NYC Studio vs On-Location Headshots: Cost & Setup Guide
If you’re torn between studio headshots in NYC and on-location headshots in NYC, the right answer usually comes down to calendars, control, and headcount. Here’s a clear, field-tested guide to help you pick the setting that serves your day and your brand.
The quick take
• Choose studio for maximum control, quiet focus, and fast background swaps (white, neutral gray, or a brand hue). Great for leadership or smaller groups that want variation.
• Choose on-location when efficiency and turnout matter most. We build a compact studio in your office so people are photographed without leaving the building—ideal for 10, 25, even 100+ people.
Cost: what actually drives it
Studio days carry fixed overhead but reward you with tightly controlled light, sound, and color, plus quick variations. On-location trims travel for your team and often wins on logistics for larger headcounts. To make planning easy, here’s how our corporate packages map to common scenarios (all include one high-end retouch per person, up to 10 color-corrected files per person, a private gallery for one month, and business-friendly usage rights):
Corporate Mini Session — $1,449
Up to 5 people · up to 2 hours · studio or office.
At full capacity: ~$290 per person. Good for small teams or a pilot day.Corporate Standard Session — $1,889
Up to 10 people · up to 3 hours · studio or office.
At full capacity: ~$189 per person. Balanced speed and variety.Corporate Upgraded Session — $2,499
Up to 25 people · up to 5 hours · studio or office.
At full capacity: ~$100 per person. The sweet spot for departments.Corporate Enhanced Session — $4,499
Up to 100 people · up to 8 hours · studio or office.
At full capacity: ~$45 per person. Built for large refreshes and onboarding days.
Setup and footprint
• Studio. You walk into a ready set. Backgrounds are pre-lit, the room is quiet, previews are instant, and changes are quick.
• On location. A conference room works. A clear area around 10×15 ft is comfortable for backdrop, lights, tether cart, and a small waiting zone. We can run on standard power or batteries and keep traffic tidy.
Throughput and calendar impact
• Studio cadence. Best for leaders and smaller groups that want options. A focused ~30 minutes per person leaves room for coaching and a second look when needed.
• On-location cadence. For a clean, consistent look, plan ~6–10 people per hour with a simple flow: one at camera, the next steps in, a third prepped. No lines, no “where do I look” moments.
Image consistency
Both formats can deliver a single visual language when you lock three things: background tone, lens/camera height, and repeatable light. We tether to calibrated monitors and run a color-managed pipeline so skin tones and brand backgrounds stay stable across dates and locations.
When studio wins
• Quiet, private environment for senior leaders
• Quick testing of brand color vs wardrobe
• Extra time for an editorial variation after the must-have headshot
When on-location wins
• Minimal disruption for corporate headshots in the office
• Higher turnout and predictable pacing for 10–100+ people
• Uniform look across departments and quarters
What to expect from us (both formats)
• Same-day proofs for quick approvals
• Finals within 48 hours of selects
• Natural, high-end retouching that keeps people looking like themselves
• Crops and filenames that fit LinkedIn, bios, and internal systems
Planning your next session
If you’re weighing studio headshots NYC against on-location headshots NYC, send headcount, preferred format, and any internal specs. We’ll propose a day plan you can drop straight into your calendar, keep the look consistent, and crew it properly.
By Lisa,
Head of Production at Match, your friendly guardian of clean crops and calm sets.
