As a commercial photographer, I do photography mostly of people, but I also do my fair share of product images. Any image that is meant for commercial use can be considered commercial photography and does not have to be a big brand photoshoot for an ad campaign. However, I have also been fortunate to work with some big brand clients as well.

Consumer photographers focus on weddings, families, babies and other consumer use images which typically are not published on business websites, in print media or on platforms meant to drive business. On the other hand, commercial photography is used to build brands both large and small as well as promote individuals or companies in order to help drive revenue.

If you are considering hiring a photographer, should you hire a consumer photographer or a commercial photographer or a photographer that does both? In my case, I do not cross over into consumer photography. Although I love photography, I have no desire to photograph weddings, families or babies, and I do not have the skill set to truly do that area of photography justice. Skill set should likely be a key part of your decision.

If you are considering using your images for commercial use, then you should seriously consider an experienced commercial photographer. A photographer that is great at baby photography may not truly grasp how to work with you and your needs especially if it is in a corporate environment. You wouldn’t hire someone that specializes in building decks all day everyday to build your dream home, so don’t hire a photographer that is not skilled in commercial photography if that is what your need is. Let wedding photographers do weddings and commercial photographers do what they do best.

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North Raleigh Headshot Studio Photography by David Williams. Images for Publication Use.

This post was sparked by a phone conversation that I had with a businessman looking for a headshot photographer.

His Position……

1) He’d been in his field for 10 years and had gotten by without a professional headshot.

2) He was price conscience and price shopping. A lot of things didn’t matter to him.

It was very much a price decision. Don’t lose respect for me in what I am about to say and by no means am I trying to sell YOU the reader on my headshot services. This post is not a sales pitch. This post is about the value of a professional headshot no matter who you hire.

My Thoughts……

1) 10 years without a pro headshot in an industry that most are using professional headshots. Not a good business move.

2) Shopping for a professional headshot based solely on price. Another bad business decision.

Let me put the price point in perspective here before I move on.

1) I work out of a studio in a business district.

2) I shoot as many images as I can in up to 1 hour on multiple backgrounds including outside (optional)

3) The client gets to choose his or her favorite image from the photoshoot which includes basic post production editing and lifetime unrestricted usage rights. The image is delivered as a print file, web file and Linkedin crop file.

In the Raleigh market, most professional headshots range from $100 to $200. I’m in that range. So I know for a fact that I am competitive in the market place plus I do nothing but headshots and commercial photography.

The reaction that I got from my quote was a little shocking but not surprising considering the industry the caller worked in. Although I know other photographers that would shoot for less, he didn’t seem to want to know who they were. All I can guess is that he was looking for a beginner photographer or JcPenney photography pricing model. Because true professionals don’t give away headshots for $49.95.

The reality is that most calls I get end up scheduling while they are on the phone. I give them the overview and the price and we schedule. It’s really a simple process. Although my headshot pricing is about the mid-range for the Raleigh market and actually extremely reasonable for someone with a studio outside of their home, my experience when someone is price shopping is that they rarely call me back. There will likely always be a better price and sometimes those prices come with a catch.

How does $55 for a headshot sound?

That’s what a recent client of mine told me he was quoted for the headshot photoshoot, but the catch was that each image was $125. So in reality the photoshoot with one image is $180 which falls in the $100 to $200 range of Raleigh. However, someone may feel suckered getting int he door for $55. Also, the photographer worked from home which is fine with the exception of asking the potential client to help set up her backgrounds. Needless to say, the $55 plus the add on and asking to help set up backgrounds were two core reasons the man came to me instead.

Professionals Get It Right The First Time

I recently scheduled a headshot appointment with someone who had previously decided to get a headshot at a department store for convenience because she was taking advantage of a special offer to be photographed with her husband. She told me that by the time it was over, the special offer (something like $29.95) and the headshot cost her over $100 and she cannot use the headshot. That’s what I mean by saying: “Professionals Get It Right The First Time.”

True professionals provide professional quality and excellent service or they will not be in business for very long. It is still true that “you get what you pay for” and paying a little extra to hire a true professional that will get it right the first time makes a difference.

When I told a fellow photographer about the story of the man shopping price and the industry that he worked in, my friend who worked in the same industry as the man for 10+ years prior to becoming a photographer texted me the following: “So many of them have a scarcity mentality. They will spend more money trying to figure out how to get by without something or how to get it on the cheap than if they would have just paid for quality.”

