Recent Peter Hurley Articles

How to Cash In on ERAS Photos as a Photographer in the Spring and Summer: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you are a photographer looking for a low competition niche market that is in high demand during the spring and summer months, you might want to consider offering ERAS photos. ERAS stands for Electronic Residency Application Service, and it is the system that medical students use to apply for residency programs in the United States. As part of their application, they need to submit a professional photo that meets certain specifications and showcases their personality and professionalism. This photo can make a big difference in their chances of getting an interview and matching with their preferred program.

10 Indispensable Tips for Getting a Killer Headshot

If part of your business is capturing headshots, then this is for you. Even if you're thinking of adding it to your portfolio, it's worth checking these essential tips and tricks as, if you're a commercial photographer, you can up your customer's average spend by offering this essential service.

From Headshots to Headlines: An Interview With Peter Hurley

Headshot photography has been making major headlines recently. A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal interviewed headshot guru Peter Hurley about the importance of a professional headshot in a quickly changing business landscape (The Perfect Professional Headshot Is Worth $1,000, and Maybe Even a Job).

How to Run a Successful Portrait Session

Running a successful portrait session can be a daunting task, especially for photographers who are new to working in a studio. The myriad of options can easily become overwhelming. There are endless choices for light modifiers, backdrops, props, clothing, poses, and all the rest, but I have found that having a consistent plan and process is the key to success.

5 Words Headshot Photographers Should Never Say

One of the biggest mistakes I made early on as a headshot photographer was using the dreaded phrase, “I'll fix it in post.” In today's article and accompanying video, I share five reasons why I never say this to my clients, and why you shouldn't either.

Create Stunning Portraits With This Simple Two-Light Setup

Creating an even, flattering light in the studio doesn't have to be difficult. In this tutorial, I will show you three simple parallel lighting hacks to make portraits that everyone from the boardroom to Broadway will love.

How to Create Dramatic Headshots With Three Lights, One Light at a Time

Creating dramatic headshots using multiple lights doesn't have to be difficult. One of the best ways to become proficient at using a three-light setup is by building it one light at a time. In this article and the accompanying video, I will demonstrate how you can easily create dramatic headshots and portraits using a key light, kicker light, and fill light.

Better Headshots in Three Minutes: Five Tips From Peter Hurley

If you’re looking for your clients to walk away with imagery they think is top notch, it’s a good idea to understand how they see themselves in front of the lens. Peter Hurley gives us a quick rundown of tips and tricks to create headshots that will resonate with the tagline: "Confidence and Approachability."

Sha-Bang! Peter Hurley Explains the Value of Consistency

Peter Hurley has grown into a household name among photographers over the past 15 years while working from his studio in New York City. With a personality that keeps his clients on their toes and a vocabulary that is ever evolving, the leader of the Headshot Crew has some tips for you that may help you grow even faster with your photographic journey.

Learn the Nuances of Headshots and Lighting from Peter Hurley this Black Friday

Peter Hurley is a master of headshot photography with his ability to connect with clients and draw out the most flattering poses from his subjects. This Black Friday, Fstoppers is discounting all of Peter Hurley's tutorials. See the details below or visit the Fstoppers Store to see every deal being offered during the holiday season.

How to Become the Best Headshot Photographer in the World

After a four-hour trip to London and only being able to catch whatever sleep I could during the uncomfortable journey down, I met with Peter Hurley and immediately felt welcome. For those of you who don't know, Peter Hurley is a headshot photographer based in New York City. Hurley once had a career as a model and was also part of the U.S. Olympic sailing team. He is known for his clean, white background headshots and for coining the phrase "squinch," which has now become relatively mainstream thanks to news channels and shows like Orange is the New Black. To many, Peter is known as the best in the business and this may be true, but, what is Peter actually like to work with?

An Afternoon With Backdrop Artist Sarah Oliphant

Sit down, strap in, and buckle up. This video is a long one but for those who can find 47 minutes to spare and watch this video you'll be rewarded with a casual insight and genuine conversation into the work space of premier hand-painted Backdrop Artist Sarah Oliphant alongside world-renowned Headshot Photographer Peter Hurley. If you've ever considered shooting on a painted backdrop, you'll undoubtedly find this video an interesting watch.

Peter Hurley Explains How the Inverse Square Law Applies to Photography

The inverse square law is one of the most important yet misunderstood concepts in photography. On the surface, it basically says that the intensity of a light source will decrease as you move the light away from your subject, but how does that apply to the highlights and shadows in a portrait? In this small excerpt from the "Illuminating the Face" tutorial, Peter Hurley breaks down both the math and the practical application of the inverse square law.

Peter Hurley Returns to His Roots With Oracle Team USA Sailing Portraits

We're big fans of Peter Hurley here at Fstoppers. We've collaborated with him twice on Peter Hurley: The Art Behind The Headshot and Peter Hurley: Illuminating The Face. His signature headshots are well known throughout the industry. What you may not know is that Peter was a world-class sailor in his day. Recently, he returned to his roots to combine sailing and photography, and the results are awesome.

Can This Body Positioning Technique Really Make You Look 10 Pounds Less in Photographs?

Everyone wants to look their best when they are in front of the camera. Most people practice in front of a mirror to get their perfect "photo face" nailed down but did you know that your shoulder and arm positioning can actually make you look thin in one photo and fat in another? Headshot photographer Peter Hurley has released his latest photo slimming tip video and it is called "hold your sub."

Critique the Community Episode 11a: Headshots with Peter Hurley

A few weeks ago we offered to critique a handful of headshot photographs from the Fstoppers Community. I was able to sit down with professional headshot photographer Peter Hurley for his advice on how you guys can help improve your own headshot photos. Since there were so many submissions we were only able to get to about 18 images, but don't worry because next week Lee and David will tackle many of the images that did not make this episode of Critique the Community.

