What is the cost of professional headshot photography? This is one of the first questions you find yourself asking when in need of a professional headshot photographer. The answer to this will vary based on a different set of factors. If you are curious what does a headshot photography cost in Australia or anywhere else in the world, it pays to know the factors that can impact cost.

What Does a Headshot Photography Cost?

The cost of a professional headshot will range from $200 to $2,500. The cost range is extremely wide because there are several factors that will determine the actual cost of this service. It pays to know the various headshot pricing models that are available with your chosen photographer and your location.

Overview on Headshot Photography Pricing

The cost of the headshot photography will vary based on the type of experience that you can get. For example, if you are working with a beginner photographer, the cost will start at $75 per session. 

At the beginner level, you can expect only basic photos with not a lot of editing required. However, this does not mean that you should not expect high quality results from beginner photographers. Some of these are just starting out as professionals but they actually have a ton of skills and experience. Make sure to look at their portfolio so you have an idea of their work.

For mid-level photographers, you can expect the cost of headshot photography to be around $250 to $500. Again, the actual price of the session will vary based on the type of headshot and the specific requirements for the headshots. 

If you are hiring a professional headshot photographer in Sydney, you can expect headshot photography cost to reach $1,000 upwards. These are photographers who specialize in headshot photography. For this price, you can get professional headshots that you can use on your website, social media, and other marketing collaterals. 

Photographers have varying levels of experience. Some are self-taught while others have gone through formal training to learn about professional photography methods. Therefore, these photographers will charge you accordingly based on their level of experience and expertise. Even then, the cost of photographers can still vary even among those with the same level of experience or skill set. 

Location

The location of the shoot is also another critical factor that plays a role in determining the final cost of a headshot photography session. For example, the cost of headshot photography in Melbourne will vary from that of Sydney or other cities in Australia.

The reason for this is that some locations have a higher demand for photography services, such as those who specialize in headshot photography. Some professional photographers require advance booking in order to secure a slot with them. If you want quality headshots, then you have to pay the price for their services. 

Shoot Duration

The length of each session also impacts the cost of hiring a professional headshot photographer. For example, in Melbourne, a 1-hour shoot costs approximately $250 and a 2-hour shoot costs $400. An 8-hour shoot can cost up to $1,300. Obviously, the length of the photoshoot session is directly proportional to the cost of hiring a headshot photographer. 

Types of Headshots

You need to determine the kind of headshot that you want your photographer to capture. This can also impact the final quotation that is given by your photographer for that particular session. 

Each type of headshot has its own requirements in terms of skill level, equipment, and time from the photographer. Therefore, they have to take that into account when determining the cost of a headshot photography session.

Indoor vs Outdoor Shoot

The cost of shooting a professional headshot in an indoor or outdoor setting can vary significantly. Unless a photographer has his or her own studio, then some indoor shoots might cost more. The photographer must take into account the cost of renting a studio and the photography equipment (if they do not have them readily available).

On the other hand, an outdoor shoot can also cost more because of the travel and time commitment required from the photographer. They must also take into account the difficulty of shooting in an outdoor setting because of many uncontrollable factors such as lighting and the inherent challenges within that environment. 

Photo Delivery

The final factor that can impact the cost of headshot photography is the method of delivery of the photos. Most photographers will spend additional time editing the images after the shoot. The digital processing of images will require equipment such as computer and photo editing software, as well as digital processing skills from the photographer. 

The additional work involved in the digital processing of the photos will be factored into the quoted price.