As a viewer, I personally experience portrait photography differently than many photos. Great portraits make me feel a personal connection with the subject. When the image gives me a glimpse into their world and who they are as people, I get to laugh with them or cry with them and my life becomes richer through knowing that small part of them.
Headshot Pricing
- 2 Looks – $450
- 3 Looks – $595
- 4 Looks – $695
- “I Need a Headshot Tomorrow!” – $295: 1 Look, 1 Finished Photo, Quick Turnaround (by 8 am next day if session begins by noon, by noon next day if session begins after noon. )
“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” – Paul Caponigro
As a portrait photographer, if the photograph I create doesn’t convey some aspect of the subject’s personality or experience then I haven’t done my job. That portrayal is the core of the art form – it’s why it’s called a portrait. It’s also the biggest reason I love portraiture in general.
The great Richard Avedon said “A photographic portrait is a picture of someone who knows he’s being photographed, and what he does with this knowledge is as much a part of the photograph as what he’s wearing or how he looks. He’s implicated in what’s happened, and he has a certain real power over the result.” This idea is powerful and one of my primary goals when shooting portraits is to help that happen.
Creating Portrait Photography
When working with a subject, it’s my job to make them comfortable and to encourage them to exercise their power in the process. My goal is to give them the opportunity to reveal themselves.
A great portrait is a way for the subject to connect with the audience. That connection doesn’t happen unless the subject first invites the viewer in – and that invitation only happens when the subject feels safe in sharing some meaningful part of themselves.
Helping the subject do that – and then capturing that moment when it occurs – is why I love the creative process of portrait photography.
And all of this is as true for headshots as much as any other portrait – maybe even more so.
Headshots are Portraits with a Purpose
Your headshot is a casting director’s first encounter with you as a person and as a performer. Your personality coming through that photograph is crucial to grabbing their attention and showing them you’re something special.
Because the professional function of headshots places restrictions on their format and style, it can be very easy for them to ‘blur together’ in a sea of sameness.
That’s why it’s so important for you to choose a photographer who knows the nuances of portraiture and will work with you to create a headshot that doesn’t just capture what you look like, but also captures who you are.