I ask you all a question: photos

My agent is urging me to get photos for publicity purposes. I understand and agree, and should have done something sooner except I am photo averse.

What I want to know is, those of you who have recently done photos:

1) pro or amateur

2) if pro, how did the payment go?

What kind of ballpark are people asking for a shoot?

And, most importantly, how does it work to thereby use the photo for publicity related materials like a press kit that may be permanently up online or use as a photo in the back o...