FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Our Headshot Sessions

Your headshot session will be a collaboration between us. Maybe it's at our studio (we control lighting and weather), maybe it's on location at your office, maybe it's outside, maybe it's on a stage. We can decide that together; Deutsch Photography does it all. Look, you know your brand, your goals, what you want to convey. We know how to express that through your headshots. It's a zero-pressure environment, relaxed and productive. If possible, let's do a call or Zoom beforehand so we're clear about your goals. If it's a corporate headshot, what kind of impression do you want to make? Warm and friendly? Confident and powerful? Curious and engaged? If you're an actor, what "type" are you? Nerdy hero, sensitive outcast, quirky ingenue, wacky best friend? We’ll direct you when needed, and sometimes we'll just play around with whatever poses you want. We’ll try different angles and lighting. Sometimes we shoot frames in rapid fire succession, sometimes slowly and deliberately. The end goal is to capture those moments when your eyes, mouth, body language and inner self converge into an expressive, compelling picture. Along the way, we’ll review images on my camera and/or monitor to make adjustments on the fly. Before we wrap, we’ll both know you nailed your headshot!

Read our Guide to Great Headshots. It's a quick read with practical advice, like:

a. What image do you want your headshot to convey? If you're in the business world, what are you trying to project? Intelligence? Reliability? Leadership? Warmth? If you're an actor, know your “type” and be prepared to be that type during the shoot. If you don’t know your type(s), talk to your agent, manager, acting teacher, colleagues, etc.

b. Practice posing in front of a mirror. You might feel silly, but it helps. Trust me.

c. You know the routine to make your skin and eyes look their best, so do it...and:

• for 72 hours before the shoot, hydrate and stay out of the sun

• moisturize

• get lots of sleep the night before.

d. If you plan on using a makeup artist, come to the shoot with your face clean, product-free, and moisturized.

e. Take care of any beauty treatments (haircut & color, eyebrow shaping, tanning, etc.) well in advance of the shoot (preferably a week or two ahead) so the treatments are fresh but look natural.

Meeting before the shoot gives you a chance to ask all the questions this FAQ section hasn’t answered, and it gives us a chance to learn what type of shots you’re looking for. I’ll also learn what you look like and what ‘type’ you are, which helps me plan the photo shoot accordingly.

More importantly, by meeting ahead of time, we’ll get to know each other which results in a more relaxed, fun session.

General Rules & Advice

• The length of the shoot dictates how many changes of clothes you can make. Depending, bring at least 3 tops to choose from, with varying colors and collars. Or, if you're doing our Exec30 shoot, bring a scarf, jacket or tie to change your look with minimal effort. Think about what you wear when you want to nail your presentation, make the sale, or wow the casting director.
• Bring clothes you like and that like you (be comfortable!)
• Solid colors are usually best since patterns and busy prints can distract from your face. Express your personal style, but don't wear things that might divert attention from that beautiful mug of yours.
• Subtly textured clothes and fine weaves often look good.
• If you’re Caucasian or light-skinned, solid white shirts can drain you of color (unless you're wearing a jacket or scarf).
• No logos (unless you have a corporate sponsor, at which point load 'em on!).
• Choose colors that complement your skin tone and eye color. Fair skin and blue eyes? Try blues, pinks and grays. Green eyes? Try browns, greens and oranges. Medium or dark skin and brown eyes? You can probably wear most colors, but avoid any that closely match your skin tone (contrast generally is key).
• Women: bring undergarments that match the variety of your tops’ colors and necklines.
• Don't let your jewelry make a bigger statement than you do.
• If you wear glasses, it would be great if you can remove the lenses. If not, we'll work around it.
• Make sure your clothes are pressed and clean. I have a steamer if things get a little wrinkled in transit.

Clothes for Different Types of Looks

• Commercial Looks: Casual clothes & lighter/brighter colors. Sporty and fun. Layer light and dark clothes for contrast.

• Theatrical (TV/Stage/Film): Upscale, fitted but not too tight, & darker colors.

For women: Good options are fitted tops, smooth fabrics, scoop, turtle or v-necks, spaghetti straps and tasteful tanks.

For men: Dress shirts, crew necks, textured sweaters, v-neck and turtle necks. Create contrast by layering t-shirt, collared shirt, and/or jacket.

• Business Looks: Clothes, whether suits, dresses or business casual, should be modern and fit well. Think twice about anything too flashy that might distract attention from you.

Many people dislike being photographed, so coaching is a major part of our process. We'll guide you through posture, angles, expression, and eye contact throughout the session. We want to create images that are approachable, confident, and authentic -- not stiff or overly posed.

If time permits, let's go through the pictures at the end of the shoot to make an initial selection of your favorites.

Then, we’ll delete the bad ones and roughly edit the rest (cropping plus color/exposure-corrections). We'll create an online gallery, usually within 5 business days. If you want, you can share your pictures with your friends, family, marketing department, creative director, agent, etc. to get their advice.
After you select a limited number of favorites, let's talk about different crops and retouching in case there's something specific you want. Then we’ll retouch the images and email you the results for your approval. After you get back to us, we’ll send you high resolution versions of the final images. If you're having any of the images printed, we're happy to recommend printers whose work we trust.

Yes 🙂

The choice is yours – both have advantages.

In our studio, we have complete control over the lighting, and can use a simple, undistracting backdrop. Plus, it’s private and the weather is always good.

If you want a workplace shot--say, an environmental portrait--let's discuss what kind of lighting is available so I can supplement it with whatever is necessary to make you look great. Conference room lights are not always the most flattering, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to work around that.

Outside, we have beautiful, natural light, which at the right time of day is the most flattering light. Many people feel more relaxed outdoors without the formality of studio lights. And, we can choose a setting that fits the look you want – urban/gritty, rural/bucolic, etc.

For information about prices, check out our packages and rates.

Some people wear makeup, some don't. Above all else, you be YOU. We've worked with several makeup artists whom we know and trust, and are happy to make arrangements for their services. For info about pricing, check out our headshot pricing details. Makeup artists should be paid directly by you with cash or check.

Absolutely! Here's more information, and feel free to call or email us with questions.

After the session, we'll send you a curated gallery of the strongest images from your shoot. Your package includes professionally retouched final selections, and additional images can be purchased if you want more options. We focus on quality rather than overwhelming clients with hundreds of similar photos.

We accept cash, Venmo, Zelle, ACH, checks and credit cards. Credit cards have an additional processing fee. Please pay the makeup artist directly with cash or check.

Yes. We require a 50% deposit to reserve the date of your session.

Life is crazy, and we understand cancellations are sometimes unavoidable. If you need to cancel, please do so at least 7 days in advance. After that there’s a 50% cancellation fee (or 75% if less than 24 hours). However, if inclement weather forces us to cancel an outdoor shoot, we'll apply the deposit to a rescheduled shoot.

We've photographed people in: law, finance, real estate, architecture, healthcare, fitness, psychology, tech, consulting, tourism, fashion, food & beverage, construction, movers, actors, restaurants, catering, publishers, music, cybersecurity, models, seminary, advertising, marketing, academia, public relations, authors, and more. Oh! And calligraphy! That's right, folks. We photographed the White House calligrapher. And we also photographed the busker on our corner (he's great -- please say hi to Sandy!). In other words, we've got you covered.