Portraits · Austin, Texas
Portraits by
Ryan Dunbar
Author portraits, book covers and editorial portraits, photographed by Ryan Dunbar. His cover photographs appear on two HarperCollins books.
Single portraits for magazines, publishers and brands, made in the studio or on location. The work has run in HELLO! magazine, The Big Issue and The Guardian, and in advertising for Dove.
Ask for a quoteThe work
What a single-image commission is
A magazine feature, a book jacket or a brand's campaign often comes down to one portrait. It has to say who the person is, and it has to get past an editor or an art director before anyone else sees it.
That single picture is the job. It starts with where the picture will run, and the light and direction are planned toward that one frame, in the studio in Austin or on location.
How this differs from a Headshot Session
A session gives you portraits to use wherever you represent yourself or your company. A commission is made for a use that goes further: an advert, a book jacket, a magazine feature, a brand's campaign. So it's priced in two parts. One covers the shoot. The other is a licence for where the picture runs and for how long.
Published
Where the portraits have run
Each picture below is captioned with the outlet and the use.
Niall Harbison, for HarperCollins, HELLO! and The Big Issue
Niall Harbison ran an advertising company in Dublin before moving to Thailand, where he rescues street dogs. He was photographed on location at the rescue in 2023. Photographs from that shoot are on the covers of his books Tina and Hope, both published by HarperCollins, and ran in HELLO! magazine and The Big Issue. Tina became an international bestseller.
Dove
Made in the studio, then licensed by Dove for one of its campaign adverts.
Jason Tyler McLean, author
Jason Tyler McLean is an author and speaker. The cover photographs for two of his books, One Drop of Water and The Monarch Butterfly Effect, came from these shoots, with the credit printed inside each jacket.
Editorial work has also been published in The Guardian.
Commissions
Single portraits, each made for one job
The caption under each portrait says what it was for.
In the studio
On location
What to expect
You don't need to know how this works
Most people who commission a single portrait have never done it before. There's no brief to write and no terms to learn. Say what the picture is for, and everything else is worked out together.
It starts with a conversation.
Who the portrait is of, and where it will be used: a book cover, an album, an advert, a firm's website. That one detail shapes everything else.
The picture is planned with you.
The look, the setting and what to wear are settled before the day, so you arrive knowing what to expect.
The shoot, then your finals.
In the studio in Austin or somewhere that's yours. Every final is retouched by hand and approved before it reaches you.
What the price covers
A quote has two parts: the time to make the portrait, and permission to use it where you said you would. A book cover or an advert reaches more people than a website, so that permission costs more. The Dove portrait above is an example. It was made in the studio first, and Dove later paid to use it in an advert.
Ask for a quoteQuestions
Questions about commissions
Who takes the photographs?
Ryan Dunbar, an Austin portrait photographer, photographs every commission himself, after 21 years behind the camera.
How is this different from booking a headshot session?
A session gives you portraits to use wherever you represent yourself or your company, at a set price. A commission is for a picture that goes further, like a book cover or an advert, so it's quoted for that use. If you're not sure which you need, just ask.
What does a commission cost?
Every commission is quoted, because the price depends on where the picture will be used. Everything is listed on the quote before you agree to it.
Can you arrange hair and makeup or a stylist?
Yes, when the job calls for it. They're listed separately on the quote.
How soon will I have the finals?
Usually within two business days, or four when there are more to finish. If you have a deadline, say so at the start.
Where can the shoot happen?
In the studio in Austin, or on location across Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Travel further afield is quoted separately.
Who owns the photographs?
The copyright stays with the photographer, which is standard. Your quote gives you permission to use the portrait as agreed, and more uses can be added later.
Can a portrait be made in confidence?
Yes. Clients in public life are photographed in confidence, and nobody is named on this site without agreeing to it.
How do I get started?
Fill in the form at the foot of this page, or call (737) 428-2200. Say what the portrait is for and when you need it.
Contact
Start with what the portrait is for
A few lines is enough: who the portrait is of, where it will be used, for how long, and when you need it. The reply will be a quote, or a question or two if something needs clearing up.
Call (737) 428-2200 or email info@ryandunbarphotography.com.
Looking for portraits for your own website or LinkedIn? Both sessions, with their prices, are on the Headshots page.