How much does a professional headshot cost?

Anywhere from nothing to several hundred euros. Here is what each price actually buys, and the one thing worth not saving on.

With a photographer: roughly 100 to 350 euros

A short headshot session usually costs between 100 and 250 euros across most of Europe and includes five to ten retouched images. Longer sessions of an hour or more, with several outfits and twenty or more edited files, tend to fall between 250 and 350 euros. In London, Zurich and other expensive cities expect the upper end.

What you get is genuine quality: controlled lighting, a person telling you what to do with your shoulders, and finished files. What it costs beyond money is an appointment a week or two ahead and the trip there.

Doing it yourself: free

Window light, a plain wall and the rear camera of a phone will get you further than most people expect. Twenty minutes, no money. The quality varies, but a good photo taken at home clearly beats a bad one taken in a studio.

The step-by-step method is in our guide to the LinkedIn profile photo.

With AI: from 15 euros

Upload a few selfies, receive finished professional portraits. Prices in this market generally sit between 15 and 30 euros, delivery is usually well under an hour, and no appointment is involved.

At VeriPortrait you see a free preview before paying anything, and unlock the full set from 15 euros. The money-back guarantee applies even after you have downloaded the files.

Price comparison

Can you claim it against tax?

If you are self-employed, professional portraits used for your business can usually be treated as a business expense, provided you hold an invoice. If you are employed and job hunting, the treatment depends on your country and is often not deductible. This is not tax advice: ask your accountant.

What not to save on

The expensive mistake is not paying too much. It is ending up with the wrong photo. Whichever route you take, these three have to hold:

• You have to be recognisable. An over-edited portrait turns against you at the first meeting.
• The light has to be soft. Hard shadows tire out any face.
• The background has to be quiet. Everything that distracts takes attention away from you.

Keep reading

• LinkedIn profile photo: the complete guide
• What to wear for a professional headshot