An actor,
behind the camera.
CinePaul is an actor headshot photographer in the East Village, New York. I love working with actors because I’m an actor myself — so I understand, from the inside, what a casting-ready headshot has to do.
I was born in Ukraine and studied at a drama conservatory in Paris before moving to New York in 2024. I started in photography a few years ago, but I’ve loved making images and visual art far longer than that. Working with performers is where it all comes together.
How the sessions feel
My studio is a calm, private room in the East Village where you can act, play, be yourself, or become someone else. I paint my own canvas backdrops, direct you through subtle movement and expression, and light each look to match the character you’re shooting for. It’s a real collaboration — never transactional.
Why an actor shoots better actor headshots
Direction is the whole game. Casting responds to a true, specific expression — not a frozen smile. Because I’ve been on the other side of the camera, I can pull that out of you: the exact look a theatrical or commercial submission needs. See the difference between theatrical and commercial headshots →