I've spoken with a couple people who have hired dating profile photographers. It sounds like these services can be *really* expensive. I heard about one who charged $700 and one who charged $2800.

I was not impressed with their output. Tbh, I think my work is better than theirs. (And for reference, I charged $200 for a couple recent shoots. I think I'd go up to ~$350 if I were a bit more confident in my skills/reliability. I would feel kinda wrong charging $700 atm!)

If I think of other (not-necessarily-pro) photographers I've met in the rationalist community, I'd say their photos are way better too. And meeting people outside the rationalist community, it's not THAT uncommon for me to encounter a photographer who is REALLY good, whose skills are beyond what I ever expect to achieve.

But... like... uh. Making a living off photography doesn't seem like a super strong signal that you're great at it? (At least I assume these people are making a living off their work, given the vibe I get from their websites.) I guess you can turn it into a business and learn to market it effectively, even if your results are so-so?

(Very small N, but this phenomenon doesn't seem limited to dating profile photographers. I have also been surprised by the relatively low-quality output of a wedding photographer who, AFAICT, has been hired for many weddings.)