Professional Head Shots: The Definitive Guide
Professional head shots aren’t just for aspiring actors anymore. Actually, in today’s world, almost everyone needs a great head shot: Corporate and business professionals, LinkedIn users, models, young performers, small business owners, online daters, and yes, actors too.
Almost every photographer now has a web presence, so choosing the RIGHT local photographer from the bunch who KNOWS what they’re doing is as important as ever.
Head Shots Today: How The Art Has Evolved
Not too long ago (think 15 years) head shots were something only actors or people who performed on Broadway had. They were black and white, they had your name at the bottom, and they were completely lifeless and boring.
Since the advent of the internet, everyone now has the opportunity to be front and center online. Yet, everywhere you look, you still see some pretty awful head shots. And if you’re immediately presenting yourself with a bad photo, you’re not doing yourself any favors. The head shot has been reborn, re-invented, and more important than ever.
And naturally, great head shot photographers are in high demand because of this. But what makes one photographer better than another, and what are some of the things you should be looking for when trying to choose one?
The Ultimate List of
What To Look For in a Head Shot Photographer
From Attitude To Style To Post Production, this guide has you covered
Chapters
The first thing most people do when they arrive at a photographer’s website is immediately go to their Portfolio or Gallery page. But what exactly should you be looking for once you get there? Chapter 1 breaks this down so that you can feel confident about exploring the rest of their webpage, and ultimately whether to contact them.
Who’s portfolio do you like the most?
This seems like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people call a photographer and the first thing they ask is “How much do you charge for head shots?”
This immediately signifies a few things but most importantly it says that they haven’t even bothered to go to the photographer’s website first. If they had, they would have probably seen a page that says “Pricing” or “Rates” and answered their own question. Furthermore through basic logic, this definitely means they haven’t taken a single second to look at their portfolio.
So let’s be real here: quite simply, the absolute most important thing when choosing a head shot Photographer is:
Whose portfolio do you like the most?
Think about it. Seems simple right?
This is crucial because if you don’t like their shots in the first place, it doesn’t matter what they charge for their time. And on top of that, YOUR head shots will most likely have the exact same DNA as what you see in THEIR portfolio. So make sure you love what you see first.
How’s the lighting? Does the picture look natural or forced? Is it framed properly? Would you pay for a result like that?
Your head shots are your #1 marketing tool, so be selective of who you choose and feel confident about your decision, regardless of what they charge. Buy once, cry once.
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Everywhere you look online these days, local businesses are being reviewed online. Whether it’s on Google Places for Business, Facebook, or Yelp, they aren’t hard to find. Of course, assigning value and legitimacy to each review is a new challenge. In this section, we’ll discuss what to look for (and what not to look for.)
Start with the Basics
Obviously, it’s always a good idea to read up on others’ experiences with the head shot photographer you are thinking about booking. This should give you some insight on a number of things from how professional the overall experience was to how accommodating they were after the shoot, at least for retouching and networking possibilities.
Where You Should Start
While there are tons of places to find reviews of a potential photographer, you should start with Google Plus, Facebook, and Yelp.
The easiest way to do this quickly is to Google:
the business name + “Google Plus”
the business name + “Facebook”
the business name + “Yelp”
This should bring up that page at the top of the search results almost every time.
Google Plus
Some may debate this, but it’s clear that this is the biggest and most important one.
Any smart local business owner knows that, since Google has over 70% of search, having an optimized business page on their platform is mandatory. This page also happens to be where people leave their reviews.
Avoid any photographer that has a less than 4.5 star rating (out of five.) Seriously. There is no reason for it to EVER be that low.
Read at least ten or so reviews over a wide date range. If a photographer is truly worth it, they’ll have great reviews that span a vast amount of time.
And a less than perfect review is ok, but make sure the business owner took the time to a) respond to the negative review and b) rectify it in some way. It shows they care, and it’ll put your mind at ease.
Obviously the higher quantity of reviews is also a great sign. If a photographer shoots that many people and has that many great reviews, they’re probably a great candidate to give your business to.
