This article is intended for individuals or companies who are going to have a portrait / headshot session with Chris Schmauch, the owner of GoodEye Photography (but this is good info relevant to any photographer). It is broken down into three main sections in order to help you prepare for the shoot, what to expect during the shoot, and then what to expect after the session is over. I wrote this because I get asked about this topic often, and I’m kinda tired of writing the same email over and over again. Plus, I can add to this article as I think of new tips.
Before the shoot…
Jump To: During the shoot | After the shoot
do you offer a guarantee of some kind?
Absolutely! Whether you are a small business with a handful of employees or a large corporation, I recognize that high-quality headshot / executive portrait sessions are an investment in your brand, which can feel financially risky. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with a “meh” photographer, or simply don’t want to spend the money and end up with photos that you’ll never use. I don’t blame you! Even though I have a stellar reputation, I want to personally assume all the risk for new-client photo shoots. You don’t know me or what I’m capable of, so allow me to do everything up-front on my dime & time – from the initial consultation call to the day-of photo shoot and image review – at no cost to you. If you see the photos, and decide, “hey, these just don’t work for us,” then I won’t even consider sending you an invoice. This means new clients have zero risk going into a shoot and know exactly what pricing options they have once they’ve seen the results. My clients are almost universally happy to pay after they experience working with me, so honestly this is a guarantee that’s easy for me to make.
Why do I need a headshot, anyways?
If you’re like most people, the idea of a closeup photo of your face is about as compelling as smashing your thumb in your car door. Repeatedly. Lucky for you, I make the process quick, fun and relatively painless. The reason most people get their portrait taken is for business purposes – typically for social media and networking outlets (like LinkedIn), or for their website, marketing, advertising and industry publications. No matter where or how you intend to use the photos, one thing is for sure: your overall impression to clients / prospects / colleagues will be WAY more professional than whatever snapshot you’re currently using.
Where should I have my business portrait taken?
95% of my business portrait shoots happen at or near my clients’ homes or offices. I’m an on-location shooter, which means I conveniently come to you for your headshot session. I try to shoot outdoors, but weather doesn’t always accommodate. When I arrive to our pre-agreed-upon location, I’ll scope out the grounds around the location and nearby as well as get a walk-through of the interior, taking mental note of potential locations. Even if you think your home / office space is a terrible spot for photos, I can practically guarantee that I will see something that will work great. Typically the background is so out-of-focus that you don’t have any context that gives away the location.
How do you deal with multiple employees & group photos?
First, please tell your employees about “picture day” so they can prepare appropriately; and be sensitive to those who don’t want their photos to appear online. Sometimes employees become “sick” on picture day, so consider some kind of positive incentive to make sure they arrive prepared. If everyone is on-site and ready when I get to your office, I generally try to get the group shots done right away, just in case people have to leave for meetings or other appointments. Then I’ll transition to individual portraits. It’s good to have a list to refer to if there’s a lot of people to photograph, and I prefer to work with people one at a time; a little privacy during the shoot will make each person feel way more comfortable in front of the camera. Once I’m done with an individual, I’ll send them to get the next person on my list.
how much time do you need with each person?
It just depends on the scope of what we’re trying to achieve – if we’re shooting 500 employees at a single photo station, then 2-3 minutes per person is doable. If I’m shooting CEO/Executives, each who need a variety of settings, poses and lighting, then 15 minutes each is a minimum. In our initial phone consultation, we’ll figure out what’s most appropriate for your specific needs, then collaborate on establishing a general schedule and time-block to achieve our goals.
When is the best time of day to shoot?
Because I use off-camera artificial lighting extensively during portrait photography sessions, I am very flexible in regards to weather, time of day, and location. However, that doesn’t mean some times are more ideal than others – usually the “worst” time to shoot is high-noon – or whenever the sun is at its peak height. The sun is most “harsh” at this time – and most natural light photographers won’t even attempt it. I can and do work with harsh sun routinely, but lighting isn’t the biggest factor for this type of shoot. I’ve found the most convenient time for people is around 10am – enough time to settle into work, but still look “fresh” from the morning.
What if it is rainy / foggy / windy?
Very few portrait sessions have to be postponed due to bad weather. Rest assured, though, that if I feel the weather will compromise the quality of the photos, I’ll be happy to reschedule with no extra fees. Wind is probably the biggest reason for postponements – especially if you have long hair. But usually we can fall back to an indoor shoot if that’s the case.
My corporate office has strict guidelines for employee photos. Can you meet those requirements?
