HEADSHOTS VS. PORTRAITS
During a headshot session, we keep the camera up close and personal. All the images are captured from the chest up while we concentrate on coaching you toward your best expression. That's 100% on us and something we pride ourselves upon. We'll coach you throughout the entire process to not only capture superb imagery but to educate you on what angles and expressions work best for you. We often vary the background colors and love a variety of clothing changes throughout the session. As you can see from our work, we have created beautiful lighting headshot specific and matches of aesthetic that we believe will have you looking your best.
Our portrait sessions are where we love getting creative and vary things up quite a bit. We'll be including portraits along with your headshots, so you'll have an assortment of different backgrounds, lighting and we change the camera's proximity to the subject as well. So you'll walk away with a broader range of pictures and everything you'll need for your branding purposes.
ABOUT THE SESSION
We will be capturing and reviewing the images together as we go. Inspecting the shots in this way helps us to determine their viability for your use. In doing so, we will be able to adjust the session's focus to account for anything we feel you could additionally benefit from along the way.
PURCHASING IMAGES
At the end of the session, we'll sit down and review each shot from the entire shoot individually. After discarding the clear images that you won't need, we'll hone in on the ones you'll end up keeping. Throughout this process, we'll be narrowing down your selection, so you only leave with the best of the best. We consult our clients on things like expression, what can and can't be done in the retouch, and make sure you have an excellent range of shots to utilize from your shoot. As a result, there is variety for you from the session. By the end, you'll determine the images you are going to purchase and know they are the cream of the crop. They will go off to the retoucher and be delivered to you a week later.
CLOTHING
Feel free to bring a range of different options for clothing. The #1 rule for us is that you have to love it! If you don't feel comfortable in it, you most likely won't shoot well while wearing it. We suggest you bring a range of different cuts, colors, and necklines. For our corporate clients, we like the men to have a variety of jacket/shirt/tie combos, and for the women, some options of blouse/dress/jacket combos. Keeping jewelry to a minimum is critical, studs or small earrings work, and simple necklaces, anything hanging or chunky, will usually draw too much attention to themselves. If you wear glasses and have multiple pairs, then we'd appreciate you bringing them along to ascertain their glare factor; if you have any doubt about whether something will work or not, get it. Layers are fantastic for the actors and no need to be seasonal; everything from t-shirts, tank tops to sweaters, and light jackets can work. Have some fun with this. If you feel your wardrobe is missing something, then go shopping, and we'll keep the tags on it in case you'd like to return the items after the shoot. We have a steamer in the studio, so we'll be able to sort out any wrinkling for you quickly.
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Women's makeup:
Makeup for the session is not required but highly recommended for all women. During your session, the cost for makeup is listed above and includes hair help.
The makeup is applied specifically for the lighting we use, and we usually start very naturally to give you a clean, simple look. We do touch-ups and add subtle changes to the makeup as the shoot progresses. If you'd like to start a little heavier on the makeup, we are happy to do that as well; just let us know.
Women's hair:
We ask that everyone come in with their hair ready the way you would like to present yourself. We want your hair in your pictures to be as close as possible to the way you look on a fantastic hair day and can't have you showing up to the studio as if you just rolled out of bed. Of course, our makeup artist is there to make sure it's shoot-ready, and we will discuss what you'd like to do with it and make a game plan at the beginning of the shoot.
If you need a significant overhaul hair-wise or naturally curly and want to go straight, there may be an extra $50 charge for our makeup artist to blow it out for you. Make sure you discuss this with us before your session to be on the same page.
Men:
We don't recommend makeup on men, but our makeup artist can provide light grooming for skin and hair on the shoot if you like. Just inquire with us about pricing before your session. Also, our professional retouching usually covers any issues that may arise skin-wise, so there are no worries in that dept.
Facial Hair:
If you'd like to shoot with facial hair, we'd be happy for you to come in with whatever level of growth you'd like and can shave or trim it down once we've gotten the scruff covered. Bring whatever grooming products you'll need with you to get it done.
SCHEDULING AND PAYMENTS
We usually are available for shooting Monday through Friday, and we typically schedule 1-2 sessions a day starting around 11 am. We are happy to tweak the time of your booking, so feel free to request the best time that might work for you. We ask that you don't schedule anything important right after your shoot if we think we need a little more time with you.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to book a spot on our calendar. The fee is due when booking a shoot date and time. You may book online here or contact the studio, and we will get you set up with a perfect session for you. If the times that are shown available don't work for you, but you'd like that specific day, just reach out to us and ask! We are flexible and, at times, can get you in on a weekend if need be as well.
We accept cash checks and Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, and ACH transfers. The remaining balance is due the day of the session.
We work with freelance makeup artists, and you will be paying them directly; they require cash on the day of the shoot.
All deposit checks can be made payable to Peter Hurley Photography and mailed to our NY studio address: 134 W 26th St. Suite 1203, New York, NY 10001
