head shots

TCUphoto · Jun 6, 2012

Hi all,For whatever reason I have had a few people in the last month or so inquire about head shots...asking what I charge, what they get, etc.... I've never done head shots so I'm just curious what those of you who do head shots charge??

2WheelPhoto · Jun 6, 2012

do it for free.

KmH · Jun 6, 2012

If I had to go to them, it cost a lot more than if they came to me.

mjhoward · Jun 6, 2012

I would offer to do the shoot for free, but charge a little extra for prints. This way, if they like your work, then you get paid for it. If they don't like it, then they're only out their time.

CCericola · Jun 7, 2012

You want to price it out so they get a high res digital file. If they are actors/actresses they will need to get call sheets made up. Traditionally they give the printer an 8x10 from the photographer and they are printed from that. Now days it is easier to send the printer a digital file 8x10 300ppi.

If it is just for a business person they may only need a wallet size for business cards and web.

tirediron · Jun 7, 2012

$100 - $150

imagemaker46 · Jun 7, 2012

CCericola said:
You want to price it out so they get a high res digital file. If they are actors/actresses they will need to get call sheets made up. Traditionally they give the printer an 8x10 from the photographer and they are printed from that. Now days it is easier to send the printer a digital file 8x10 300ppi.

If it is just for a business person they may only need a wallet size for business cards and web.

Pretty sure actors or businessmen wouldn't be searching for an amateur to do head shots. You can charge what ever you want, headshots are pretty much the poor mans portrait, stand against a plain backdrop, fire off a few frames, done. It all depends on what they want to use them for, but I would just shoot tight, give them a clean image on a cd, I wouldn't even re-size it, let them worry about that, or ask them what size they want.

CCericola · Jun 7, 2012

imagemaker46 said:
Pretty sure actors or businessmen wouldn't be searching for an amateur to do head shots. You can charge what ever you want, headshots are pretty much the poor mans portrait, stand against a plain backdrop, fire off a few frames, done. It all depends on what they want to use them for, but I would just shoot tight, give them a clean image on a cd, I wouldn't even re-size it, let them worry about that, or ask them what size they want.

You under estimate the cheapness of wanna be actors and real estate agents. Worst clients ever.

WilliamDSLR · Jun 8, 2012

I like the idea of taking it for free and only if they require prints (ie they like you work), then you charge them for it. This way you will more than likely get selected to at least take their pictures, and if you do a good enough job, then you will also be likely to get paid.

davisphotos · Jun 8, 2012

I've known some people to make decent money off headshots, but it is a tricky thing to convince people to pay for. From their point of view you're just snapping a few shots, so why should it be so much money? I'm thinking the free sitting fee and charge for prints or files model may be the best way to go, and I would aim for a sale in the $100-$150 range between prints and files.

orljustin · Jun 8, 2012

Where do they want it? Your location or theirs? How many outfits? What equipment will you need (reflector outside or full lighting setup)? What is your CODB? What do they require (files, prints, etc?).

I guesstimate $150 sitting fee, $100 for digital files and separate printing prices.

imagemaker46 · Jun 8, 2012

CCericola said:
imagemaker46 said:

Pretty sure actors or businessmen wouldn't be searching for an amateur to do head shots. You can charge what ever you want, headshots are pretty much the poor mans portrait, stand against a plain backdrop, fire off a few frames, done. It all depends on what they want to use them for, but I would just shoot tight, give them a clean image on a cd, I wouldn't even re-size it, let them worry about that, or ask them what size they want.

Click to expand...

You under estimate the cheapness of wanna be actors and real estate agents. Worst clients ever.

I have worked with some wanna be model and if you quote a low end fee to shoot for an hour, they keep an eye on the clock over the fear of having to pay an extra cent. I know what you mean.

CCericola · Jun 9, 2012

Prints are differant for actors. They are going to get 100+ headshots or zed cards printed. They are offset printed and sometimes they have their resume printed on the back. Places like this do the printing: Headshot, Comp Cards, Reproductions, Printing, Headshots, Comp Cards, Zed Cards, This is the place I send people if they only want digital files. My profit margins on these are so small I don't even bother to care if they don't want me to print them.

KmH · Jun 9, 2012

CCericola said:
imagemaker46 said:

Pretty sure actors or businessmen wouldn't be searching for an amateur to do head shots. You can charge what ever you want, headshots are pretty much the poor mans portrait, stand against a plain backdrop, fire off a few frames, done. It all depends on what they want to use them for, but I would just shoot tight, give them a clean image on a cd, I wouldn't even re-size it, let them worry about that, or ask them what size they want.

Click to expand...

You under estimate the cheapness of wanna be actors and real estate agents. Worst clients ever.

Dang! I can only 'Like' that comment once. :lol:

Add some other types of business persons to that list.

WilliamDSLR said:
I like the idea of taking it for free and only if they require prints (ie they like you work), then you charge them for it. This way you will more than likely get selected to at least take their pictures, and if you do a good enough job, then you will also be likely to get paid.

I would suggest that is flawed logic.

If I have to go to them, that means I have to tear down, pack, and load in my vehicle all the stuff I would need. Once there I would then have to unload and set up all that stuff, and when done tear it down, re-pack it, put it all back in the vehicle. Then back at the studio unload it again, unpack it and set it up yet again.

Next would be the time spent finishing the images so they can be used as intended.

Free? NFW.

table1349 · Jun 9, 2012

TCUphoto said:
Hi all,For whatever reason I have had a few people in the last month or so inquire about head shots...asking what I charge, what they get, etc.... I've never done head shots so I'm just curious what those of you who do head shots charge??

Nothing less than $1,000,000.00 and quick and safe passage out of the country.

You might want to check around the St. Louis area and see what the going rate there is. It is going to be different in different parts of the country. In fact I would venture to guess that it is going to be different in St. Louis Mo. than it is going to be in East St. Louis IL.