Hear from Our Customers
Your LinkedIn profile gets updated. Your website finally has a headshot that doesn’t make you cringe. Your business card shows someone who looks approachable and competent at the same time.
That’s what happens when you’re not fighting the camera the entire session. When someone’s actually directing you through the process instead of just clicking and hoping. When the lighting is set up to work with your features, not against them.
You walk away with images you’re confident sharing. The kind that make people want to work with you because you look like someone who has their act together. No stiff corporate pose that screams “I hate having my picture taken.” Just you, looking like the professional you are.
We’ve been shooting portraits and commercial photography in Houston since 1974. That’s over 50 years of figuring out how to make executives, professionals, and people who hate cameras look natural.
We’ve worked with ad agencies, corporate clients, and plenty of people in Hedwig Village and the Memorial Villages who just needed a headshot that didn’t feel like a chore. The process is straightforward because we’ve done it thousands of times. You’re not our test run.
Most photographers in the area started with digital. We started with film and a darkroom, which means we actually understand light and composition at a technical level most don’t bother learning anymore. That background shows up in the final image.
You show up. We walk you through what to wear and what works best on camera before you even get here, so you’re not guessing. When you arrive, the lighting is already set up based on what you’re looking for.
We’ll position you, adjust the setup, and guide you through expressions and angles that actually flatter your face. You’re not left wondering if you’re doing it right. We’ll tell you exactly what’s working and what isn’t.
The session itself usually takes about an hour, depending on how many looks you need. You’re not rushed, but you’re also not sitting there for three hours wondering when it’ll be over. After the shoot, you’ll review the images and choose the ones you want. Turnaround is quick because this is a business, not a hobby.
Ready to get started?
You get professional lighting setup, posing direction, and as many shots as it takes to get the right image. That’s not a set number of clicks. It’s however many it takes until you have options you’re happy with.
Wardrobe consultation happens before the session so you’re not showing up in something that photographs poorly. Background options depend on what you’re using the portraits for. Corporate headshots usually need clean, simple backgrounds. Personal branding might need something with more character.
In Hedwig Village and the surrounding Houston area, most executives need headshots for LinkedIn, company websites, or speaking engagements. The session is built around that reality. You’re not paying for artistic experimentation unless that’s specifically what you want. High-resolution digital files are included, and you own them. No weird licensing restrictions or surprise fees for using your own photos.
Solid colors work better than patterns. Patterns can create visual noise on camera, especially fine stripes or tight checks. If you’re getting corporate headshots, wear what you’d wear to an important meeting. If that’s a suit, wear a suit. If your industry is more casual, dress accordingly.
Avoid brand-new clothes you’ve never worn. You’ll spend the whole session adjusting something that doesn’t fit quite right. Wear something you’ve worn before and feel comfortable in. That comfort shows up in your expression.
Bring options if you’re unsure. An extra shirt or jacket takes two minutes to swap out. Houston’s humidity means you might want a backup anyway. And if you wear glasses, bring them. We’ll position lighting to minimize glare, but you should look like you in the final image.
Plan for an hour. That gives enough time to get multiple looks, adjust lighting if needed, and make sure you’re happy with what we’re capturing. If you only need one straightforward headshot, it might take 30 minutes. If you need several different setups or wardrobe changes, it might run closer to 90 minutes.
The actual shooting time is usually shorter than the setup and review time. You’re not sitting under lights for an hour straight. There’s time to look at images on screen, make adjustments, and reshoot anything that’s not working.
Most professionals in Hedwig Village schedule sessions in the morning when they’re fresh and not thinking about everything else they need to do that day. Afternoon sessions work fine too, but you’re usually more relaxed earlier in the day.
Portrait sessions typically range from a few hundred dollars for basic headshots to several thousand for extensive personal branding packages. What you’re paying for is experience, equipment, and the ability to actually direct the session instead of just pointing a camera.
The photographers charging $99 for headshots are usually newer to the business or running volume operations where you’re one of twelve people that day. That’s fine if you just need something fast and don’t care much about the result. But if your headshot is going on your company’s website or you’re using it to attract clients, the difference shows.
We’ve been doing this since 1974. You’re paying for someone who knows how to light your specific face, not just copy the same setup for everyone. Session fees and print costs are discussed upfront. No surprise charges later.
Basic retouching is included. That means color correction, exposure adjustments, and minor blemish removal. You’re not paying extra to remove a pimple that showed up the day of your shoot.
What’s not included is heavy manipulation that changes your actual appearance. If you want significant reshaping, extensive skin smoothing, or alterations that make you look like a different person, that’s additional work. Most professionals don’t want that anyway. Your headshot should look like you on a good day, not like someone else entirely.
The goal is to enhance the image quality, not salvage a bad photo with editing. The lighting and posing are set up correctly during the session, which means less fixing needed afterward. You’ll see proofs before final retouching so you can point out anything specific that bothers you.
Sessions typically happen at our studio in Houston, which is easily accessible from Hedwig Village and the Memorial Villages area. The studio has professional lighting, backdrops, and everything needed for high-quality portraits without the variables of shooting on location.
On-location sessions are available if you need portraits in your office or a specific environment. That works well for corporate team headshots or personal branding that requires a particular setting. Location shoots take longer to set up and usually cost more because of the additional equipment and time involved.
Most executives prefer coming to the studio. It’s a controlled environment, the lighting is consistent, and you’re not dealing with interruptions from coworkers or clients walking by. You can focus on getting the shot done instead of managing everything else happening around you.
You’ll typically see proofs within a few days and receive final retouched images within a week or two. If you have a specific deadline, mention it when scheduling. Rush turnaround is available when needed, especially for professionals who need headshots for an upcoming conference or publication deadline.
The timeline depends partly on how many images you’re having retouched and whether you need prints or just digital files. Digital delivery is faster. Prints require production time from the lab, usually adding another week.
Most clients in Hedwig Village need images quickly for business purposes. That’s factored into our standard workflow. You’re not waiting a month to get photos back. This is a professional operation, not someone doing photography on the side who gets to your images when they feel like it.
Local Resources
Other Services we provide in Hedwig Village
