HeadShots

What HeadShots does

HeadShots Inc is a San Francisco-based professional photography company founded in 2012 and led by owner and head photographer Dan St Louis, who has 14 years of industry experience and was selected to lead photography for US President Joe Biden and over 20 world leaders at the APEC CEO Summit 2024. The company delivers individual, team, and event headshot photography from a luxury downtown San Francisco studio at 49 Geary Street plus a mobile San Jose presence, with on-location coverage across California and nationwide deployment for larger events.

The core product set spans Individual Headshot Sessions, Team Sessions (including Corporate Pass packages for distributed organizations), high-volume Event Headshot Booths for conferences and trade shows, Company Branding Photography, Corporate Event Photography with teams of 5-10, and a Virtual Headshots self-serve tier for remote participants. Service differentiators include facial expression coaching, luxury studio facilities with hair and makeup artistry, magazine-quality retouching, 10 physical studio backdrops, and 20+ digital background replacement options, with expedited next-business-day delivery available as an add-on.

The revenue model is primarily transactional professional services, supplemented by one-time license sales of finished images and gift cards, with the Corporate Pass structure introducing a recurring enterprise motion; pricing ranges from $40 per virtual headshot up to industry premium levels of $89-$1,500 depending on geography and package. Go-to-market combines self-serve website booking for individuals, direct Dan-led outreach for enterprise accounts, and event-driven sales for conferences, supported by content marketing, organic social, and earned media across Forbes, Fortune, TechCrunch, Vogue, TED, and other major outlets.

Name

HeadShots

Legal name

HeadShots Inc

Website

https://headshots-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HeadShots Inc is a San Francisco-based professional photography company providing individual, team, and event headshots, plus corporate branding photography, for executives, tech companies, event organizers, and distributed teams across the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Photography Services

NAICS

Photography Studios, Portrait (541921), Commercial Photography (541922)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Photography & Photo Production (BPAFAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Makeup for Photography/Headshots (HSALAHAO)

Keywords

• Professional headshots
• Corporate photography
• Team photography
• Event photography
• Branding photography

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Headshot Sessions: One-time session fees for professional headshot photography at studio or on-location. Flexible sessions from 20 minutes to 2 hours. Clients receive unlimited perpetual commercial license for purchased images.
2. Team/Group Sessions: Group headshot sessions for teams ranging from small groups to organizations of 3,000+ employees. Available at studio or on-site at client offices. Includes Corporate Pass packages for ongoing access.
3. Event Headshot Booths: High-volume booth services for conferences and trade shows. Includes sponsor branding integration on digital galleries. Scales up to 750 people per day across multiple studio setups.
4. Company Branding Photography: Visual strategy and editorial portraiture for website launches, funding rounds, and ad campaigns. Full-day on-site coverage with executive coaching and real-time review monitoring.
5. Virtual Headshots: DIY smartphone-based headshots with professional editing and background replacement. Individual packages and volume discounts for distributed teams.
6. Gift Cards: Gift cards available for purchase, valid for two years from purchase date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HeadShots Inc provides professional headshot, team, and event photography services from a luxury downtown San Francisco studio with nationwide on-location coverage. Offerings include individual headshot sessions with facial expression coaching and hair/makeup artistry, team and corporate group sessions, high-volume headshot booths for conferences and trade shows, company branding photography, and DIY virtual headshots with professional editing. The business serves Fortune 500 enterprises, high-growth startups, professional individuals, and event organizers across the continental USA.

Product overview

HeadShots Inc is a San Francisco Bay Area-based professional photography company offering a comprehensive suite of portrait and branding photography services. The core offerings center on individual and team headshot sessions (available in-studio, outdoors, or on-location), complemented by event photography services, company branding photography, and professional headshot booths for conferences and trade shows. Additional offerings include virtual DIY headshots via smartphone with expert editing, gift cards, and corporate pass packages for distributed teams. The company operates a luxury downtown San Francisco studio near Union Square and provides services across the continental USA. Key differentiators include facial expression coaching, luxury studio facilities with hair and makeup artistry, magazine-quality retouching, and an extensive library of 10 physical studio backdrops plus 20 digital background replacement options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Headshot Sessions

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 750 people photographed per day at event booths
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ForbesminorOthersWork has been featured in Forbes magazine for headshot and commercial photography examples. Multiple articles have used Dan St Louis photography.
• FortuneminorOthersWork featured in Fortune magazine, specifically for executive and business headshot photography.
• TechCrunchminorOthersPhotography featured in TechCrunch articles covering startup companies and technology executives.
• Business InsiderminorOthersPhotography featured in Business Insider for executive and business professional profiles.
• The Wall Street JournalminorOthersWork featured in The Wall Street Journal for business and professional photography.
• The Washington PostminorOthersPhotography featured in Washington Post articles for professional and thought leadership content.
• VogueminorOthersWork featured in Vogue magazine for editorial and commercial photography.
• TEDminorOthersPhotography featured in TED conference materials and speaker profiles.
• The San Francisco ChronicleminorOthersWork featured in San Francisco Chronicle for local business and professional coverage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Peter Hurley Headshots: Renowned NYC-based headshot specialist with a founder-led brand and premium positioning. Comparable to HeadShots in being a celebrity-photographer-driven boutique studio focused on professional headshots and personal branding, though geographically concentrated in NYC.
• Splento: On-demand professional photography service offering corporate headshots, events, and brand photography with both studio and on-location delivery. Directly comparable business model with enterprise, team, and event verticals similar to HeadShots' core offerings.
• Snappr: Photography marketplace/platform offering on-demand professional photographers for headshots, events, and commercial work. Comparable in serving enterprise and SMB customers with standardized booking, though more platform/marketplace in structure.
• Aragon Photography: San Francisco Bay Area-based corporate headshot and branding photographer. Directly comparable as a local boutique competitor serving Bay Area enterprise and tech clients with similar team and individual headshot offerings.
• Lemonhead Portraits: LA-based boutique portrait and headshot studio serving actors, executives, and corporate clients. Comparable in being a founder-led premium boutique with focus on individual and team headshots, though serving the LA market.
• Headshots.com: Specialty headshot service operating across multiple US markets, including San Francisco. Directly comparable as a focused headshot photography provider serving individuals and teams in similar verticals.
• CorpPhoto: Specialized corporate photography provider offering team headshots, event photography, and on-location services for enterprise clients. Comparable in the enterprise team headshot and corporate events verticals, often serving large distributed workforces.

Emerging players

• HeadshotPro: AI-powered headshot generation service targeting professionals with low-cost, fast-turnaround imagery. Comparable as an alternative for price-sensitive headshot buyers and a direct emerging threat to HeadShots' virtual and entry-level tiers.

Broad incumbents

• Shutterfly: Large incumbent in consumer and professional photo services, including portraits and headshots. Not a direct specialist competitor, but a broad incumbent with overlapping enterprise offerings and significantly greater scale and marketing budget.
• Getty Images: Global leader in stock and editorial photography, also offering commercial assignment services. Adjacent incumbent with brand recognition and corporate customer relationships that overlap with HeadShots' enterprise buyer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HeadShots_Live
• Facebookfacebook.com/headshotslive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/headshotsinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/headshotsinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HeadShots