If your company has technical headshot requirements, please forward those to me before our phone consultation so I can make sure your portrait meets those standard.
What should I wear?
To get the most out of your portrait session, you’ll want to have at least two different top options – generally something more professional, and another more casual; as different uses require different styles of dress. You definitely want a nice suit jacket for the professional look – for the shirt or blouse, I recommend sticking to solid colors, but something that will stand out against a darker suit jacket. Color is great, but consider the overall tone as somewhat neutral, and then adding splashes of color. For guys, maybe it’s a power tie – for the ladies, maybe it’s a colorful scarf. Feel free to bring your multiple tops, and I can give you my opinion on-site. Try to avoid all black, or complicated patterns. You’ll want this portrait to have staying power, as it’s not unusual for people to use them for a decade or more!
During the shoot…
Jump To: Before the shoot | After the shoot
when will we see the photos?
I typically bring a laptop with me on-location so we can do real-time review of the images we’re capturing. Unless we’re doing the high-volume shoot with hundreds of people, I prefer to allocate enough time for each person to review their photos, and take a few more if they like. This cuts way down on expensive reshoots, and gives everyone the confidence that we’re capturing great images. Keep in mind these are not final edits, I’ll do even more magic to the photos before showing the final proofing gallery.
I’m nervous / uncomfortable with photos…
I don’t have any tequila in my camera bag, and I know this would really help some people – but I think the big thing for some people is they just don’t feel super comfortable in front of the camera. I assure you that you are in good hands; I will direct you the entire time, and promise to be very quick. It’s normal to feel nervous about a new situation, but remember you’re being guided by a professional that knows how to make you look your best. You don’t have to know how to pose or do anything – just show up, and I’ll take care of the rest!
How long does the actual shoot take?
If I’m taking photos of just one person, the shoot typically lasts between 15 and 45 minutes. It depends on the different locations we’re shooting at, and how long your outfit changes take. If I’m shooting multiple employees, I spend about 5 minutes with each person when shooting at a single location. If we’re doing shoot-reviews on the laptop, it’s good to have a total of 15 minutes per person.
Do you bring a backdrop?
I rarely need to use a backdrop, but it’s always an option to bring one if, say, the corporate guidelines require something specific. This would be assessed in our initial consultation call.
After the shoot…
Jump To: Before the shoot | During the shoot
How much do the digital files cost?
I have two approaches to pricing commercial headshots – if you only need one photo per person, I charge a $450 “creation fee” to cover travel, setup and shooting – then an “a-la-carte” rate of $150 per photo (hi-res, retouched digital file). It doesn’t matter if it’s a group shot or an individual, each file is $150. This includes unlimited commercial usage rights in the price, so no extra fees down the line. Read more about a-la-carte headshot pricing here: https://www.bayareacommercial.photography/pricing/#headshots
The second option is a “day rate” – and is a flat rate based roughly on how much time we’re on-site (from 1-2 hours to a full day) – and includes ALL the edited digital files from the shoot. This means you don’t have to select a single favorite group or individual photo for each person, you keep them all. Many clients take advantage of my various photography skills, so while I’m on-site I can shoot interior/exterior spaces, products, or lifestyle corporate photos (like everyone interacting around the conference table or other social spaces). Read more about day rate pricing here: https://www.bayareacommercial.photography/pricing/#dayrates
If I like a photo, but want it cropped, does this cost extra?
Nope! Any photo can be cropped as much as you need without losing any quality.
I want a black and white version, does this cost extra?
If you purchase a file, you get any and all versions included at no extra cost. In a nutshell, you get the original image, any cropped versions, and any black and white versions as well – all included in the original price.
How many photos can I expect to see from my portrait session?
Anywhere from 5 to 50, it just depends on how long we shoot. For individual sessions, I like to get at least three different locations/environments, and with multiple outfit changes. If I’m shooting a bunch of employees, then there might be only a few photos of each person to choose from.
What’s your turnaround for seeing all the photos?
This could be anywhere from same-day to a week – it depends on the logistics of the project, but would be known going into the shoot. Usually I assess turnaround needs during the initial phone consult to make sure everyone has accurate expectations. The vast majority of my clients are seeing lightly-edited results during the shoot, and the final photos in an online gallery within a business day or two.
Do you do skin / teeth / eye touchups while editing?
Skin optimization, teeth whitening, and eye brightening are done for every photo (in addition to overall image adjustments, like exposure, color, etc. Any edits to specific photos can be requested at any point – generally at no charge. We want these photos to be “authentic” you, but “optimized” – think, the best sleep of your life, the best version of who you are today.