How Much Should You be Paying for Professional Headshots?
In your search for a headshot photographer on Oahu you may have noticed that pricing for headshot photography services varies wildly from photographer to photographer. There also seems to be a big skill gap with photographers; some are capable of magazine quality images, some not so much. This leads to confusion for consumers, especially those who have NOT gone through the process of booking a headshot photographer before. The goal of this post is to create some clarity for people who are interested in learning more about the average cost for headshot photography and why there is such a great variation of cost and services.
Anywhere you go you’ll find a wide range of pricing for headshot photography with variations based on varying levels of supply and demand. On Oahu, you can find photographers offering headshots from $100 – $1000+. Our sessions average around $350 putting us solidly in the mid-range. Our comparable competition average in the $300 – $1000 range.
High-End Photographers
You might be wondering why there is such a large range or why people would pay so much for a headshot session. Really it just comes down to supply and demand. A photographer who charges a high amount and has been in business for years can charge more and continue to get the amount of business that they need. They usually have the following qualities:
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Reputation: they have a renowned reputation locally, nationally, and/or worldwide.
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Network: they’ve worked with prestigious clients
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Quality: their work is of the highest quality. They understand lighting and professional retouching.
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Reviews/Testimonials: they receive the best client reviews and testimonials and lots of them.
High-end photographers generally book clients who are less concerned about budget and more concerned about quality. They don’t want to waste time and want the best results (and definitely don’t want to spend time reshooting because their first session didn’t work out).
Budget Photographers
The idea of doing a $50 headshot session is probably a tempting idea. However, it’s risky and can turn out to be a massive waste of time. It’s not possible to get through this section without being a little blunt. Here are some of the qualities of the budget photographer:
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They are usually new to photography and have minimal skill with a camera or may just shoot with their phone.
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They don’t haven’t developed skills in professional retouching or lighting.
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They don’t understand ethical business practices.
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They don’t understand how to make clients comfortable, prepared for the shoot, and able to pose properly.
The risk with this category is in receiving low quality results and have to live with headshots you hate or spend the time and money to reshoot. For a lot of people, receiving unflattering pictures of themselves is a pretty awful experience. This is what makes people hate being in front of the camera. That being said, no disrespect to the budget photographer meant here. We all start someplace! If you know someone getting into photography, support them, encourage them, and considering hiring them if you trust their level of skill/passion.
Mid-Range Photographers
This is the category we fall into and where most photographers we see as “competition” fall in. Those who are able to sustain business. For a good headshot session on Oahu cthat includes multiple looks, you can expect to pay somewhere between $300-1,000 dollars. If you’re having a hard time choosing between photographers in the same range, price SHOULD NOT be the determining factor. I’m not going to list the mid-range photographer’s qualities because there are way too many variables in this segment. Instead, I’ll list some things that the consumer should be looking for before booking. This is to help guide people to the right photographer for their personal needs:
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Style: Choose a photographer with images that speak to you. If you’re looking for moody photos, you shouldn’t be booking a photographer that only edits bright/happy images.
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Retouching: This varies wildly between clients, and there seems to be no way to predict this. This is why all our sessions include both un-retouched and retouched image options. We also ask how much retouching they want and if they want any specific features erased or altered. Not all photographers work like this. Look at the level/quality of retouching the photographer you’re interested does and ask questions if you’re unsure.
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Deliverables: How many images come with the session? How are they delivered? Do the images come with retouching? What is the price? You need to make sure you understand these things before you book so you don’t end up with any unexpected costs.
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Skill Level: Make sure that the photographer’s portfolio looks and feels professional, modern, and high-end. Please take note of how well their subjects are lit. Do they have them do tacky unflattering poses? Are the backgrounds cheap-looking or unflattering?
We hope this guide will be helpful to those new to booking a photographer to have a better understanding of pricing for headshot photography on Oahu. After working with hundreds of clients we have come to understand that even the cost of a basic headshot session can be a great financial investment for many. We aim to provide professional services at a competitive price. Fortunately for us, headshots don’t require a massive facility so, our smaller intimate studio allows us to keep our overhead costs to a minimum while still offering a professional environment. Having a low overhead goes a long way in keeping our expenses down and in enabling us to provide high quality and reasonably priced headshot services in the downtown Honolulu area, with a dedicated parking stall and a private changing area. We’re also able to rely heavily on customer referrals which helps keep advertising costs to a minimum 😉