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Both images above are stock images to provide a visual.

Yes, I have a studio in a business district. No, I do NOT have a residential home studio. And, Yes, I travel locally and beyond to shoot headshots.

Headshots are one of my core specialties as a business and commercial photographer. But this post is really about the individual needing a professional headshot taken trying to decide what’s the best option for him or her and exploring a few advantages and disadvantages of all three options.

In order for me not to repeat headshots way too many times below, please keep in mind that this post is about options for getting a professional headshot taken for just ONE individual. When exploring your options for a headshot, one of your top questions may need to be, do you have an in home studio, mobile studio and/or business district studio?

Home Photography Studio?
All home studios are not created equal. There are some very large, very professional in home studios that are better than those in a business district. However, in today’s digital age of easy entry into photography, it’s not uncommon for a photographer working out of his or her home to convert an area of the home on an as needed basis in order to do headshots. For example, it may be the photographers dining room, spare room, garage or basement. In the case of the garage or basement, these options may be more dedicated fully as the photographers in home studio. Again, there are a few photographers that have amazing in home studios. Just ask for the details when trying to decide what’s right for you.

Two (OK One) Advantages For You:
1) Potentially lower cost than a photographer who has a studio in a business district. If cost is critical (minor in most cases), this may be a good option for you.
2) Honestly, I don’t have a #2 because most of the advantages for an in home studio in my opinion favor the photographer not the client.

Two Disadvantages For You:
1) You are going to someone’s home whom you’ve never met, so a referral from someone you trust may be important vs. finding a photographer at random.
2) If the photographer is a male and you are a female or vice-versa. then being in a residential home may not be the best option.

True Story: Someone that chose me to do his headshot told me that one of the photographers that he was considering mentioned that if he could help set up for the shoot in her home that she could make it work. He really liked her work, but this and her odd pricing model were two core reasons that he decided to use me instead.

Mobile Photography Studio?
The photographer bringing the studio to you is likely going to be a popular option for headshots. Some photographers don’t have an in home studio or a business district studio. Being mobile is the only way the roll (no pun intended). However, there are cases when it’s multiple staff members in an office that the photographer bringing the studio to the client makes for the most logical choice and works out well. I go to companies on a regular basis for this type of headshot photoshoot.

The advantages and disadvantages below are concerning one  individual needing a headshot taken not several people.

Three Advantages For You:
1) Convenience is one of the best advantages of the studio coming to you.
2) You can get shots taken (if needed) of you in your working environment vs. a studio background.
3) Price can be an advantage or a disadvantage pending how the photographer structures his or her pricing. For example, an advantage would be working with a friend of mine who is a photographer and is 100% mobile (at the time of this post). He is very competitively priced when going on location.

Three Disadvantages For You:
1) It may make a difference if the photographer has to come to your home vs. your office.
2) All of the equipment getting in the way pending the size of the area that the photographer has to set up in could be an obstacle.
3) Price can be an advantage or a disadvantage pending how the photographer structures his or her pricing. For example, a disadvantage would be a photographer that has an in home studio and especially one with a business district studio that has to pack up and load up gear only to unload and setup at your location and then pack back up at your location then drive back to his or her studio and unload and unpack then reset up simple for a one person headshot on a background. That’s a lot of breaking down and setting up which is why I personally charge more to go on location for just one person than I do in studio. The client has the option to decide if the extra cost is worth me bringing the studio to them or them coming to me.

Traditional Business District Photography Studio?
Not all established photographers have a studio in a business district, but I’m one of those that have chosen this route for numerous reasons. I find that individuals needing a headshot like being able to visit a studio that’s surrounded by other businesses. But, rather than continue on, I’ll dive right into the advantages and disadvantages.

Three Advantages For You:
1) The studio is set up and ready to go at all times. In my case, I have two studio rooms with 3 to 4 backgrounds ready to go to keep things moving.
2) There are other businesses located around the business district studio in most cases, so there is a certain level of personal comfort in that.
3) Just like in the mobile section, price can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. In my case, I think price is an advantage to those coming to the studio because I am very competitive (less in many cases) than other studios plus I charge a lot more to go on location for one person vs. one person coming to me.

