for your headshots and have left them until the last minute, you are at the mercy of the copy center to get your job done right and on time. You should allow 48 hours—at the very least.

Choose the Paper and Get a Proof. If you go to a FedEx Kinko’s, choose 10pt glossy cover (CC2) for your headshot copies. Have the copy associate transfer your file from your thumb drive or zip disc to his computer—or hand him a CD. Ask to see a proof. This is essential.

If the copy center cannot print a proof immediately, then arrange a time to return to see one. You might ask for two proofs—one for you to keep and one for the center to refer to when printing quantity copies. You may have to pay for the extra one.

If you like the proof, then approve it and give cutting instructions, which we will review shortly. If you like the proof but want it printed slightly lighter or darker, a good copy associate knows how to do this and will show you another proof. He should make a note of what he did to tweak the proof so that whoever does the multiple copies for you doesn’t have to guess at matching it.

If you don’t like the proof at all, especially the color, then take it home and adjust your digital file. First make a duplicate copy and re-name it—you might include the initials of the copy center. Then adjust the color using Hue/Saturation. Do not use Color Balance—you will lose the black tones! To get Hue/Saturation, click on Image from the Menu, select Adjustments from the drop-down menu, and select Hue/Saturation from the next drop-down menu. Play with the color. Or select the Photo Filter instead and do the following—.

If your photo looks red, choose the cyan Photo Filter. The default percentage is 25%, which you can increase or decrease according to how much red you want to remove. Watch the Preview image in the Filter window as you experiment. If your proof is greenish, use magenta; if bluish, use yellow. And so on.

Every color copier is different so it’s a good practice to identify your files according to the copy center you use and which of their color copiers is used for your headshots (most copy centers have just one color copier behind their counters but some have two or more). You should especially do this if you plan to get more copies of the same headshot. And if you do get more copies at future date, you will not rely on the old proof. Instead, request a new proof in case the copy center has not calibrated their color copier—or has acquired a different copier.

If you go to a different copy center, take along your first headshot file and the one you adjusted for a particular copier. Request proofs of both and compare. Hopefully, you will like one of them.

Whenever you go to a copy center to have headshots printed, the multiple copies should match the proof provided by the center. If they don’t match t and you are unhappy with them, you have the right to ask the center to redo the copies at no additional cost. Or you could outright refuse them and go to a different copy center. If you did not request a proof, you are obligated to pay for the copies, unless there’s a quality issue with their copier (such as marks on the copies that are not in your file).

With FedEx Kinko's, you can place an order online but you will still have to visit the store to see a proof.

Cuts—general information. You often need more résumés at the same time you need more headshots. But don’t get them cut in one stack together, even though you would save money. One reason is—if your résumé isn’t centered on the page, it will not line up with the headshots. However, the main reason for cutting résumés separately is that they should be cut smaller than 8x10. See Cuts for résumés.

Cuts for headshots. You sized your headshot to 8.1 x 10.1 rather than 8x10 so you will have a bleed to allow for the slight shifting of paper during the copying process. Thus, once it’s printed, on letter-size paper, the copies can be cut to 8 x 10 without random white edges showing up. So, ask the copy associate to ‘cut your stack of headshots to 8 x 10 with a cut to bleed’! Here’s why—.

The headshots were printed on 8.5x11 paper. To cut them to 8x10, the copy associate will cut a quarter-inch off the top and another quarter-inch off the bottom. He will cut one-half inch from each side. The image will ‘bleed’ over and there will be none of the stray white edges that occur when an image measuring exactly 8x10 is cut to 8x10.

Cuts for résumés. Most actors format their résumés to the top and left of the letter-size paper, which means two cuts per stack of résumé copies. Some of you format them to the bottom and right, which also means two cuts. Those of you who center your résumé on the page or offset it require four cuts per stack.

Regardless of how you format résumés, you all will benefit from using these dimensions for your cuts—7.97 x 9.97, which is just a tweak under the headshot size of 8x10. This means that when you staple your résumés to the backs of headshots, there’s no danger of a sloppy overhanging résumé peeping out from behind your headshots.

At FedEx Kinko’s, if you have aligned your résumé to the top and left (or to the bottom and right), the copy associate can enter those dimensions into the cutter. Otherwise, you can rule pencil lines onto the top copy to measure 7.97 x 9.97 or a close proximity. Then, the copy associate can use your lines to make the cuts.

Your tutorial is complete! For a quick visual review, re-visit Fig. 3.

If you would like to size your images for the Web, click here. Two immediate tips are—1) your image resolution should be 72 pixels; 2) 72 pixels equals one inch. So, if an image is 72 Res and is 360x432 pixels, just divide the pixels by 72 and you’ll find out its size in inches, which in this case is 5x6. And that’s the size you’ll see on the screen.

Social networking systems often resize images for you. But for websites and e-mails, you must take control of re-sizing images for the Web.

If you have an unanswered question about headshots, please put it in a comment here. If it is significant, I will incorporate the answer into this article.