I’m not gonna lie, quality headshot photography can be expensive. But it’s worth it. For a professional at the top of their game, there’s so much value to be gained from quality headshots.

Got a speaking engagement coming up?

A headshot will be invaluable.

Launching your new medical practice?

A quality headshot will show your patients who you are and establish trust.

Building a personal brand on LinkedIn?

Stand out with an incredible portrait.

Firstly though, what will a headshot in Melbourne cost you?

Melbourne headshot costs.

Photography is like many things in life, you get what you pay for. It’s like saying how much will a pair of shoes cost? It could be anything from $10 on Temu to $3000 for a pair of Louboutins.

As a rough guide, the price in Melbourne for a headshot will range from about $150 AUD to about $500 AUD for a base package which usually includes 1 or 2 headshots that are retouched (Photoshopped). My business charges $399 AUD for the Headshot Flexi package which is 20 minutes shooting time and 2 imaged retouched (Photoshopped).

Truth be told, I don’t make a lot of money of headshots for one person. By the time I take out studio costs, time to setup and pack-down (about 2 hours), editing time and all other costs, there’s not a lot left over. Do I want sympathy? No! It’s just useful to understand how things are priced.

I’m now going to explain these costs.

1. Equipment costs.

Photography is an equipment heavy profession. A professional camera starts at about $4000 AUD. Lenses are between $2000 and $6000 AUD.

Laptops and Desktop computers powerful enough to handle large files are $3000 – $6000 AUD.

Then there’s lighting, lighting stands and miscellaneous costs. Everything professional grade costs more. Even a plastic lens cap can be $100!

You get the picture. It’s expensive.

2. The skill, experience and talent of the photographer.

Like any professional, the skill and experience of photographer’s is varied. It is an art form of sorts and not every photographer is a Davinci. I have about 20 years experience and price accordingly. When you pay more, in essence you are paying a premium to avoid failure.

I have many, many clients who come to me after they tried to save some money and went with the cheapest photographer they could find. I’ve developed a reputation as the photographer who fixes bad photographers work.

As my mother used to say, buy cheap, buy twice! So think very carefully when you get the cheapest. You might get lucky and pick someone with a lot of raw talent starting out, but they aren’t always easy to spot with an untrained eye.

When reviewing the photographer’s work. Have a close look at their galleries on their website. Do the people look relaxed? Are they sharp? Are the colours pleasing and natural looking? Are the poses natural looking? Do the photos have a nice energy to them? Do they have a large body of work? Read their reviews carefully.

3. Retouching or Photoshop.

There’s something of an urban myth that Photoshop is a quick process that takes seconds to do. While some things have improved with AI, it’s still a labour intensive process. It’s also a highly skilled art that takes years to master. Lower quality photographers may cheat by blurring the skin or outsourcing to low quality retouchers.

Look carefully at the editing work of a photographer you are hiring. Does it look natural? Does the skin still have texture?

Retouching is usually included in most headshot packages and ads to the cost.

4. The costs of running a photography business.

Some of the less obvious things you might not have thought about. Studio rent, particularly high if the studio is in the CBD. Insurance, software subscriptions. I’d estimate my professional software subscriptions would total about $300 AUD a month.

Client communication and time spent is another factor affecting cost.

5. Customisation of a photoshoot and personal brand strategy.

Time spent communicating with clients and customising and planning photoshoots and strategy all take time and add to cost of headshots.

I try wherever possible to talk to clients and find out there needs. I’ll also help them plan their outfit and talk about creative decisions for their photos.

6. Photographers need a living wage.

As a highly trained professional like yourself, your photographer needs a living wage and an income that reflects their experience. And they need to buy cute shoes!

Is all of this a complaint? Absolutely not. But knowing the breakdowns in cost will make you understand the pricing. The average person may think a photographer comes in, takes a photo, sends it to the client and that’s the end of it.

Conclusion.

First up, is it worth it? Absolutely. Not only is it a statement to the world that you are worth it, it’s a valuable investment in your career. Just like a great suit that makes you feel confident, great headshots will provide value to your career over and over.

And of course if you’re in Melbourne, check out some of the links below for some great new headshots.