Hiring a photographer and your rights

Choosing who takes your headshot, where it is taken and what rights you receive affects how useful the photos will be for years. These guides explain how to compare photographers, weigh up studio, office and outdoor shoots, understand Australian copyright basics, and take a good headshot yourself when a professional isn't an option.

The guides in this section

• Choosing a headshot photographer Portfolios, questions to ask, quotes and checking the business.
• Studio or location? The trade-offs of studio, office and outdoor shoots.
• Copyright and image rights Who owns your photos and what a licence should cover.
• DIY phone headshots A step-by-step guide to a headshot with your phone.

Ten questions to ask before booking

1. How long is the session, and how many looks can I do?
2. How many final retouched images are included?
3. What does retouching include?
4. What file formats and sizes will I receive?
5. How soon will I get my images?
6. Can I review images during the shoot?
7. How can I use the images, and for how long?
8. Can my employer or agent use them too?
9. Will you use my images in your portfolio or advertising, and can I opt out?
10. What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?

Put it in writing

A written quote or booking confirmation that answers those questions protects both you and the photographer. It makes it easier to compare options and to resolve any misunderstanding later. Keep copies of the quote, invoice and licence terms with your image files.

Checking the business

Ask for the business name and ABN. You can check an ABN on the Australian Business Register's ABN Lookup. A genuine business will also have clear contact details and terms.

Your consumer rights

The ACCC explains that services come with consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law: they must be provided with acceptable care and skill, be fit for any purpose you made known, and be delivered within a reasonable time if no time was agreed. If something goes wrong, raise it with the business first and keep records.

Copyright basics

The Australian Copyright Council explains that, for commissioned photos taken on or after 30 July 1998, the client generally owns copyright in photos taken for private or domestic purposes, while the photographer generally owns copyright in photos taken for other purposes, unless agreed otherwise. Most business headshots fall into the second category, so a clear written licence is important.

When a phone will do

A well-lit phone photo can be fine for many everyday profiles. Face a window, use a plain background, set the phone at eye level on a stand and use the timer. Consider a professional for important marketing, acting, media or team photos, or if you want expert help with light and posing. For passport photos, follow the Australian Passport Office rules.

Budgeting without prices

We don't publish prices because they vary widely with location, experience, session length, the number of retouched images and the licence. Instead, decide what you actually need: how many final images, which uses, and whether you need hair and make-up or an on-site setup. Then ask several photographers for written quotes covering exactly that. Comparing quotes for the same deliverables is far more useful than comparing headline prices for packages that include different things.

Planning a group booking

For organisations, ask whether photographers offer on-site sessions, how long each person needs, and how they will keep the look consistent across the team and with future new starters. Agree on file naming and delivery so your web team can publish quickly. Ask, too, how long the photographer keeps the original files, whether you can order extra images later, and how staff who miss the day can be photographed to match. Settling these details at the start avoids awkward surprises months later, when a new starter needs a photo that sits neatly beside everyone else's on your website.

We don't recommend businesses

We don't rank, review or recommend photographers or studios. Any featured listings on this site are clearly labelled and kept separate from our guides.

Use the shoot planner

Our free shoot planner turns what you need the photo for into a simple brief, covering framing, background, expression, outfits and what to bring. It runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you choose is sent anywhere.

Five habits for a better headshot

1. Know where the photo will be used before you plan anything else.
2. Choose soft, even light, whether in a studio, at work or by a window.
3. Wear solid colours that fit well and contrast with the background.
4. Try a range of expressions and choose later.
5. Get the licence in writing so you know how you can use your images.

About these guides

Headshots is an independent information site about professional headshots in Australia. We aren't a photography studio, photographer, casting or talent agency, or booking service, and we don't recommend particular businesses. Our guides are general information written in our own words, with official and expert sources listed on each page. We never invent prices, statistics, quotes or testimonials.

How we keep these guides current

We review each guide against its sources and show the date it was last checked. Platform requirements, such as profile photo sizes, change from time to time. If you notice something out of date, please tell us through our contact page, and we'll check and correct it.