Headshot photographer: 5 questions before you book

01Question 1: How many distinct looks does the session capture?

A specialist will give a specific number (usually 2 to 4) and describe what each look is for: "We capture a commercial look, a theatrical look, and a character look in 75 minutes; you'll select 8 to 12 finals across the three." A generalist will say something like "we make sure we get the shot" or "we just keep shooting until we have enough."

Specialist answer: a specific count, with named looks tied to use cases. Generalist answer: vague descriptions, no named looks.

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02Question 2: How many edited final images are included?

A specialist commits to a number: 5 to 30 depending on tier and number of looks. A generalist often offers "everything we shoot" or "all the keepers," which sounds generous but reveals a workflow that lacks the editing discipline a specialist applies.

Specialist answer: a number, usually with the breakdown by look. Generalist answer: "everything," "all the good ones," or a deferred answer ("we'll figure it out after").

03Question 3: What is your retouching philosophy?

This is the single most-revealing question. A specialist answers with a philosophy: "Temporary blemishes corrected, structural features preserved, no skin smoothing, no jawline reshape, no eye colour change." The phrase "in-person likeness preserved" or its equivalent is the marker of casting-aware practice, and is the same standard education programmes from Peter Hurley and Sue Bryce train working photographers toward. A generalist often answers with "we make you look amazing" or "we do whatever you want," which is a wedding-photography retouching register applied to headshots, where it produces over-edited output.

Specialist answer: a clear philosophy with specific included and excluded retouches. Generalist answer: open-ended retouching, no stated philosophy.

04Question 4: What is your turnaround time?

Specialist: 1 to 4 weeks for the full edited gallery. Some specialists offer faster turnarounds at a premium; some offer slower standard turnarounds for editorial-tier work.

Generalist: often offers same-day or next-day delivery (which signals minimal editing) or 8+ week delivery (which signals a queue clogged with the primary practice).

Specialist answer: 1 to 4 weeks, with options at the edges. Generalist answer: at the extremes, signalling either skipped work or backlogged work.

05Question 5: What is your specialty?

A specialist names it clearly: "I primarily shoot actor headshots; I also do corporate but actor is the focus." Or: "I specialise in corporate-team sessions; my work for individuals is occasional." A generalist who claims to specialise in everything is specialising in nothing.

Specialist answer: a primary specialty, sometimes a secondary, sometimes a clear tertiary. Generalist answer: "I do everything," "all kinds of headshots," or no clear answer.

06What the answers tell you

If a photographer answers all five with specialist precision, you have found the kind of practice you want. Book the session.

If three or four are specialist-precise, the photographer is working but newer to the specialty. Acceptable for entry-tier or mid-tier work; possibly not for high-stakes use cases.

If two or fewer are specialist-precise, the photographer is a generalist who has added headshots to a primary practice in something else. Their output may be technically competent but conventionally mismatched. Move on.

07Where to find specialists

For each specialty, the search differs. Actor specialists are findable through Backstage, Casting Networks, or local theatre referrals. Corporate specialists market on LinkedIn directly and on Google Maps with portfolios full of team-page work. Modelling specialists come through agency referrals at Ford Models and similar. The general "headshot photographer near me" search returns mostly generalists; the specialty search returns specialists.

Compare with AI headshots if your specialty allows. For corporate-permissive use cases or personal LinkedIn, the AI alternative at $15 is competitive with the entry-tier specialist; for casting, modelling, or executive use cases, the specialist is what you are paying for and AI is not the right tool.