The Business of Professional Headshots
The Business of Professional Headshots
Class Description
Professional headshots are an easy addition to nearly every photographer’s list of services and in this class you’ll get up-to-speed on everything you need to know to launch a headshot business. You’ll learn:
- 6 Primary styles of corporate headshots
- The gear that gets the job done
- Basic posing theory
- How to get clients and manage inquiries
- Retouching, organizing, and delivery tips and techniques
You’ll also get to watch Gary in action as he demonstrates shooting and retouching a variety of headshot styles.
If you want to bring home more money and book more business during your slow times, don’t miss this comprehensive guide to running a lucrative headshot business from Gary Hughes.
Lessons
- Class Overview
- Getting Headshot Clients
- Headshot Pricing Models for Individuals
- Headshot Pricing Models for Groups and Companies
- Payment and Delivery for Groups
- Six Styles of Business Headshots
- Headshot Lighting Gear
- Posing Basics for Headshots
- Basic Standing Pose for Headshots
- Basic Seated Pose for Headshots
- Head Position for Headshots
- Expression Sells the Image
- One-Light High Key Headshot with Male Model
- One-Light High Key Headshot with Female Model
- Two-Light High Key Headshot with Male Model
- Two-Light High Key Headshot with Female Model
- Two-Light Standing Pose Headshot with Male Model
- Two-Light Standing Pose Headshot with Female Model
- High Key Modern Headshot with Male Model
- High Key Modern Headshot with Female Model
- General Q&A
- Constant Light: Low Key Classic Headshot with Male Model
- Constant Light: Low Key Classic Headshot with Female Model
- Constant Light: Standing Pose Headshot with Male Model
- Constant Light: Standing Pose Headshot with Female Model
- Setting up the Background for Extraction Shoot
- Shooting for Extraction Headshot with Male Model
- Shooting for Extraction Headshot with Female Model
- Shooting Low Key Modern Headshots for Extraction
- Basic Headshot Facial Retouching Techniques
- Basic Headshot Eye Retouching Techniques
- Basic Headshot Retouching Techniques: Dodge and Burn
- Basic Headshot Retouching Q&A
- Extracting a Single Subject
- Creating a Headshot Composite
- F-Type Headshot Lighting: Equipment and Principle
- F-Type Headshot Lighting: Execution
- Shooting Headshots in Volume
Reviews
Melville McLean
Gary Hughes is possibly the best teacher I have seen here and that is a very high compliment. His business analysis is simple and to the point. His set ups and techniques are simple and straight forward, no easy task in itself. His interactions with his models/clients are finely developed and reduced into the fewest but most important key exchanges. He teaches by example how to interact and direct. If you are a high volume photography with brief time per sitter, you might especially appreciate his tips. It is extraordinarily difficult to keep a tight, well structured class going live for so long at a time. His intelligence, wit and personality are all in his favor but it is the content itself that is most impressive. I am not a portrait photographer but I have 30 years of commercial studio experience. He knows what is most important, leaves out the rest and has organized the material in anticipation of most difficulties that arise so that it rests in a seamless, smooth, coherent learning experience. All of his practical advice is excellent. Just understand that his work is about doing a relatively large number of shots in the most efficient way rather than a lot of time spent on a few clients for a completely different format [presentation like very large prints. In fact he is especially pragmatic. He emphasizes that you do not have to own the most expensive equipment but you absolutely do have to know how to use the equipment that you already have. And I am telling you this as someone he makes fun of in his course with fancy cameras and Profoto lighting gear. He is an advocate of all thought out approaches as well as relying on skills and knowledge. You will understand how and why to make all of his key, conventional light and posing set ups. He makes everything sound simple and doable -- and with his help -- it is. What you have to appreciate is that it is up to each individual to acquire the specialized skills to make our work compelling enough to be competitive. The unspoken truth that we all face is that talent plays a key role as well and that it takes time to become every accomplished. But I have also seen concentration, commitment and hard work result in developing innate talents that blossom in very successful careers. Mr Hughes reduces every step into the clearest, most essential components. He is self effacing both as a photographer and post process retoucher but he is very good indeed and does not waste time overdoing images that cannot benefit from a larger format presentation. Everything is appropriate and practical. He has already removed everything that does not matter for his purposes for us that would only interfere with the concise, clarity of his presentation.
Roan
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to watch this course. It has not only provided valuable lighting set-ups, but also great basics for posing.!. The Photoshop extraction technique Gary demonstrated was icing on the cake. Gary did a great job teaching and I greatly admired the technique in which he taught. Thanks for a great class!
aodeal
This was an excellent class! The class covered so much information and great tips and ideas. Gary is funny and has an easy going approach, which makes the class that much more enjoyable. As a struggling pet photographer, I have been trying to find something to supplement my business with that does not involve children/babies, or shooting weddings again and headshots seemed to be a great option. After watching this class, I feel confident building up a headshot component to my business. Definitely recommend this class!