Why, “I only need one head shot.” is a lie

Why it’s never JUST ONE PHOTO.

Every single year and every single month, I get at least one inquiry saying, “I only need one head shot, how much do you charge?”

Well, here’s a REAL LIFE EXAMPLE of what that actually means.

In 2012 before he ever began helping me with the ever growing photography business Jeremiah a family member told me, “Hey I need a last minute head shot session”. I told him the procedure, and what we could set up. He insisted, “I only need one. We can go, take a shot, and it’ll be done. It will only take 5 minutes.” One of the most common statements I get when talking with someone about their head shot session is, “It will only take you 5 minutes”. So, you can image the eye-roll

I had going on when those words came out of his mouth. ;)

 That day, we picked a day and found a location for his one image.

We chose a spot that he wanted as a background for his one head shot session, and I shot not just one, but two images for him, then said, “Okay, we’re set! (:”

He followed with, “What..?”

I said, “Well, you insisted that you only needed one good photo and it would only take me 5 minutes.”

He then wanted to see the raw image on my camera. I showed him the image and explained that the way he looked, was more closed off than approachable. Then ended it with, “..but you insisted you didn’t need anytime to warm up, you told me you just needed one image, and you gave me your word that it would only take 5-minutes of my time. So, I will go ahead and edit this and let you know when it’s finished.”

Then It finally clicked for him.  He finally understood why head shot sessions take a little longer than just 5 minutes.

No matter how certain you are that you’re always “camera ready” sometimes that’s just not the case. Different poses, different outfits, different “looks”, and entirely different photographs are always better to have, than just that “one image” that will only take me “five minutes”. Honestly, I still have to use gas and my time to drive to the head shot session, shoot the head shot session “for 5 minutes”, drive home from the head shot session, then edit that image, and deliver the image. Unfortunately it does take me longer than 5 minutes to capture and produce one image.

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Orange County Family Photographer, Kincannon Photography is a professional photographer in Orange County, California capturing newborn, seniors, dog, children and family portraits.

Kincannon Photography is based in Yorba Linda, and serves all surrounding areas including Newport Beach, Irvine, Corona Del Mar, Brea, San Juan Capistrano, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Villa Park, Laguna Beach, Newport Coast, and other surrounding Orange County metro areas.