Two Disadvantages For You:
1) The location of the studio can be a disadvantage if it’s across town, but so could an in home studio. Quality, experience and service may be worth the extra distance though.
2) Just like in the mobile section, price can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. In many cases, a studio in a business district may charge a lot more than small in home studios because of more overhead.

Conclusion:
You have to ask questions about location, cost, experience, etc. to decide what’s best for you. Just ask yourself when comparing an in home studio vs. a mobile studio vs. a business district studio, what are the key advantages and disadvantages for my personal needs? Which option based on multiple factors is truly best for me?

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Can you guess what industry the lady above is in? If you guessed the travel industry, you are correct.

Although she did get two other more traditional shots seen below, she decided to have a fun one in the mix. Even if you are in a more traditional business field that is far more serious than the travel industry, you can still add some variety to your headshot session and not just go with the ordinary. Any good professional photographer will mix up your photoshoot enough to at least give you the opportunity to see something a little different even if it is as simple as a background change.

You might be set in your ways and only want the classic headshot which is perfectly fine. However, if you will allow the photographer just a little creative room, you may end up with something you would have never thought you would like.

A classic example that I run into on a regular basis that subjects like more than they thought they would is taking a few shots with arms crossed. Notice the image above with arms crossed is both colorful with the necklace and pleasant because of the smile. I do a lot of headshots and based on my initial feedback from most people, the percentage who like a shot with their arms crossed is very high.

Another way to get some variety in your headshot session is to have some of the shots taken horizontally like the large one at the top of this post. White space can be effective and in most cases, the image can also be cropped and used vertically.

Whether you want to have as much fun as this lady is having in the passport image or be more traditional because of the industry you are in, you should at least try something a little different. You just might like it. You may also have other uses for the image rather than making it your LinkedIn profile picture.

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Horizontal Headshot Taken in North Raleigh Studio By David Williams Of DWPPC

FYI, before I dive in, the head/hair does not have to be cut into. Some people like that and others don’t. So make sure whomever you hire for your headshots knows your preferences. In my case, I leave head room and crop after the fact if needed.

It’s not rocket science to turn the camera horizontally when shooting headshots. It actually give a different feel to the image with the added white space.

The headshot above was taken in my North Raleigh studio while doing a headshot session for business use. This is 1 of 3 images that the lady pictured choose.

Keep in mind that a photographer’s portfolio will likely only be a sampling of what he or she is capable of. The online portfolio will likely not include every background, every pose and every possible image that you can image.

The key to working with a headshot photographer is to discuss what your needs are and what you like (show the photographer examples). But you should also give the photography some range (within reason) of what he or she thinks might work. In my case, I find that clients are often pleasantly surprised when they tried a pose that they may not have thought they would like.

The nice thing about horizontal headshots is that they can also be cropped vertically without a lot of manipulation. If a headshot is taken vertically, white space can be added in post production with extra editing time, but that’s likely not  the best route to go. The photographer will actually compose horiztonal shots differently than vertical shots.

If you are considering hiring a professional headshot photographer, ask yourself these 7 questions:
1) Do I like the portfolio? That’s obviously a must but ties to #2 below.
2) Do I think this photographer can be creative outside his or her portfolio and match some styles that I like?
3) Does the photographer have an in home studio, business district studio or brings the studio to me?
4) Do I think that this photographer will be easy to work with?
5) What’s included in the price that I am paying?
6) Does the photographer include or offer post production editing (Photoshop/Lightroom/etc.)?
7) What kind of experience does the photographer have with headshot photography and is it a core part his/her business?

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HDR Image of DEA in front of an abandoned warehouse. Image Copyright David Williams

The image on the left was taken in Lee County North Carolina on a full day commercial photoshoot for an international brand. The image was taken near the end of the day and was just 1 of 5 locations the day encompassed.

Although several people have told me it looks like a gaming image which I consider a compliment, it’s actually not for a gaming company. It’s just a quick creative HDR of 1 of 1,400+ shots that I took on location throughout the day. I’m not sure how the client will use the image. 

The title of this blog post is “North Carolina Commercial Photographer – David Williams Based In Raleigh,” but in reality, I travel throughout the United States and Internationally. I used North Carolina in this title because I did this commercial photoshoot outside of the Raleigh are but still in North Carolina.

