Draper Studios · Downtown Denver
Fifteen years directing actors in Los Angeles. Now photographing Denver.
Headshots, portraits, and personal branding for actors, professionals, founders, and teams. PPortraits that look like you — relaxed, natural, and never stiff or corporate. Every session is fully directed — you'll never be left wondering what to do with your hands.
Downtown Denver studio On-location available across the metro
Selected Work
Different people. Different jobs. One standard.
A casting headshot, an executive portrait, and a brand library shouldn't look the same. What stays constant is the direction behind them.
Choose Your Session
Start with what the photograph has to do.
A casting submission, a company directory, a website launch, and a hundred-person team are four different problems. Pick the one that sounds like yours.
For professionals
Professional Headshots
One directed session for LinkedIn, company profiles, press, and speaking. Same-day proofs, finals in 48 hours.
For actors and performers
Actor Headshots
Cinematic, casting-focused sessions built around your lanes. Film, television, theatre, commercial, and representation submissions.
For founders, experts and public-facing professionals
Personal Branding
A strategically planned image library for a website launch, speaking, press, publishing, and ongoing marketing. Studio and location.
For companies
Team Headshots
A full studio brought to your office. Teams of 5 to 100+, one consistent look, employees pick their favorite before I leave.
Not sure which fits? Tell me what the photographs are for and I'll point you at the right one — including the smaller one, if that's what you actually need.
Meet Your Photographer
What fifteen years with actors taught me about everyone else.
Matt Draper Photographer · Director · Former audition coach
Actors are trained to be looked at, and most of them still tense up the moment a camera comes out. Everyone else — the executive, the founder, the person who just needs one good photo for a company directory — arrives with exactly the same problem and none of the training.
The fix is the same either way. Direction. Specific, continuous, playable direction: where your weight goes, where you're looking, what you're thinking about a half-second before the shutter. That's the difference between a photograph of someone posing and a photograph of someone present.
I spent fifteen years in Los Angeles learning it — coaching auditions, directing scenes, cutting demo reels, and making films — before I opened a studio in Denver.
Your job isn't to perform for the camera. My job is to create the conditions where you can stop thinking about it.
Every session is photographed by me. Not an associate, not whoever happens to be free that week.
Photographed for
Client Notes
People come back. And they bring their teams.
The finished photographs matter. So does the hour it took to make them — especially for the many people who arrive certain they aren't photogenic.
Professional, fast, and the quality is unreal. I booked him for my team after my session — everyone loved their photos.
Within days of my updated headshot, I was able to secure a modeling gig with a new client. He makes you feel incredibly comfortable in front of the camera.
Our firm hired Matt twice to shoot our staff photos — he did phenomenal work. He made sure all our members felt comfortable and that everyone was satisfied with their pictures. Matt's our guy.
Questions
What people usually ask first.
How much does a professional headshot cost in Denver?
A Professional Headshot Session is $325 at my downtown Denver studio. It includes a fully directed session, a same-day private proof gallery, and one fully retouched image. Additional retouched images are $50 each.
See the professional headshot session details.
How much do actor headshots cost?
Actor sessions are $325 for one look, $425 for two looks, and $525 for three looks. Each look includes one fully retouched image. Additional looks are $100 each, and additional retouched images are $50 each.
See the actor headshot session details.
How much do personal branding and team sessions cost?
Personal branding sessions start at $425. Larger image libraries are planned around the number of looks, settings, and finished images you need.
Team headshot sessions start at $895. The final quote depends on team size, setups, group photographs, and location.
I hate having my photo taken. Will this work for me?
Many people who book with me feel that way. Every session is fully directed: I’ll guide your posture, expression, and where to look. You don’t need to know how to pose—that’s my job.
What should I wear?
Choose clothes that fit well through the shoulders and feel like you. Solid colors and simple textures tend to photograph well; skip busy patterns, large logos, and anything you’ll keep adjusting.
Bring a couple of options. We’ll choose what works best on camera before we start, and I’ll send a short prep guide after you book.
Should I smile in my headshot?
We’ll photograph a range of expressions, from a genuine smile to a quieter, more focused look. You can choose the one that feels most like you and fits how you’ll use the photo.
How soon will I get my photos?
You’ll receive a private proof gallery the same day as your session. After you choose your favorites, finished images are delivered within 48 hours, including weekends.
Where is the studio, and do you photograph on location?
Individual sessions take place at my private studio at 816 Acoma Street in downtown Denver. On-location team and personal branding sessions are available throughout the Denver metro. I’ll confirm any travel costs for locations outside the area when I prepare your quote.
More answers on the FAQ page, or ask me directly.