Facebook
You’ll often find more reviews on Facebook than anywhere else, mainly due to the fact that everyone seems to use it.
The reviews aren’t quite as front and center as Google, but you’ll see them on the left menu bar of the Business page. Again, read a bunch, and look for less than positive reviews that have been replied to.
Oh, and while you’re on their Facebook page, check out their photo galleries, and whether they routinely post new examples of their work.
Yelp
You’ve got to be careful with Yelp reviews because of the way they “display” them, but since Yelp is widely used, they have to be mentioned.
Example of Yelp screwing businesses. Don’t forget to click these hidden reviews below the displayed reviews.
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This is often a piece of the equation most people never think about when choosing a head shot photographer. Whether people like to admit it or not, they do like to have at least a little say into how their photos should look (even when they are wrong.) So for that reason, any good photographer needs to be able to adjust, even slightly, to your needs.
Are they able to accommodate special requests?
So you saw a great head shot online and would love to have a shot of yourself in the same spirit; however, the guy who took that shot is located in Philadelphia and you live in Kansas City.
Ugh.
There are loads of head shot photographers who don’t want to replicate other people’s work and for good reason: they are artists too! Sadly, there are also tons of photographers out there who offer head shots, but can’t take a good one to save their life (or their business unfortunately.)
These people will most definitely deny your special request because they probably won’t have a clue how to recreate what you want anyway. But some are willing to meet you in the middle and do a similar lighting set-up, or try to recreate the background as close as possible to what you are looking for. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
A true professional photographer should be able to look at someone else’s work and a) know roughly how they achieved the result and b) extract the fine points and make it their own. Hire that person.
For many people, pricing is either the first or, at most, the second thing they look at when considering a photographer. Hands down. And pricing is also the trickiest part of the equation, mainly because we all assign value in our own personal way. So while pricing truly is a value issue, there’s still another thing to be aware of when talking about cost. Let’s break it down.
Always remember, cost does NOT always equal quality.
Ah yes, the cost for a photographer’s time. This is a good one.
A common misconception is the more expensive a head shot photographer is, the better they are. Uh, no. That doesn’t mean great photographers don’t charge a lot, because many of them do. But it also doesn’t mean affordable photographers can’t take great head shots either.
Take a look at any photographer in any city. Some charge a ton, and some are so cheap that you may be scared to use them.
Here’s the obvious reason why prices can vary: head shot photographers price accordingly to their geographic whereabouts and their general overhead.
For example, if you are looking at head shot photographers in New York City, expect to generally pay more for your session because their studio’s rent will automatically be higher than another shooter, say, in Charlotte, NC.
It’s all relative really. If someone doesn’t have a studio and they are posting ads on Craigslist for $50 head shots, well you get the point. A one outfit head shot shoot should range in between $100-$1000 depending on how inflated the photographer’s rent, reputation, and ego are.
Choose wisely.
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This section may not apply to everyone, but if you’re an aspiring actor, model, or young performer, please pay attention. If you are lucky enough to live in a city that has photographers who have connections in your specific industry, find them. It’ll be worth it’s weight on gold when it comes time to get your foot in certain doors.
It’s not just about who you know. It’s about who they know.
Having a great head shot is a wonderful, self fulfilling, confidence booster. It really is. But what can be frustrating is not knowing what to do with it moving forward.
Shooting with a head shot photographer who can not only provide you with outstanding photos for your portfolio, but can also connect you with the right people is money well spent.
Who would you rather shoot with: A wedding photographer who takes head shots on the side for extra pocket money or a photographer who specializes in head shots who can advise you on everything from the best digital retouchers and printers, to talent agents and casting directors, etc?
Think about it this way: talent agencies and casting directors send people directly to photographers that they trust, and they do it over and over again. So to have the best chance of working with them, in most cases you’ll want to work with their photographer too.
Shooting with someone who knows the business can actually save you more money and time in the long run, especially when there are tons of talent agency scams out there. Walking through one door can potentially open many new doors. Any reputable photographer will have all of those connections, and will be on a first name basis with all of these people. Do your research.
