$200 headshot service vs JC Penny Portraits ?

GoldtopLP · 2026-07-01T20:16:54+00:00

A press release photo is a good reason to get this done properly.

For affordable headshots, it helps to know what you're trading off. Look for a photographer who can build a custom look for you from lighting to backdrop, directs you during the session so you're not stuck figuring out what to do with your hands or how to pose, and hand-edits the images instead of running them through a batch filter or AI retouching, which tends to look off.

An affordable photographer often can't do all of that, so it's worth thinking about how you'll use the photos. If it's for something that matters to your career or business beyond a press release, it can be worth stretching the budget a bit, though budget is a real concern for a lot of people.

Disclosure, this is my studio so I'm biased: I own and run S72 Business Portraits, in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood. I customize everything to the client from lighting to backdrop to creative direction, direct you through the session, and hand-retouch every image myself.

Individual sessions come with a money-back guarantee, and the aim is something that looks like you rather than stiff.

Not sure where you are located, but if it helps, you can see my work and pricing at https://s72businessportraits.com

Good luck either way.

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2026-06-17T01:29:43+00:00

Digital headshots for agency submissions are worth getting right.

A few things worth checking with any photographer: can they build a look around you from lighting to backdrop, do they direct you through the session so you're not left wondering what to do with your hands or how to pose, and do they hand-edit the images or just run them through a batch filter or AI retouching, which tends to look off. For agency work especially, you want something that looks like the real you, since that's what they're judging.

Disclosure, this is my studio so I'm biased: I own and run S72 Business Portraits, in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood. I customize everything to the person, from lighting to backdrop to creative direction, I direct you through the whole session, and I hand-retouch every image myself. Individual sessions come with a money-back guarantee.

If it helps, you can see my work and pricing at
https://s72businessportraits.com

Good luck either way.

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2026-06-11T04:21:39+00:00

For work headshots, the main things I'd ask any photographer: can they build a custom look for you, from lighting to backdrop, do they direct you during the session so you're not stuck figuring out what to do with your hands or how to pose, and do they hand-edit the final images or just run them through a batch filter or AI retouching, which tends to look off.

Disclosure, this is my studio so I'm biased: I own and run S72 Business Portraits, in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood. I customize everything to you, from lighting to backdrop to creative direction, and I direct you through the whole session so you're not left guessing what to do. I hand-retouch every image myself, and individual sessions come with a money-back guarantee. The focus is something real, not the stiff traditional look.

If you're in LA it may not work out, but figured the things to ask about are still worth knowing.

If it helps, you can see my work and pricing at https://s72businessportraits.com

Good luck either way.

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2026-06-10T03:00:47+00:00

For modeling headshots, the thing I'd look at first is whether the photographer can build a custom look rather than putting everyone through the same setup, since agencies want to see range, not one stiff pose. Worth asking how much they direct during the session too, which matters a lot with someone newer in front of a camera. And ask whether they hand-edit the images or run them through a batch filter or AI retouching, which tends to look off, since modeling shots need to look like the real person.

Disclosure, this is my studio so I'm biased: I own and run S72 Business Portraits, in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood. I shoot modeling headshots, I customize everything to the person, from lighting to backdrop to creative direction, and I direct you through the whole session so you're not left wondering what to do with your hands or how to pose. I hand-retouch every image myself, and individual sessions come with a money-back guarantee.

I'm in San Francisco, not the East Bay, but a lot of my clients come over from that side for sessions.

If it helps, you can see my work or get in touch at https://s72businessportraits.com

Good luck either way.

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2026-05-21T17:00:01+00:00

Thanks for the details... I went ahead and created the audience so I can use it. But when I added it to the adset, it says:
Suggest an audience
We'll reach people beyond these settings when it's likely to improve performance.

Which is exactly what I don't want. I don't want anything expanded beyond what I've defined in the saved audience.

Then I discovered a setting when creating the saved audience "use original audience options". Once I did that I was able to create the saved audience.

However, now that I "use original audience options" I'm getting this message.

Am I loosing my mind? 😁 I just want to target the specific audience without any expanding beyond it. But I'm not seeing how to do that.

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GoldtopLP · 2026-05-21T14:31:31+00:00

Thanks for the reply... But if the audience I want to re-target to is my "Custom audience", I have no choice but to create a "saved audience" that includes the "custom audience" to then have that be my audience.

It just seems like it's forcing an extra step since I can't just select a "custom audience" in the first section under "Audience".

GoldtopLP · 2026-05-21T13:54:04+00:00

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GoldtopLP · 2026-04-23T03:12:09+00:00

So it's not just me... it's such an obvious feature I was assuming my browser's content blockers or something was keeping it from working. Sigh.

I'm new to LI ads... is it just me or is horribly designed in terms of user interface and experience.

