How to Organize and Run a Photographer Headshot Swap
If you’re a photographer who needs photos of yourself, this post is for you. I spent a few years asking my husband to take my photos, but I got frustrated with the composition or focus of the images he took. (I still love you, Marc!). Do yourself and your marriage a favor and plan a local photographer headshot swap instead.
What is a Photographer Headshot Swap?
A photographer headshot swap is a planned shoot in which you and other photographers agree to take pictures of each other for free and maybe even go in together on a studio space to hold it. As a photographer, you can take almost all of your marketing photos. The one exception? Your own. However, this problem is widespread, so it makes sense to swap skills with other photographers to help each other out.
Recruit Photographers with Similar Styles and Gear
The most important part…
…is to ensure that the photographers you recruit to exchange with shoot in a similar style, so you are on the same page regarding location and shooting styles.
You can look past editing style but don’t want to include a heavy flash photographer in your swap if you have a natural light style. Imagine meeting in a beautiful natural light location, and your partner starts unpacking a truckload of flash gear—not cool. Conversely, if you are a photographer who heavily relies on flash, imagine pairing up with a natural light photographer who doesn’t have the skill or gear to create the look you are going for in your headshots—also not cool.
It’s also great if you can find photographers with similar pro-level gear. It’s unfair for one photographer to shoot with a $3,000, 85mm f/1.2 lens while their partner shoots with a kit lens.
Select a Date
Once you have your small group of photographers who shoot in a similar style and have comparable experience and gear, you’ll need to agree on a date and location that works for everyone.
Studio or Natural Light?
Rent a Studio or Use Natural Light?
The big question is whether to select a natural light location that could be free for everyone or chip in for a studio space.
I highly recommend using a studio space with a white wall or backdrop if budgets allow it. White background photos fit in easily with most social media grids. They are less noticeable if you use pictures from the same shoot regularly, and it’s much easier to remove the background from images like this. You can easily change the vibe and message by using different furniture or props during the shoot.
Suppose you don’t know where to start setting up simple studio lighting to match your natural style. In that case, we include a course on using a simple, inexpensive studio setup as a bonus in the Kickstart Your Photography Business™ course—a $97 value included. Our gift to you!
It’s not necessary to pay for a studio, though. If everyone in the group is new to owning a business, meet at a public park and use what you have.
Make a Shot List
You don’t want to show up without a good idea of what you need and want from the shoot. These things take time to put together, so you need to get as much variety and value out of every minute you can.
Pack Props
Bring different cameras and lenses, your computer, a coffee mug—get creative! Think about needing to post a photo for every major holiday. Will you be holding a special sale next year? Do you sell albums or Christmas cards? Bring them! Think about the messages you send with your social media posts. How can you visually represent those messages with props or posing? Do you need a photo of yourself for your website that says, “Hi! I’m the photographer!” without words? Should it be horizontally or vertically composed? Make a list!
Swap Memory Cards
Once you all arrive at the location, decide who will be “the client” first. The client will give memory cards to anyone who photographs them, so everyone shoots with their own familiar camera.
Be Clear About Settings and Composition
In many circumstances, not all photographers in the group have learned from the same source, so it’s essential to be crystal clear about what settings you want them to use and how you would like your photos to be exposed and composed.
I’ve found that photographers who shoot in a “Light and Airy” style tend to overexpose their photos a little in camera, whereas I like to edit pictures from a properly exposed image. The difference is only a few clicks, but it can be the difference between highlights getting blown out or not and the ability to edit those parts of the image in the end. We are still a good match for a swap because we are looking for similar lighting and background choices. I just need to be clear about that one piece.
It’s much easier to be upfront and get what you want than to try to edit photos that are out of range for your editing style. I have sometimes gone as far as to set the photographer’s camera for them using the four steps of exposure I teach in the Kickstart Your Photography Business™ course, but be cautious; some photographers may take offense. Your relationship with your fellow photogs is more important than the perfection in camera you may be used to if you’ve learned from LPS. 😜
Review the Photos
Clear is kind.
Be sure to check the back of the photographer’s camera to ensure you are happy with what you see.
If not, say so and give feedback on what you need them to change. Clear is kind. If they don’t know you are unhappy with the photos, they can’t make changes to give you what you want.
Set a Timer
Set a timer to ensure everyone gets the same time in front of the camera to get what they need and want from the shoot. I doubt anyone would attempt to monopolize the shoot on purpose, but it’s easy to get absorbed in what you are doing and not realize that time is slipping away.
Swap Back and Edit Your Own
When the time is up, give the cards back to their owners so they can edit the photos of themselves. This is the one piece that is so different for photographers. Even if we could afford and would like to hire a photographer to take branding photos, we each have a unique editing style that we need for our branding photos. So, it’s best if we can edit our own.
Make Friends!
Making friends with other professionals in your industry is a fun way to grow.
Agree Not to Tag
Most people will assume you took your own branding photos. And that’s how you want it to be. So, agree not to tag each other when you post them. It’s much less confusing to your clients. And, since the photos are not edited in the style of the person who took them, they probably don’t want to be misrepresented with your edit anyway. Trust me, it’s much easier for everyone this way.
The off-season over the winter is the perfect time to set up a headshot swap to prepare yourself for next year. To get started, ask your photographer friends and make a post in a local Facebook group for photographers. Make plans to go out to dinner afterward to get to know each other better and support a local restaurant. Have fun!