Being a commercial photographer is something that I really enjoying doing. It’s nice to be able to shoot on location, do cool shots like this one and get paid to do it. Business and commercial photography is all I do. I have friends that are passionate about wedding photography and I’m more than happy to refer weddings to them. For me, I am super passionate about the commercial side of photography. Like my friends who love doing weddings, I love doing commercial photography and I’m happy to be based in Raleigh NC. I have no desire to re-locate to New York or Los Angeles. 

Commercial photography is different than consumer photography in two core ways.

1) The images are typically used for commercial use in various types of media like print, web, trade shows, publications, etc. For example, the images from this photoshoot are intended for worldwide use to promote the brand (which I’m not naming here).

2) The end client is typically a company or an agency not an everyday consumer. For me, I love working with business professionals, the director of marketing, creative directors, art directors, agencies and the like. 

In many of my posts, I try to provide information that is beneficial to a photographer who may want to pursue what I am talking about and to a potential client who may be interested in hiring me for what I am talking about:

Are you a company or agency that stumbled across this page and need to hire a commercial photographer?

Here are some things to help you out if you’d like to considering hiring me:

1) Take a look at my partial client list.
2) My commercial photography page is by no means all inclusive. I have shot products for a global brand that cannot be posted on my site for numerous reasons.
3) I’m not right for every commercial photography need nor is most any other photographer right for every need. But I am very experienced and easy to work with.
4) I do have liability insurance coverage.
5) I travel wherever a car, train, boat, jet or my feet will get me to.

You can reach me direct at 919.723.8453 or use the web form on my site to request a quote.

Are you a photographer wanting to start out in commercial photography or transition from consumer photography to commercial photography?

My advice in the next few sentences will be basic and is not meant to provide all the answers for your journey. Here are several things to consider:

1) You should try assisting a commercial photographer.
2) You should build a portfolio that represents your style that all commercial clients will not like, but those that do will hire you for your style.
3) You will learn quickly that working with consumer clients and commercial clients can be different in numerous ways which will not be listed here.
4) You should start working with commercial clients and agencies no matter how small in order to build your business. Bigger opportunities will come.
5) Shoot with the best gear that you can afford. Don’t show up to a commercial shoot with one camera body and a kit lens. 
6) Get some liability insurances. If you don’t, you will likely lose some commercial photoshoots. Oh, it’s typically NOT expensive.

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Prominent Raleigh Attorney Photographed At His Raleigh Office

On location executive portraits are just one of the areas that I focus on in the commercial and business photography segment of my business. The image above was taken in a North Raleigh Law Office of a well known Raleigh Attorney that advertises on TV very often in the Raleigh market. I managed to get numerous usable shots of him in 3 different outfits in about 45 minutes. However, I did have help: Two Assistants and A Makeup/Clothing Professional along with the head of marketing for the law firm. But in my world of commercial photography, all of that is not uncommon.

This post is not really about executive portraits though. It’s really about “What Are You Passionate About?” as a photographer. Why are you focusing on the segment(s) of the industry that you a pursuing? Are you truly focused on the right market segment?

Photographers should pursue the core area(s) they are truly passionate about and not go after a market segment because of the potential financial benefit. For example, a friend of mine is passionate about wedding photography, but I a have ZERO desire to shoot weddings. I am passionate about commercial and business photography. Why?

There are several reasons that I am passionate about commercial and business photography.

1) I love working with busy professionals (some well known) and getting results for them quickly.
2) I love the varying dynamics of a commercial assignment compared to a consumer photoshoot.
3) I love how the images will be used which is often in publications, other print media, advertising, on a company website, etc.
4) I love the fast paced environment of corporate events and literally having seconds to get the shot.
5) I love negotiating contracts and closing new business. That’s a non-photography motivator.
6) I love the travel involved. It’s nice to get out of the studio and it’s nice to travel the US. But not all the time.
7) I love working with marketing professionals, creative directors, agencies, etc. that are often involved in commercial assignments.
8) I love doing individual headshots because I a passionate about capturing the personality of one single person.

This list is NOT all inclusive but are things that literally came to me as I started typing. If you are a photographer and cannot list numerous reasons why are you focused on the area(s) of photography that you are focused on and do it without hardly thinking about it, you may want to reconsider your area of focus. Notice that the closest thing to money in my 8 quick points above is #5 not all 8.

