DIGITALS
Whether you're submitting to an agency or client casting, digitals are a key part of your portfolio. Here's what they are, how to prep, and what to expect during your session.
What Are Digitals?
Digitals are raw, unretouched portraits—often called "Polaroids"—that showcase your current, natural appearance. They’re essential when submitting to agencies or directly to potential clients.
These images reflect how you look without the styling, lighting, or retouching typical of a portfolio shoot. They help clients visualize your on-set appearance, including your natural features, skin, hair, and basic wardrobe. Digitals should be updated every 6 to 12 months, or sooner if your look changes (e.g., a new haircut or hair color).
Standard practice: shoot against a plain white wall using soft, natural light. No retouching. Temporary blemishes like pimples aren’t a concern—clients understand these things are easily managed on set.
While digitals don’t need to be professionally taken, it can be helpful to have a photographer capture them—especially if you don’t have the right space, lighting, or equipment to produce clean, clear images.
What to Wear
Stick to simple, form-fitted casual clothing or swimwear. Keep accessories minimal. For women, heels are typical; for men, plain sneakers work well. Black is the industry standard, but white, gray, or denim are also acceptable.
Hair should be down and natural—if it’s long, you can tie it back for a few shots to show versatility. Wear little to no makeup (just concealer and mascara, if anything). Nails should be clean, and facial hair should look natural and groomed.
Tip: Always double-check your agency’s specific guidelines before the shoot in case they have special requests.
Digitals Session Overview
Your digitals session will take about 30 minutes. It’s simple and nothing to stress about—just come rested, hydrated, and with moisturized skin.
We’ll capture a range of angles and expressions: full-length body shots, ¾ portraits, close-up headshots, and profile shots. We'll take both smiling and neutral-expression photos. If your hair is long, bring a hair tie—we’ll get a few shots with it pulled back as well.
That’s it! While agency guidelines can vary, this set of images will give you a strong, versatile foundation. Be sure to keep your digitals up to date, especially if you’ve recently changed your look.
Delivery
You'll receive a curated set of high-resolution, unretouched images via a downloadable gallery within 3 days of your session. These are ready to submit to agencies or clients right away.
If you have any questions along the way or need help interpreting agency requests, feel free to reach out—I'm always happy to help you feel confident and prepared.
— Laur
Have more questions? Let me know - laur@laurnash.com