Talking Numbers: How Much Do Corporate Headshots Cost?
If you’re in the market for new corporate headshots, you’re likely to encounter a wide range of quotes. As with any service, you can always find providers for every budget.
Whether you're an individual in need of a new LinkedIn photo, or a creative director charged with producing a consistent and polished look for your company's team, it’s important to understand the value behind the cost of professional headshots. In this article, we'll explore the factors that influence the pricing of headshot sessions and how to get the most out of your investment.
The Team Behind The Headshot
Producing a high quality headshot involves more than just a corporate headshot photographer and a camera; it's a carefully orchestrated process involving a team of professionals working together to ensure that your brand is captured authentically. Though solo sessions typically involve just a photographer and their assistant, capturing larger teams will likely include some of the following:
1st and 2nd assistant: they’ll help with loading in and setting up the camera, lighting, and background equipment, as well as making on the fly lighting and camera adjustments. In our NYC market, rates can range from $250 - $1,000 per day.
Digital tech: they manage what’s called “tethered shooting” — the photographer will shoot connected to a workstation with screens for both the photographer and client to review in real time. Among many other duties, the digital tech ensures this process runs smoothly and calls out any issues they see on screen. A day rate might be about $700 + the cost of their kit rental.
Production assistant (PA): in the context of a group headshot session, a PA may be tasked with checking everybody in, keeping track of who’s been photographed, and other general duties to keep things running smoothly.
Hair & makeup: Though editing can fix a lot of issues, getting it right in camera will always be the best result! When budget allows, we like to bring along a hair and makeup team to have everyone looking their best before they’re in front of the camera. Day rates could be around $800.
Retoucher: After the shoot, you’ll be able to select your favorite images for retouching. The photographer will then pass along the images to their retoucher, whose per-image rates can be anywhere from $10 to over $100.
And the team can still grow from there. For executive portraits, we’ll sometimes enlist a stylist for wardrobe consulting, as well as a set decorator (who will need a props budget) when a very specific scene is required. A location scout may be needed when the client has a specific vision for the location(s) they want to use. For projects of this scale, a producer will be brought on to manage the crew and logistics.
Again, many sessions won’t require a very large team and will naturally have a lower cost. But it’s important to know that quotes often involve more than just your photographer’s fee.
The Value of Understanding Your Brand
While headshots do follow a general formula, there are many considerations that should be taken when creating headshots for a business or for someone’s personal brand. There will be a vastly different approach between creating headshots for a global law firm vs a young tech startup, for example. Your photographer can and should have their own style, but they should also be able to adapt it to best suit the image their client wants to project.
When working with our clients, we take the time to familiarize ourselves with their brand identity, understand how both they and their competitors are positioned in their industry, and identify what we can do to help them stand out. We’ll have calls with their marketing team to align our approach with their visual identity, from location and lighting style right down to the color palette. This allows us to create images that will integrate seamlessly with their brand.
All of this extra pre-production and planning will of course add to the scope of work and lead to a higher cost. If all you need is one quality photo on a white background for your LinkedIn profile, you’ll likely find the cost of headshots to be much lower.
Implicit Costs
My first car cost less than the lens we use to produce headshots for our clients. Granted, that car had more than a few miles on it and just as many scratches to the paint, but it was still a vehicle. At the high end, photographers might use in excess of 20 - 30 thousand dollars worth of camera, lighting, and computer equipment to produce your headshots. The degree to which the photographer has invested and continues to invest in their business will have an impact on the cost of headshots.
While there’s no way to put a dollar value on experience, a more seasoned photographer will always command a hire fee than a beginner. If you’re on a budget, seek out those early on in their careers for the best deals.
Demand will of course also influence pricing. A photographer whose schedule is consistently booked will come at a premium, while those with a lighter calendar might have more flexibility in their rates.
Price Vs Quality
A mattress is just a mattress until you sleep on it. Though a higher price doesn’t always mean better quality, you’re not likely to get the most restful sleep on a $200 roll-up. You may only invest in headshots every 5 to 10 years, and you don’t want to be stuck with one that represents you poorly. An investment in a quality headshot will serve you well for the better part of a decade, while you might find yourself booking additional reshoots when going with the cheapest option.
So How Much Do Headshots Cost, Really?
For individual sessions, the cost of headshots can vary from $200 to over $1,000 for a professional headshot. Day rates for photographing an entire company's employees may range from $1,500 to over $5,000. Location of course plays a factor, with major cities like our local New York City market having higher rates than smaller towns.
Scope of project, size of crew, and the talent and expertise of the photographer will all play a role in arriving at their fee. These are of course wide ranges, but you’ll find photographers at every price point and you’ll have to determine if the value they offer is worth the price tag.
Are Professional Headshots Worth It?
Your headshot is an investment in your professional image, and it's often the first impression others have of you or your company. A quality headshot demonstrates a commitment to showcasing your brand's credibility, trustworthiness, and overall success. This doesn’t mean that you need to find the most expensive corporate headshot photographer and pay top dollar, but you should give careful consideration to the value they provide to your brand image.
Understanding the costs associated with corporate headshots will help you to determine what level of service best suits your needs and allow you to make an informed decision on how best to allocate your budget. For whatever that budget will allow, choosing the right photographer will ensure that your professional image aligns with the standards of your brand and sends the right message to your audience.
If you’re considering investing in corporate headshots for yourself or your team, get in touch and we’ll discuss how we can bring your brand to the forefront.