Photoshop should absolutely be a tool that every professional photographer in the world uses consistently. Why? For 20 years it’s been the most revolutionary photo editing tool ever created, and that’s not changing anytime soon. These days it’s almost as important as any other piece of equipment in a photographer’s arsenal.
Retouching is an artform
Is this your worst nightmare? You have a shoot in three hours and you developed a miniature volcano on the end of your nose overnight. You wake up in a panic and in the mirror you see a small salty tear form in your eye before your big photo shoot.
Listen, don’t fret. Why?
Because you chose a head shot photographer who uses Photoshop and happens to include complimentary retouching with the session you booked. (And if they didn’t you shouldn’t have used them in the first place.)
We live in the digital age, and Photoshop is the norm.
Pictures were too shadowy for your liking? Photoshop is here.
Teeth not white enough? Photoshop is here.
Fly away hair out of control? Yup, Photoshop saves the day once again.
It’s a double edged sword, but have faith, you’ll need it eventually. Try booking a head shot photographer who includes complimentary retouching to save you a couple bucks and a few tears.
Oh and as a courtesy to the photographer, keep this in mind: Photoshop isn’t there to make your droopy eye less droopy, and it’s not there to “take 20 pounds off.” Come to the photo shoot prepared yourself and let Photoshop fine tune you, not morph you into something you’re not.
Hover over the picture with your cursor to see quality retouching
Before/After
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When you have a professional head shot taken, there is no need to wait days or weeks to get the final product back. That’s totally absurd. Make sure you go over this before booking a session with anyone, because setting expectations is a HUGE part of this process for both parties. No one wants to wait around forever for the final product, so don’t be the person that needs to follow up with a negligent photographer a week after your shoot.
“Yea, so….when can I expect my photos?”
This section is perfectly summed up by one of the best head shot photographers around, Christopher Descano of Christopher Descano Photography (Philly, Miami).
“When I was professionally acting nothing pissed me off more than when the head shot photographer said it would take 2 weeks to get me the proofs. For those of you who weren’t alive for the fun days of 24 shots in a roll of film and that’s all you got, let me explain.
After your shoot you’d receive a sheet of tiny sample prints of your whole shoot and then the photographer would hold the negatives ransom and make you pay again if you wanted prints. That sheet would mysteriously get lost in the mail, or magically take an excruciating amount of time to arrive.
Well, long gone are those days. At least in my studio. Why would it take two weeks to get you the files now? I have no idea. There’s this cool thing called the internet these days. During your vetting process of photographers, if they never heard of Dropbox or Google Drive, you might want to look elsewhere. Two days max now, anything past that is just lazy.”
Listen, this is both blunt and 100% correct. If you’ve been waiting a week for your photos, the photographer better be on vacation in the Bahamas, otherwise something’s up.
A great photographer is always busy. And if they’re always busy, it means they don’t have time to be sitting on photos and photo retouching.
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When you need a head shot. Today.
So your agent just called and needs you to update your commercial look, pronto.
Or you just got a brand new job at a huge law firm, and they need you to get a head shot for the company website (and LinkedIn) ASAP.
But your go-to guy is in Turks and Caicos for two weeks shooting God knows what. Houston, we have a big problem.
Let’s be honest. Most good head shot photographers are booked out at least a few days, and realistically they’re usually booked out at least a week; however, you should be able to pick up the phone and say you’re in a predicament, and you’d really appreciate if they could squeeze you in.
Seriously, do that.
It doesn’t always work, but it’s absolutely worth asking. On occasion, they’ll stretch their normal hours to accommodate someone in a jam. If you’re calling around and the photographer you want won’t budge, look elsewhere.
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75% of people despise getting their photo taken at a birthday party or family event. Taking it a step further, 95% of people absolutely hate getting a professional photo taken under studio lighting, with a real photographer, and top notch equipment. So it’s vital that you feel comfortable working with someone who will actually make the experience somewhat enjoyable and relaxing. It will show in the end result either way.
Photographers get asked all the time “Do you give direction cause I’ve never done this before?”