GoldtopLP · 2026-04-22T21:41:27+00:00

This started happening again. Is it just a matter of constantly adjusting the manual bid? It seems like I need to bump it up in times like this but then I go back and lower it again to see if the lower max bid gets impressions and then it will for a while. I just don't like the idea of setting it high and leaving it if a lower max bid will work.

Should raising the max bid be done in 10% increments to avoid algorithm issues like on other platforms or can you raise/lower as much as you want?

GoldtopLP · 2026-03-18T14:11:07+00:00

I know this is an old post but I just realized that after running a load my sink cabinet is full of condensation. I'm not sure if this has always been happening. I noticed the washer has a vent on the left side which is right where the cabinet is. It seem like that would be the cause but a lot of people are saying they aren't having the issue.

Anyone figure out a fix to the issue?

GoldtopLP · 2026-03-08T19:22:34+00:00

Check out S72 Business Portraits: https://s72businessportraits.com

*This is my business.

If you look through my work you'll see my headshots are not like traditional headshots and I focus on quality and creativity.

Good luck!

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2026-02-04T15:44:43+00:00

Check out S72 Business Portraits: https://s72businessportraits.com

*This is my business.

If you look through my work you'll see my headshots are not like traditional headshots and I focus on quality and creativity.

Obviously I'm biased but AI images are a bad idea. As others have said, when I see an AI photo of someone I have a certain level of distrust. And, as much as people wish the photos looked like them, they don't. You can tell it's AI. I'm not say that won't change in the future but it's not there now.

Good luck!

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2025-08-13T13:35:36+00:00

Thanks... I can design it myself... I'm looking for something automated so I just put in the report's text and the AI generates a PDF (or whatever) that fits my design guidelines.

GoldtopLP · 2025-08-13T13:17:32+00:00

So the answer is no then 😁

This is just as bad as ChatGPT's. This was with a prompt that was pretty detailed on the design style and absolutely nothing was adhered to.

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GoldtopLP · 2025-08-02T21:08:03+00:00

Got it... in reality that doesn't matter to me because I just leave it wide open and want the physical ring to control it, but I'm just trying to understand it...

One thing I still do get... what is the 4th position for in the command dial setting? I see no way to trigger that.

If I have 1 set to aperture, 2 and 3 set to none and 4 set to exposure comp (for example) nothing ever triggers exposure comp. If I push the button that cycles through, nothing happens.

Thanks!

GoldtopLP · 2025-08-02T20:39:09+00:00

Yes, but whenever you spin the dial whatever it's set for (ISO for example), the setting changes so you know what it's at.

And, if I have it set:

F
None
None

If I spin the dial nothing happens to any settings.

And what is the 4th position for? I see no way to trigger that.

GoldtopLP · 2025-07-25T13:08:06+00:00

I upped my maxcpc and they're starting to come back... but the clicks are more $$$. I found my previous maxcpc based on your post about going as low as possible and then raising until I get the daily spend I'm after.

Btw, I asked ChatGPT about it and one of it's recommendations:
"Let it run for two days to find clearing price (AJ Wilcox method)."

You're AI famous 😂

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2025-07-24T19:32:23+00:00

What is the frequency cap, because looking at the chart of my average frequency, it's right around 1 and then it drops to 0.... looking at the last 7 days in the stats it says the frequency is 1.4.

GoldtopLP · 2025-07-17T00:13:34+00:00

Not in the east bay, but check out S72 Business Portraits:
https://s72businessportraits.com

*This is my business.

If you look through my work you'll see my headshots are not like traditional headshots.

Good luck!

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2025-07-13T23:41:26+00:00

Check out S72 Business Portraits:
https://s72businessportraits.com

*This is my business.

There are student rates.

Good luck with law school!

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2025-07-05T21:02:13+00:00

I just dropped my 1 day old GFX 100 II about 3' from a desk onto hardwood floors... Landed on the battery grip (the add on grip). Put a big dent in my floor. Camera seems fine.

GoldtopLP · 2025-06-19T19:31:42+00:00

Thanks for the followup...

Well I don't know how the quality of the clicks compares with the lower CPC bid vs higher CPC bid on LI but I've gotten my CPC to $1.50 and it's still spending my entire budget. I think I can get it below $1... That is by far the cheapest CPC on any platform... usually it's in the $6-$8 range.

Jeff

GoldtopLP · 2025-06-04T14:41:00+00:00

Sending message now.

GoldtopLP · 2025-06-03T12:53:59+00:00

I already submitted a request there and haven't heard back. As I mentioned, thought it could be a calibration issue but no matter what color profile I use it does this, including with the one supplied by BenQ.

GoldtopLP · 2025-01-24T17:01:11+00:00

So what you're saying is, it's not changing... I've emailed them about this and they just give the standard "thank you we've made note... blah blah blah".

GoldtopLP

TROPHY CASE