B&H: "What's in Your Bag?" with Headshot Photographer Peter Hurley

We love photography. We love gear. And we love this guy: New York City-based headshot photographer Peter "Shabang" Hurley. So when B&H put out this episode of, "What's in Your Bag?", featuring Peter and his kit, of course we were going to watch and post it with all the same excitement and exuberance that Peter himself puts into everything. Watch as Peter tears through his bag to reveal his set-up while running down what gear he uses and why.

Watch This Free Headshot Tutorial From Peter Hurley's Illuminating the Face

When it comes to all things headshots and manipulating human expression, the best guy to seek council from is Peter Hurley. Peter's career has spanned about 15 years now, and over those years he has gained a tremendous amount of knowledge. Last year with the help from our friends at Profoto, Lee and I were able to film a supplemental free chapter to Peter's Illuminating the Face Tutorial. In this video Peter takes us outside to show some of the techniques he uses out on location.

24 Hours Only: Save $100 Off Peter Hurley's Headshot and Lighting Tutorials

As announced in yesterday's sale, Fstoppers is having a 24 hour sale on our tutorials every day leading up to Christmas. For today's deal we have persuaded Peter Hurley to offer $100 off both of his acclaimed tutorials The Art Behind the Headshot and Illuminating the Face. This sale even beats our current "Buy both for $450" sale and marks the lowest price you have ever been able to buy both at one time. You can find the discount code

Download Peter Hurley's Newest Photography Tutorial For Free

A few months ago Fstoppers teamed up with Peter Hurley to produce the 6 hour tutorial Illuminating The Face which covered all of the intricacies of lighting a person's face in a studio environment. Thanks to Profoto, today we are releasing an additional chapter for free.
Peter Hurley on TEDx:  How the Camera Reveals Your Personal Baggage

When I first met Anna Rowley while filming Peter Hurley's Illuminating the Face tutorial, it was obviously clear that she had discovered the psychological power behind Peter's headshot directing skills. That day she shared with me her belief that there might be a direct correlation between how a person reacts in front of an intimating camera and how they perform in their workplace. Everything she told me was extremely interesting, so I was pleasantly surprised when Peter texted me this TEDx talk yesterday. I'm curious to hear what you guys think.

Peter Hurley Shares His Headshot Tips and Tricks with Frank Doorhof

A few days ago Frank Doorhof posted a great interview with headshot photographer extraordinaire, Peter Hurley. In the video Frank asks Peter what his thought process is while coaching the people that he's shooting and what photographers should do if they're wanting to get into headshot photography. Peter gives some great insight and advice on headshots and on how to to approach the people you're shooting to capture the perfect expression.

Three Easy Steps To Improve Your Lighting on Webcam

Last week Fstoppers and Peter Hurley hosted a free Illuminating the Face release party on Spreecast (view it here if you missed it). Since I had learned so much from Peter's tutorial I figured it would be exciting to use some of his studio lighting techniques for my own webcam session. What I didn't expect was all the emails, tweets, and live questions concerning my lighting setup. So in this post I'm going to share my lighting setup with everyone so you can reproduce it with your video sessions.

Last Day To Save $200 On Peter Hurley Tutorials

Today, Sunday May 4th, is the last day to buy both Peter Hurley's tutorials - The Art Behind the Headshot and Illuminating the Face - for $400. Our Save $200 Promotion has been a huge success and many of you have picked up both for an incredible discount. But all good things must come to an end so make sure you take advantage of this incredible offer here.

How I Overcame My Fear of Using Strobes

Every photographer, at some point in their career, will have an internal debate to accept or decline a job because they may feel insecure about having the right skill sets or gear to complete the job. Personally, I have found myself accepting certain jobs and a few hours later, I wonder if I made a mistake in accepting the job since I may muck up a huge opportunity. A few days ago, I was offered a job that, at first, I did not think I could execute. Luckily though, I talked myself down the ledge and remembered I was in fact prepared for it.

Join the Fstoppers and Peter Hurley Live Tonight at 9PM Eastern

As you know, today we released our newest collaboration with Peter Hurley: Illuminating the Face. To celebrate the completion of this 4.5 hour tutorial, both Lee and I will be joining Peter Hurley live on Spreecast to talk about photography, lighting, headshots, and pushing yourself as an artist. If you have any questions for Peter or about the photography community in general this will be a great hangout tonight. Simply click on the link above to join and we look forward to seeing everyone live tonight!

Peter Hurley's New Tutorial Illuminating The Face Is Now Available

It's been 3 years since Lee and I flew up to NYC and filmed The Art Behind The Headshot with Peter Hurley. Today we are so excited to announce our latest collaboration with arguably the best headshot photographer in the world. Our new tutorial has been named Illuminating The Face and it's finally available to the public. We're also offering an incredible discount.

Peter Hurley Teaches From Zero To #Shabang!

When it comes to getting the best expressions out of your subject, Peter Hurley is one of the best out there. Two years ago we teamed up with Peter and produced the critically acclaimed The Art Behind the Headshot. This year Peter Hurley is joining us in the Bahamas for the 2014 Fstoppers Workshops. His two day headshot intensive has already sold out but there is still room in his newest lecture series From Zero To Shabang! Check out this video for details

Peter Hurley's "Squinch" Helps To Make Better Headshots

You would have to be from Mars not to know who Peter Hurley is at this point. He was one of the first photographers to let Fstoppers into his studio, and together we produced the wildly popular The Art Behind The Headshot tutorial where he shares all of his secrets. Today Peter is publicly sharing perhaps his most important tip for making people look good in front of your camera, and it is appropriately named "squinching."