Brand Photos in Chicago Explained: What Drives the Price
To get the bottom of what drives pricing for brand photo sessions in Chicago, the most important question you can be asking is “what do I need my brand photos to do?”
Once you know how you’ll be using your brand visuals, the question, “how much does it cost?” stops being the priority.
A brand photography session reflects much more than the number of photos you get, or how many hours you booked your photographer.
A true cost of a brand photo session involves the research and planning behind your session, the photographer’s experience with small brands and marketing, the rest of the players you choose to hire for your shoot day, and what you end up getting from the brand session.
When you dig beneath the surface, a higher priced photographer is probably offering much more value and experience than the lower-priced session.
What You’re Paying For
So what does that value and pricing look like? Let’s get into it:
Strategy, Planning & Creative Direction
The biggest difference between a lower-priced session and a more spendy one almost always comes down to this: the research and planning process that happens before the photo shoot.
A session built on strategy starts with your audience, your offers, and what you actually need these photos to say about your business. Without that, you end up with a set of nice photos of yourself and no plan for where it goes, or what it’s supposed to do for you.
Experience and Point of View
A brand photographer who focuses solely on serving other women entrepreneurs for a number of years isn’t charging you for the click of the shutter. They’re charging for the knowledge of what small business owners need, what kinds of images are useful for their business, and the instinct that comes from doing it dozens of times. A portrait photographer that mostly shoots families is going to cost less because working with brands is not their focus or experience.
Also, it’s helpful if you have a photographer that knows how to direct someone who’s never been photographed for their business before, and can spot what will read well on your website, and keep in mind the types of images you need based on their previous research.
Usage of Your Images
This is the one people forget to ask about, but it’s important to understand to avoid larger unexpected costs following your brand session.
Most small businesses need a personal brand photographer that will give them usage of the images into perpetuity, for your website and other marketing purposes. You should be asking if you will get full use of your photo and video across your website, social, and marketing.
If the photographer is offering a limited license that covers only specific uses for a set amount of time, you might want to keep looking, unless you’re a large business. These licenses are designed for broad, national, widespread marketing campaigns that make the business-owner multi 6-7 figures.
If you’re a woman entrepreneur running a small business, like the business owners I work with, that probably doesn’t apply to you.
The Unseen Costs
In addition to the cost of your photographer, there will be other costs going into a brand session, and they’re important to consider:
- Does your session include the location where you’ll be shooting?
- Some sessions include hair and makeup, while others leave that entirely up to you.
- Having a stylist help you plan what to wear (and even be on set the day of the shoot to help things move more smoothly) almost always boosts your confidence on camera.
- Do you want a content creator available during your session? Some photographers offer B-roll, others do not, but even when they do, it’s going to be a limited amount. Decide in advance if you need a lot of B-roll video while you’re spending the money on your brand session.
B-Roll and Other Types of Video
Video has become an important part of a brand session. A few seconds of you working, talking, or moving through your space makes your website and your social media feel alive. But video is also where expectations and budgets get out of sync the fastest.
The honest truth is, video takes time away from stills. Every setup for motion is time you’re not using for photos. So when a session includes “a few B-roll clips,” that’s usually exactly what it means, a handful captured alongside your photos rather than in place of them.
Before you book, it’s worth asking:
- How many clips are included, and are they edited? (editing typically includes slight color corrections and clipping the mess off the beginning and the end of the clip)
- Are they shot vertical for reels, horizontal for your website, or both?
- Is there sound, or is this silent B-roll built for captions and music? (sound will add a good deal of cost)
- If you want more than a handful, is there a videographer or content creator option?
If video is a real priority, say so upfront.
I always include a handful of silent B-roll clips with my Signature Brand Sessions, but many photographers have this as an add on, if they offer it at all.
The Length of Your Session (And Why It’s Not That Important)
Pricing by the amount of time the photographer is shooting during a wedding or event is usually how it’s done, and that makes sense.
But when it comes to brand photography, if you’re hiring a photographer based on how many hours they’re on set, you’ve got it backwards. The photographer should be gathering information about what you need, and giving you an assessment on how long it will take.
Even as I say that, I do offer a “Power Hour” Session, which is a focused 1-hour shoot that involves all the same strategic methods I use in my Signature Brand Sessions. The Power Hour Session is limited to one storyline, no video, and is mainly for those women entrepreneurs who are just getting started, or need a simple option to update photos from a previous session.
However, the majority of my clients prefer the full Signature Brand Session, and that usually takes about 3 hours. But the amount of time we spend shooting is not driving the cost: it’s my planning, research, creative direction, and all the guidance I give along the way…regardless of the length of the brand session.
What Happens Afterward
The actual time I spend on set with a client during their brand session probably totals about 40-50% of the work I do.
The rest of my time spent is in preparation and communication beforehand – plus everything after the session. That includes my complete editing process of the photos and video, and also my Client Portal. I continue to walk alongside you as a resource well after your sneak peeks are delivered, because I want you to succeed as a business owner!
I am not just here to take your photos, but to cheer you on, answer your questions, point you in the right direction, and give you any help you need as you begin to use the assets we created together.
👉 Take a look at the process of a real-life brand session
Brand Photography Cost in Chicago: What Should Always Be Included
Regardless of budget, a session worth paying for should give you these non-negotiables:
- A real conversation about your brand before the shoot (face-to-face, a questionnaire, or both)
- Sourcing the best location for your session
- Guidance on what to wear so you’re not trying to figure it out on your own
- Other resource help you might need, like hair and makeup, styling, etc.
- Instruction on what props you should bring to your shoot
- Outstanding communication and help throughout the process…so you’re not left wondering what’s supposed to happen next
- A gallery of edited images you can use right away, with straight answers on how you can and should use them
If the brand photographer you’re looking at is missing more than one of these, it might be worth reconsidering.
Is It Worth the Investment?
Brand photography answers the big question your potential client is having when they visit your website or social media:
What does it feel like to work with this person?
That is the number one question your dream clients are trying to answer before they book a call or buy from you. The more expensive problem isn’t spending money on a brand session. It’s the months and years your business spends being represented by visuals that keep your dream clients from trusting you and choosing you over your competitors.
Brand Photo Pricing in Chicago: A Quick Lookup
What’s a typical price range for brand photography? If you’re looking for a brief mini/headshot session (which doesn’t typically include strategy or much planning), you can expect to pay $300-$800. However, if you’re looking for full strategic planning and guidance, expect to spend in the range of $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the length and type of brand session.
What should be included no matter what I pay? Any brand session should include a real conversation about your brand before the shoot; location sourcing; guidance on what to wear and props; additional resource recommendations; outstanding communication; and images you can use with clear guidance on how to use them.
Do brand photos cost more than a standard headshot session? Absolutely yes, because strategy and planning should always be part of a brand session. In addition, you’re getting a full library built around your custom plans, rather than a few basic photos.
How far in advance should I book? Since strategy and planning are part of the process, plan on scheduling a brand session at least 6-8 weeks in advance. This gives both you and your photographer the time necessary for planning and putting it all together beforehand, so you’re not in a panicked rush. The extra time will help you get to your shoot day relaxed and confident!
Where can I get exact pricing? I share a breakdown of what kinds of brand sessions I offer, as well as the pricing, in my Investment Guide.
