One of the most frequent questions I get is regarding my pricing; more specifically, what is the session fee?

If you haven’t yet viewed my pricing, to sum it up: I charge a Flat Fee of $199 for the session, then a Per Image Fee for retouched images.

I should note that my sessions include unlimited shooting time and outfit changes, which means I do not limit how many looks we shoot.

So, what’s with this session fee thing? The session begins when you enter my studio and ends when you leave (the same applies if I come to your location or if we are to meet at a predetermined location). During this time, several key things happen; this includes setup/teardown, goal discussion for the shoot, wardrobe discussion, makeup and hair discussion (if applicable), lighting testing, and, of course, the actual process of capturing images.

Now, let’s expand on the actual image capturing: To me, the essential part of a great headshot or portrait is expression. Most people do not love having their picture taken (if this is you, don’t worry, you are not alone). My goal and responsibility are to ensure that you feel comfortable and at ease when I point my camera in your direction. I refer to this as “coaching,” and I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough.

This coaching comes in the form of physical direction and non-physical direction: The physical part merely positions you in a specific way to have a pleasing composition. “Turn your face this way,” “Turn your right shoulder that way,” “Move your left arm away from your body”; you know, that sort of thing. It is not always simple, but something I have been doing for years, and we will work together through some different angles to achieve the best results for you. When it comes to the non-physical direction, the main focus is your expression. Your headshot or portrait should portray you as confident and approachable, and this is directly related to your expression. We will spend time to get your perfect, desired expression that captures the best you, and I promise that it might even be fun.

During the session’s entirety, we will continuously be reviewing images and working together to create an image that you love.

After the session, we will dig deeper into the image review and select a list of proofs. The proofs are the images that we feel are the “keepers,” the ones that stand out to you from the rest. From this list of proofs, you will choose the images you want to purchase. If you require more time to decide, I will upload the proofs to a proofing gallery for further review and consultation before purchase. Once the final image selection is complete, I will have them professionally retouched.

A common question I receive is, “How long will the session take”? Well, it’s hard to say for sure. It depends on what it is that we are doing: If it’s a business headshot session and you only need one image for your website or online profile, the session is often less than an hour, but if it is a full portrait session with multiple looks and wardrobe changes, it may be several hours. Either way, the session fee is the same.

I hope this has helped answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.