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I shot nearly 1,000 images on this commercial shoot and this single image was the only one that had issues in RAW. The JPG file was fine.

I love having dual card slots in my Canon 5D MarkIII. The RAW image to the left did not show properly in Lightroom or Photoshop. It was not usable. However, as I do with all on location commercial photoshoots or corporate events these days, I set my 5D3 to shoot to both the Compact Flash and SD card at the same time. I also shoot a smaller JPG along with RAW to both cards. Dual cards is a feature that I don’t know of any consumer cameras having the ability to do.

There may have been a recovery solution that would have worked from the RAW file, but thanks to having dual card slots and shooting to both cards, I didn’t have to jump through hoops to attempt recovery. I’m still baffled as to why this ONE single RAW file out of nearly 1,000 images was not usable on just one of the cards. Logic tells me that it must have been a card issue since the other card worked fine.

Not every professional will agree with this next statement, but if you shoot professionally, you should consider owning a professional camera with dual card slots. This is just one example of when it could come in handy. My primary reason for shooting to two cards at once is to have a backup of my images on another card. In some cases, I may keep the images on the second card for several weeks. I did that when I shot a 5 day event in Canada with over 5,000 images. It was nice to have a second card to hang on to until the images were delivered to the client.

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Law Firm Commercial Photoshoot In Durham NC

One of my favorite types of photography is shooting images in office environments around the Raleigh-Durham area. The image above was shot at a law firm in Durham. You can see lots more of my around the office images that were shot in and around the Raleigh area on the around the office page.

It’s true that stock images are cheap and professional looking, but there are two core problems with stock images: 1) They often look too canned and polished in my opinion. 2) They are NOT the actual people working in the office that clients will meet.

When someone visits the law firm that the attorney above works for, the individual can actually meet the person that they may have seen when looking at the website. Many of the commercial office images that I take are not just traditional headshots but are of real staff doing something in their office like the shot above. The overall brand is reinforced better when using the actual team vs. buying stock images. Stock images should really only be place holders on a website until the company can hire a professional commercial photographer to get shots like the one above done along with some traditional headshots that the staff members can use on their LinkedIn Profile, Company Website, etc.

Don’t cut corners by trying to use a consumer camera to do office shots and headshots in house or even worse, a cellphone. The shot above was taken with Canon Pro Camera using shallow depth of field and a studio strobe for lighting. An experienced commercial photographer is worth the investment (not expense) when it comes to your brand.

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I don’t know what it is with so many people using selfies for their LinkedIn profile and especially images shot inside their car. I just saw someone who updated their LinkedIn headshot a few minutes ago post a headshot taken in the backseat of a car. What’s up with that? That’s not the only inside of a car LinkedIn profile shot that I’ve seen.

LinkedIn’s current search result comes up as follows… “LinkedIn:World’s Larges Professional Network – Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.” Nothing about that says, “Please post a poorly done cellphone selfie and be sure you are in your car when you take the shot because that will really help you professionally.”

I am not writing this post begging for headshot business. Those that get it will choose me or another professional to take their headshot. The post is meant to get anyone reading it to think about their PROFESSIONAL IMAGE online especially when it comes to a LinkedIn profile headshot. Does a cellphone selfie really provide the best possible individual brand image? Hmmm… probably not. Will a professional headshot taken by a professional photographer make a difference in the way others perceive someone on professional level? It’s a pretty safe bet that it will.

The young lady pictured to the right above is an attorney. Does the image of her represent her better professionally than a cellphone selfie shot in her car? I’d say yes. Personally, I wouldn’t want to hire an attorney, life coach, business consultant or other professional who had a poorly done (selfie) headshot on their LinkedIn profile. To me, it shows that the person doesn’t really care about their professional image, so why should I care about doing business with them? For a law firm looking to hire an attorney, would the cellphone selfie in a car or the image above on the right give a better impression? That’s a no brainer, obvious answer.

The key point for anyone reading this using a cellphone selfie and especially one inside their car is to seriously consider finding a professional photographer to have a truly professional headshot taken. If that’s me, great. If not, leave it to another professional photographer. There is still a huge benefit to hiring a professional photographer for certain pictures of yourself even with all the cellphone selfies taken these days. Your headshot is YOUR brand.

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