Headshot Photographer Marketing Tactics Exposed

The headshot photographer charges a premium price, but “isn’t your career worth it?”

You get what you pay for. Right?

Your career may be worth it, but you don’t always get what you pay for.

While we often equate product quality with price, a photographer who charges a premium price doesn’t necessarily provide photos that are better than a photographer who charges much less.

So be careful not to be manipulated into working with a headshot photographer simply because their rates are above the average of other headshot photographers in your area.

In the end, choose a headshot photographer based on the quality of their work and your specific needs.

The headshot photographer implies that if you don’t work with them, it could jeopardize your acting career.

This is a scare tactic intended to motivate you through fear. Of all the good reasons to work with a photographer, making the decision to do so out of fear is not one of them.

It’s just a headshot folks! It’s a photograph. Yes, you want a good one which accurately reflects who you are, but even if that’s not what you get, you’re acting career isn’t over. You have someone else take your headshot!

I know headshots can be a big investment, but as an actor, it’s something you need to grow accustomed to because every time your look evolves, you’ll need a new one. That’s why it’s such a beautiful thing if you find a great photographer who provides the type of shots you like. The chances are good that you’ll get another great shot the next time you get headshots.

And that’s also why it’s a little easier for photographers who have been working in a certain area for a prolonged period of time. Repeat business is beautiful!

Also keep in mind that not every actor who succeeds in Hollywood has an amazing headshot. But whatever it was about their headshot grabbed the attention of the casting director. And whatever it was about their audition, presentation, and acting skills sealed the deal.

Yes, the industry is incredibly competitive and having a professional looking headshot will help you, but it is no guarantee of success. And having a less-than-spectacular headshot is no guarantee that your mission to make it will result in failure. Though obviously between the two, you’ll be giving yourself a better favor by getting a great headshot that showcases the true you.

The headshot photographer claims to know casting directors who love their work.

The idea behind using this in a marketing fashion is that the photographer wants you to believe that due to their relationship with casting directors who love their work, that you’re far more likely to be called in by one of these casting directors if you work with this photographer.

These types of relationships are a beautiful thing, but having your photo taken with a certain photographer is still no guarantee that your photo will be looked at for more than 1/2 a second like everyone else’s.

If you don’t look the part, you don’t look the part.

The photographer has been on TV (so they must be good).

Photographers who have been on TV are proud of the fact, but they also use this “as seen on TV” as a way to make themselves look important or significant in the eyes of others.

The fact a photographer has been on TV is no guarantee that you’ll get better photographs or have a greater experience than working with a photographer who has not.

In the end, judge the photographer’s work, evaluate the costs, and choose the photographer you feel is best able to suit your individual needs.

The headshot photographer highlights the fact that they’ve worked with celebrities.

This is a marketing tactic intended to improve your perception of the photographer by impressing you with the fact they have photographed celebrities. Perhaps recently — or perhaps they are still promoting their brush with fame as far back as the 80’s or 90’s.

This is not in any way a guarantee that the photographs are good — so be sure to look beyond the celebrity and at the photographs themselves.

Many photographers who are in the business of working with VIPs and “high-end clients” do so almost exclusively. They are probably not shooting actor headshots for virtual unknowns — and if they are, then you can expect to pay a premium in the process.