HEADSHOTS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF MANY PEOPLE'S PROFESSIONAL LIVES.
Whether you’re an actor, a business executive, or a job seeker, having a professional headshot can be the difference between getting noticed and being overlooked. But is it really worth the cost to hire a professional photographer for your headshot? In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of investing in a professional headshot and help you decide if it’s worth it for you.
THE BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS
There are several benefits to having a professionally taken headshot. Here are just some of them:
QUALITY
Professional photographers have the skills and equipment to take high-quality photos that will make you look your best. They know how to capture flattering angles and poses that will make you look confident and polished in your headshot. Also their looks set you apart from the people who take a selfie from their phone. They invest in themselves.
VERSATILITY
Photo pros like myself can provide so many different options for Headshots. For instance I like a light, bright and clean Headshot, but you may be more of a vibrant personality and need something more unique. Or if you're a Sales Professional, you may not want something dark and moody like an actor might. I use different lighting, films, cameras, and create dynamic and versatile work.
EXPERTISE
A Professional Photographer knows lighting, exposure, color, and even a dose of human psychology. We have to find light and direct people into something that truly sings, and that is something that can only come from time and lessons learned in practice. We consistently provide quality because we have to know how to operate in any condition and mostly create the environment that you see in our images.
TIME SAVINGS
Hiring a professional photographer can save you time because they know what they’re doing and can get the job done quickly without any guesswork on your part. Have you ever set up a selfie stick, and tried to take your own picture? How'd that work out? Most likely horribly if you're reading this after! Don't muck around with trying to do things the cheaper way by "investing your time". You're just going to end up frustrated, and back to square one. You can always make more money, but you can never make back time.
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER
While there are many benefits to hiring a professional photographer for your headshot, there are also some points that should be considered before making the decision to invest in one.
COST
While investing in a Professional Headshot is a great idea, remember that Professional Photographers do this as a business. So be prepared to pay anywhere from the low $100s - $500+ for the final product. The more you pay, the better the quality traditionally, but there are photographers for every style and budget.
WHAT YOU GET
Always understand what you're paying for! My prices for instance are a sitting price, and then an image price. As Professional Photographers we have to account for our time, but also the costs that creating images contains. Things such as retouching, are not a free service to photographers. So paying for time, and then an image, totally a normal thing!
ARTISTIC VISION
Every photographer has a unique pair of eyes, and brain. That said, always make sure that the photographer you're looking at is a reflection of who you are as a person. Personally I keep my photographic style Honest, Natural, and Kind. Which resonates well with almost anyone.
IN A NUTSHELL
Whether or not investing in a professional headshot is worth it depends on ultimately one thing. You!
Obviously you want to stay within your means when hiring a photographer to do anything, but whether you're job hunting or establishing a brand, its an investment that can pay off in spades! I actually would know, I hire photographers for my own Headshots from time to time.