The simple answer is, and should always be, yes.
There’s nothing more amateur than hearing a photographer say “just keep moving” or “give me something else” or “ bring whatever clothes you want.”
And you’re thinking “What do you mean, I have no clue what I’m doing you moron!”
Put quite simply, the best head shot photographers are the ones that give effortless direction before the shoot, during the entire shoot, and afterwards. It puts clients mind’s at ease, and immediately builds confidence within them.
Whether it’s tilting your head a certain way, or assisting in what outfits to bring, the photographer you choose should excel at every detail. You’ll know they are pros just by picking up the phone and asking a few simple questions.
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Chapter 10 – Department Stores
There is literally not a single earthly reason to have a head shot taken at a department store in the 21st century, unless you’re taking your kid to go for a picture with Santa Claus. The same goes for mall kiosks and pop up photographers in strip malls. If you’re going to waste your hard earned money like that, you might as well donate it to charity and take an iPhone selfie.
Department stores photos are the absolute bottom of the barrel. If you can get a head shot at the same place you can buy power tools and iceberg lettuce, it may not be the best decision for your long term goals.
If there is a giant bin of Easter Bunny props behind the cameraman, get the hell out of there immediately.
This all seems obvious, yet somehow these places still offer “professional” photography services. This could be self sabotage at its pinnacle.
Take 10 minutes of your time and for God’s sake do a little reconnaissance in your area on Google. Your bound to find someone with a bit more street cred than the assistant Manager at WalMart/Sears/Target who just finished restocking the housewares aisle.
You might actually be better off not having a head shot at all than presenting this diluted, disaster of all that’s sacred. Just don’t.
How about No.
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A photographer who has their online marketing efforts on point always has to be taken seriously as a candidate for your business. If their product is worth promoting, and they dedicate their marketing efforts to get in front of you in the search engines, they usually have something worth checking out.
Google Rankings do matter.
But why?
Without getting into a huge discussion on search engine optimization (SEO), the reason many photographers are successful these days is the deployment of sound, dedicated SEO strategies.
The ability to rank highly for relevant photography search terms is something that takes a ton of time and effort to achieve. So right off the bat, those photographers that do it successfully have been in the game for a while. And longevity is something to consider as a consumer.
But let’s take it even one step further.
The heart of SEO success are backlinks, or simply when another website links to your website. The better (and more) quality backlinks your site gets, the higher it will rank in the search results for various searches. That’s the 30 second explanation.
So we can therefore say that if a head shot photographer is ranking highly in the search engines, the following should be true in most cases:
- They’ve been around for a while (always a good sign.)
- They produced content (photos or amazing written content) that compels other websites to link to them.
- Their content is organized, easy for the search engines to crawl, and being rewarded for doing so with higher rankings.
This is why rankings are a great indicator as to who’s website needs your click. Of course it’s then your job to analyze whether the rest of their business is good enough to earn your phone call or email.
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When a photographer tells you that they will post your photos to an “online gallery” after the session, the neurons in your brain should starting firing away, telling you that your wallet is about to get lighter. File delivery is an important aspect of this process, and how many of the files you get for your money is even more critical.
Let’s get something straight.
A photographer owns every photo they take of you. Legally.
So while most reasonable photographers send you your entire shoot (maybe minus some blurry/bad shots), some do not. There is one understandable reason for this:
They don’t want you publicly posting less than perfect (retouched) photos and citing their business.
Makes sense. But there is another reason why photographers offer the online gallery option where you choose the photos you have to buy.
They are simply want to make more money off of you via prints, calendars, photo albums.
I mean right?
Look, there is no hard and fast rule about this subject, and certainly some photographers would debate in favor of their own methods. But this whole practice of siphoning more and more cash from the customer has gotten out of hand.
For the average person, the photographers you’ll want to work with send you all of your photos and let you choose which one/s you prefer for retouching. That’s the right way to do it, and then you’ll have the entire shoot to do with as you see fit.
Make sure this is abundantly clear on both sides before hiring anyone.
