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Most people dread getting their headshot taken. They associate it with awkward poses, stiff smiles, and a result that looks nothing like them. I get it. The traditional headshot experience is designed around the camera, not the person in front of it. I approach headshots differently, and the difference shows up in the final images.

I am a documentary and editorial photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I photograph weddings, corporate events, and commercial work across the state. Headshots are a natural extension of what I do every day: reading people quickly, making them feel at ease in front of a lens, and creating images that look like them on their best day rather than a version of themselves they do not recognize.

Headshot Photographer Santa Fe — Professional Headshots by Casey Addason Photography

Types of Professional Headshots I Photograph

Headshot work falls into several categories, and each one requires a slightly different approach. The executive who needs a portrait for the company website has different needs than the actor building a casting portfolio. I work across all of them.

Executive and Business Portraits

These are the headshots that end up on company websites, annual reports, conference bios, and press kits. The goal is a portrait that communicates authority and approachability at the same time. I work with executives across Santa Fe and Albuquerque, from small business owners who need a single updated portrait to leadership teams at larger organizations who need a consistent set across 10 or 20 people.

Corporate Team Headshots

When a company needs headshots for the entire team, I bring a portable setup on-site and work through the group efficiently. Each person gets 10 to 15 minutes, which is enough time to get comfortable, try a few variations, and walk away with several strong options. I have photographed team headshots at corporate events, conferences, and company retreats throughout New Mexico. For groups of five or more, I offer same-day delivery of edited files so the images can go live immediately.

Actor and Performer Headshots

Santa Fe has a growing film and theater community, and performers need headshots that show range. The requirements here are different from corporate work. Casting directors want to see the person, not a polished brand image. I work with actors on multiple looks within a single session, adjusting wardrobe, background, and energy to create a set that shows different casting directions.

LinkedIn and Professional Profile Photos

A surprising amount of my headshot work comes from individuals who simply need a better photo for LinkedIn, their personal website, or a speaking engagement bio. These sessions are shorter and more focused. If you have ever used a cropped photo from a friend's wedding as your professional headshot, this is the fix.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Headshots in Santa Fe

Santa Fe is one of the best cities in the country for outdoor headshot photography. The light here is different than almost anywhere else. At 7,000 feet of elevation, the air is thinner and drier, which means the light is clearer and more directional. That translates directly into headshots with better skin tones, cleaner shadows, and a quality that is difficult to replicate with studio lighting.

I shoot most of my headshots with natural light. Adobe walls throughout Santa Fe create warm, neutral backdrops that work for nearly every skin tone and wardrobe choice. The texture of aged plaster, the soft bounce of light off a sun-facing wall, the contrast of a person against the muted earth tones of the architecture here — these are elements I use constantly. No backdrop stand, no seamless paper. Just good light and a location that works.

Indoor sessions are available when the work requires it. Conference rooms, office lobbies, and hotel event spaces all work for on-site corporate headshots with portable lighting. But when I have the option, I will always recommend stepping outside. The results speak for themselves.

What a Headshot Session Looks Like

I keep the process simple because simplicity is what makes people relax.

For individual sessions, we meet at a location I have scouted in advance. I will have already identified the best light and backgrounds based on the time of day. You show up, we talk for a few minutes while I start shooting, and within the first two or three frames the stiffness drops away. Most people are genuinely surprised at how fast that happens. The entire session runs about 30 to 45 minutes, and you walk away with a gallery of edited images within 48 hours.

For corporate groups, the logistics scale but the experience stays the same. I set up a headshot station at your office, event venue, or conference location. Each person rotates through in 10 to 15 minutes. I provide wardrobe guidance in advance — what colors work, what patterns to avoid, how necklines read on camera. The goal is a consistent set of images across the team that still lets each person's personality come through.

Wardrobe guidance matters more than most people realize. A solid-colored top in a muted tone photographs better than a busy pattern. Jewelry should be minimal. Glasses are fine, but I will adjust the angle to avoid glare. These are small details, but they are the difference between a headshot that looks professional and one that looks like a snapshot.

On-Site Corporate Headshot Stations

One of the most popular services I offer is setting up a headshot station during a corporate event, retreat, or conference. The setup is clean and unobtrusive — a good background, portable lighting if we are indoors, and a system that moves people through efficiently without feeling like an assembly line.

For events where time is tight, I offer same-day delivery of edited headshots. Your team walks away from the conference with updated professional photos ready to use. This is particularly valuable for organizations that have been meaning to update their website team page for months — the event becomes the catalyst, and the images are done before the day ends.

Why Documentary Photographers Make Better Headshot Photographers

This is something most people do not consider when booking a headshot session, but it matters. My primary work is documentary photography — weddings, events, real moments happening in real time. That background gives me two skills that translate directly into headshot work.

First, I read people quickly. At a wedding, I have seconds to notice a moment forming and position myself to photograph it. That same instinct applies to headshots. I can see when someone is holding tension in their jaw, when their smile is forced, when they have shifted into a pose that does not look like them. I adjust in real time, through conversation and small direction, until the expression is genuine.

Second, I make people comfortable fast. Every wedding day, I work with people who are nervous in front of a camera. I have done this hundreds of times. The techniques that work for a bride who has never had professional photos taken work just as well for an executive who would rather be anywhere else. Most of my headshot clients tell me afterward that it was the least stressful photo experience they have had. That is not an accident. It is a skill built over years of working with people who did not choose to be in front of a camera.

Headshot Photography Pricing

Individual headshot sessions start at $350. This includes the session, editing, and a gallery of final images delivered digitally.

Corporate group headshots start at $150 per person, with a minimum of five people. This includes on-site setup, individual direction for each team member, editing, and digital delivery. Same-day delivery is available for an additional fee.

For larger organizations or ongoing headshot needs — new hires, updated portraits, event coverage that includes headshots — I offer custom packages. Reach out and I will put together a quote based on your team size and timeline.

About Casey Addason Photography

I am a documentary and editorial photographer and videographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, working across Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, and throughout the state. I photograph weddings, elopements, corporate events, headshots, and commercial work. I have 90+ five-star reviews across Google, The Knot, WeddingWire, and Thumbtack, and I have photographed at 50+ venues across New Mexico. Casey Addason Photography is LGBTQ+ friendly and currently booking 2026 and 2027.

If you need professional headshots in Santa Fe — whether it is a single executive portrait, a full team update, or an on-site station at your next event — I would like to hear from you.