Two of the main parts of an actor headshot session: have enough lights and try to find out if there are any perimeters. Most casting calls I’ve photographed for just want a grey background but some places that isn’t the case. The easiest way to find out is to just ask. If they have no standard, then go with grey, if they mention something else then go with that.
For lighting I pick from 2 options and adjust according to any perimeters requested or subject. But I usually start with a clamshell setup or a 4-light setup. A clamshell setup is to octagon softboxes set up as a clamshell in front of the subject with enough room to shot between them. This does a good job of lighting up a subject. For a four-light setup, I will do two strip softboxes on either side of the subject with an octagon softbox just over the subject and a hair light. I will also have the subject hold a reflector in their lap to bounce some light up on the lower face.
Remember, you don’t want to blow the subject up. You just want to light their face up as evenly as you can. I also tell my subjects to lay off the makeup and show up in what they wore for their headshot to their try out. Casting directors want to get what they see in the photo they were provided with so no photography magic.
For poses, I recommend going through a range of emotions to provide them a number of options to provide based off what role they are going for. If they know the role they are trying for I focus on that but still give them a few other options.
If you need an actor headshot contact me and we will get that scheduled.