Build a profitable headshot photography business

If you're a good photographer who can't figure out why your headshot business isn't growing, it's probably not your photos. Building a headshot photography business means approaching pricing, marketing, and getting clients very differently than in other genres of photography. This course covers all of it from the ground up. All built from a working studio that photographs 10,000+ people a year.

See what's inside

What photographers are saying

Do any of these sound like you?

You know headshots are good money, but you can't figure out how to attract those kinds of clients.

Your headshot inquiries are inconsistent and you want more. A lot more.

You struggle with headshot pricing, never quite sure what to charge or how to structure it.

What's in the course

Six focused sections to help you build your business one step at a time.

01 / The Business

Understand how the headshot business works

Headshots are very different than portrait and wedding photography. This section explains the differences, what your ideal clients look like, and the problems you will need to solve for them.

02 / Pricing

How much you should be charging

This block doesn't just cover pricing, but how to think about your whole financial picture. After this section, you'll know how to build a sustainable pricing structure and to position yourself in your market.

03 / Website

Build a site that turns visitors into customers

For a headshot photographer, your website is the heart of your business, but most photographers get this wrong. This block will show you how to turn your website in to a conversion machine that makes you money every day.

04 / Marketing

Learn how to get the clients

With a high-converting website in place, it's time to start marketing your services. This block teaches you the most effective ways to attract the right kind of headshot clients by touching on a mix of SEO, paid ads, and traditional marketing.

05 / Systems

Simplify repetitive tasks and do less admin

The difference between a stressed out photographer and a succcessful one is simple. Systems. Learn how to analyze your business and systemize every step your client experience so that you can scale up your studio and make real money.

06 / Retention

Keep the clients you get and grow faster

The fastest way to grow your business is to keep the clients you get. Learn the best ways to hold on to your customers and stop them from hiring another photographer.

Just one new client pays for the course

Get started

Not sure if this is right for you? Start for free and find out.

Free

Start with the intro module

Get access to the course introduction at no cost. See how it's structured, how Gary teaches, and whether this is the right fit for where your business is right now.

$0

No credit card required

  • Full access to the course intro module
  • Course overview and structure walkthrough
  • See Gary's teaching style before you commit
  • Upgrade to the full course any time
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Full course

The Business of Headshots

Everything you need to build headshots into a real, repeatable part of your photography business. One new client covers the cost.

$695

One-time payment, lifetime access

  • 3+ hours of step-by-step video training
  • Downloadable worksheets and checklists
  • AI prompts for market research and pricing
  • Monthly growing library of support videos
  • Pricing, marketing, and systems built from a real working studio in 2026
  • Instant access, start today
Get instant access

One new headshot client typically covers the full cost of the course.

Your instructor

Gary Hughes, headshot photographer, educator, and founder of The Business of Headshots course Gary Hughes, headshot photographer and educator

Gary Hughes

Photographer - Speaker - PPA Educator of the year 2025

After 18 years running a headshot business and raising four kids through recessions, a pandemic, and everything in between, Gary understands that keeping a photography business going isn't about luck. It's about simplicity.

With over two decades in the business, Gary has attracted clients like Microsoft, IBM, Uber, Bloomberg, Lockheed Martin, and Mitsubishi, taught on stages at CreativeLive, WPPI, Imaging USA, Shutterfest, and Adorama, and served as a brand ambassador for Flashpoint and Fujifilm.

The thing he sees photographers get wrong most often is assuming better work leads to more clients. In headshots, it rarely works that way. Gary teaches that marketing, pricing, and systems aren't the enemy of your creativity. They're the walls that protect it. Build them right and you actually get to live. Not just grind.


common questions

How long will it take to go through the course?

The main course is about three hours of video, broken into focused blocks that cover specific topics like pricing, marketing, and systems. You can work through it all at once or take it a section at a time. There are also supplementary videos called "side quests" that go deeper on specific topics and are added over time to keep the content fresh.

Will this work in my market, not just a major city?

This is actually one of the things the course addresses directly. Not every type of headshot work is viable in every market, and part of the course is helping you figure out which categories of headshot work make sense where you are and building a strategy around that. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach.

How do I access the course after I buy?

The course is hosted right here on this site. After purchasing, you'll be guided through creating a login and you'll have immediate access. You can come back any time to revisit sections, pick up where you left off, or check for new content that's been added.

How current is the material?

The core course was built in 2026 from an active, working headshot studio. Things in this industry move fast though, which is why new videos are added on a regular basis. Think of it as a living course rather than a fixed product. When something changes, the course changes with it.

What's in the free intro module?

The intro module walks through the structure of the course, explains what each section covers and why it matters, and gives you a real sense of how the material is presented. It's a genuine look at the course with no strings attached. You'll see the quality of the content and whether Gary's teaching style works for you before spending a dollar.

How is this different from your earlier courses?

A lot has changed. The last course came out before mirrorless cameras were standard. Since then we've seen entirely new software, new marketing platforms, new AI tools, and a whole new generation of working photographers who have finished degrees and built careers since that course was released. Everything in this course reflects how the headshot business actually works today, not how it worked several years ago.

Ready to build a real headshot business?

Start for free with the intro module, or jump straight in. Either way, one new client covers the cost of the full course.

Instant access. Regular updates. Built by a real, working photographer in 2026.