There are many different types of portraits that photographers offer and it’s important that you find the one that best suits your needs. Some photographers will offer studio and on-location sessions with different styles – more colorful, muted, softer, harsher, etc.
Are you looking for a Boston headshot photographer to hire? Let’s get started with these 17 questions that will help you find the right one!
1. Can I see your headshot portfolio?
You need to view a photographer’s portfolio before deciding to work with them. You want to see how the photographer takes pictures and what your professional headshot will look like – you deserve it. Plus you’ll be more confident by a professional who’s more than happy to show their work.
2. How do you direct your clients during the shoot?
Professional headshot photographers work a little differently from other photographers since they are taking photos that serve a specific purpose.
A photographer’s input is crucial in the process of finding the right angle to make you look good. A headshot session with a photographer will require direction and help, thus you have to find someone creative and who knows how to guide you through this type of photoshoot.
3. How much does it cost to get my headshot taken?
Photographers have different ways of structuring their photoshoot pricing. Some include prints, retouching, and digital files in their packages – make sure to know what your total cost will be.
4. What are the inclusions of that fee?
Get straight to the heart of whether you’re comparing apples to apples when you are evaluating several quotes. Every business or industry has slightly different needs, and a number of factors go into the final product.
Your Boston headshot photographer should tell you upfront what their initial fee will be before telling you the rates for additional work such as additional shooters and support staff, image retouching, prints, etc.
5. What should I wear for my session?
Photographers know that clothing can make or break a picture, they understand the difference between formal and casual attire so you want to be sure to ask your photographer what would be the right ones for your shoot.
6. How many looks will we shoot?
This is equally important to know this so you will have an idea of how much clothing you will take with you.
7. Is hair and makeup provided?
Professional hair and makeup artists can enhance your look exponentially. Some photographers have this as an add-on service. Make sure to ask your photographer so you can adjust accordingly.
8. How should I do my makeup?
Some photographers are more than willing to share some of their knowledge regarding skin tones, face shape, and texture with clients who prefer not having their own makeup.
9. Do you enhance or retouch photos using Photoshop?
This is where you’ll see photographers offer dramatically different approaches. There are so many ways to edit a photo, some are time-consuming and difficult while others can be done in minutes. Touch-ups and enhancements are usually provided in the package.
One thing for sure is that a headshot photographer would not want an unrecognizable face with overly smoothed skin.
10. Do you prefer to shoot in the studio or go to a location?
Some photographers are happy to work where you need them. Ask them if they shoot indoors or outdoors, or both.
Depending on your needs, you may need to go to a location or if you are a business professional, you will want a professional headshot photo taken in a well-lit studio for your LinkedIn profile.
11. How long the photoshoot will last?
Keep in mind that the photoshoot will last a certain amount of time. You should get an idea of how many hours it will last and prepare to commit a few hours. Set your expectations for the photoshoot. This will make sure that you don’t end up feeling overwhelmed or underprepared.
12. How should I prepare for my session?
Planning and preparing for your session will help to make it more enjoyable. Take some time before the day of your shoot to figure out what you want, including clothing style, hair cut or color, accessories like jewelry, or makeup—whatever makes sense for you!
Your photographer should be able to provide guidance on how best to prepare in order to get the most beautiful professional headshot photograph possible.
13. What are your payment terms?
Be sure you understand your photographer’s payment policy well before the shoot. Depending on the photographer, a deposit is necessary for a cancellation to be credited with any refunds, and it goes without saying that there will also be fees if you cancel after the date of the schedule or reschedule an appointment.
14. How long until I get my photos back?
Photographers have different processes here that really depend on how they work and their pricing structure, some will price their service so that you may receive your photos the next day, some up to 3 days. It’s important to ask this question so you know what to expect.
15. What am I allowed to do with the photos?
Copyright is a touchy subject for photographers. The moment an image is created it has copyright, and the means that your photographer owns its rights. However, the photographer does offer their clients a license for the usage which may or may not include permission to copy or reproduce them.
16. What’s your backup strategy?
Every experienced professional photographer should always have a backup plan when it comes to staff and equipment. What happens if they get sick or the camera breaks during the shoot?
This becomes especially important if you have additional hired help, whether it’s your company’s employees, models, or anyone else involved in the shoot.
17. Do you have insurance?
We all know the importance of being properly insured. It’s rare, but bad things do happen and it is important for your photographer to be covered in case a piece of equipment falls or a prop malfunctions and injures someone while they’re creating images. Or if they trip over a piece of furniture during their time working with you.
The insurance policy protects both sides so that no matter what happens there will always be peace of mind knowing everything was taken care of professionally!
You’ve found a headshot photographer that you love, but before hiring them for your project, there are some important questions to ask. Make sure the photographer has an understanding of what type of photoshoot they will be doing and how it fits into you.
It’s important to have fantastic professional headshots for your business and personal life. A good, photographer is hard to find, so you need to prepare questions before the shoot.
I highly recommend that you ask about their experience in photography as well as what kind of shots they specialize in. If you want more than just a photo, ask if any additional services are offered like makeup or hairstyling on set too.
The last thing you should do is look at past work! The first impression matter and this will give you an idea of what they can produce but it shouldn’t be the deciding factor since everyone has different tastes when it comes to artistry and style.
If you need a professional photographer that can capture your personality in this powerful way, let us know how we can be of service today.
Take a look at some headshots I’ve photographed!
