How to get professional headshots

A professional photographer is the most reliable way to get professional headshots that look natural and credible.

Tell the photographer where you will use the images, prepare two or three suitable outfits, and choose a final portrait that looks like you now. Professional photography works well for LinkedIn, company websites, executive profiles, speaker bios, press features, acting portfolios and personal branding.

A DIY smartphone headshot can work for a basic profile when time or budget is limited.

Choose the Right Way to Get Your Headshot

Option	Best for	Main advantage	Main limitation
Professional headshot photographer	Executives, job seekers, business owners and public-facing professionals	Expert lighting, posing, expression and retouching	Higher cost and more planning
Employer or workplace photo day	Employees who need a consistent company profile photo	Convenient and brand-consistent	Less control over the photographer or final style
Retail portrait studio	Fast, straightforward business portraits	Easy booking and a predictable process	May offer less industry-specific direction
DIY smartphone setup	LinkedIn updates, internal profiles and small budgets	Low cost and immediate results	Lighting, posing and editing are harder to control
AI headshot service	Fast, remote image creation	Convenient and often inexpensive	Likeness, realism, privacy and usage terms vary

Choose based on how much the image matters to the people viewing it. A real photographer is usually the better choice for a client-facing profile, business website, executive bio or job search. A smartphone setup may be enough for an internal profile or a low-stakes account.

1. Decide Where You Will Use the Headshot

Before contacting a photographer, list every place you expect to use the image:

• LinkedIn profile
• Resume or job application
• Company website
• Email signature
• Speaker or conference biography
• Press release or media profile
• Real estate, legal, medical or financial profile
• Acting, modelling or creative portfolio
• Personal website and social media

Tell the photographer whether you need a traditional corporate headshot, a relaxed personal-branding portrait, an editorial image or an acting headshot. The intended use affects the background, crop, clothing, expression and level of retouching.

A lawyer may need a polished portrait with a neutral background. A creative director may prefer an environmental image with more personality. A LinkedIn profile usually needs a close crop that remains clear at a small size.

2. Find a Photographer Who Matches Your Needs

Search for photographers using terms such as:

• "corporate headshot photographer near me"
• "executive headshots in "
• "LinkedIn headshot photographer"
• "actor headshots in "
• "personal branding photographer"

Review complete galleries rather than choosing based on one attractive image. Look for work featuring people with different ages, skin tones, hair types and face shapes. The photographer should produce the style you need consistently.

Ask these questions before booking:

1. How many final images are included?
2. Are basic retouching and color correction included?
3. Will I receive high-resolution and web-sized files?
4. What is the expected turnaround time?
5. Can you provide vertical and horizontal crops?
6. Can I use the images on my website, LinkedIn and marketing materials?
7. Is the session in a studio, outdoors or at my workplace?
8. Will you direct posing and facial expressions?
9. Are background changes or extra images charged separately?
10. What happens if I dislike the selected image?

The package should explain the session length, image selection process, retouching, delivery format and usage rights. Headshot prices vary by photographer, location and package details, so compare what you receive rather than comparing headline prices alone.

3. Prepare Your Appearance Several Days Before the Session

Schedule a haircut roughly one week before the photoshoot if you are trying a new style. A haircut immediately before the session can look too fresh or make an unwanted change more noticeable. Avoid major grooming changes, skincare treatments or hair color experiments right before the shoot.

The day before and the morning of the session:

• Get a normal night's sleep.
• Drink water and eat a proper meal.
• Bring a comb, brush, makeup, lip balm and lint roller.
• Avoid clothing that creases easily.
• Arrive with enough time to settle in.
• Tell the photographer about glasses, hearing aids or other items you normally wear.

The aim is to look rested and recognisable. Retouching can remove temporary distractions such as lint or minor blemishes, but it should not change the features that make you look like yourself.

4. Choose What to Wear for Professional Headshots

Choose clothing that is one step more polished than what you normally wear in your target workplace. The fit should be comfortable, and the style should suit the role you want to represent.

Good options include:

• Solid navy, charcoal, burgundy, forest green or neutral colors
• A well-fitted blazer, jacket, sweater or collared shirt
• Professional clothing without large logos
• Small, familiar accessories
• Layers that create more than one look

Avoid very fine stripes, busy patterns and reflective jewelry because they can pull attention away from your face. Bring two or three outfits if the session allows it. Include one conservative option and one outfit that reflects your personality or industry more closely.

A senior financial professional may need a formal suit. A designer, coach or startup founder may look more credible in a relaxed shirt or creative jacket. The clothing should fit the expectations of the people you want to hire or work with.

5. Use the Session to Create More Than One Useful Image

Ask for a mixture of close-up and upper-body portraits. A close crop works well for LinkedIn, while a wider image may suit a company biography, presentation or website banner.

Ask the photographer to try:

• Neutral and lightly smiling expressions
• Direct eye contact and slightly off-camera poses
• Vertical and horizontal compositions
• Light and dark clothing options
• Plain and environmental backgrounds
• Crops with space around the head and shoulders

The photographer should guide your posture, chin position, shoulders and expression. You do not need to know how to pose before the session. Bring examples of headshots you like so the photographer can see the level of formality and energy you want.

6. Select the Final Image Carefully

Choose the image that best communicates confidence, approachability and credibility to your intended audience.

Look for:

• Clear, natural eye contact
• A relaxed facial expression
• Sharp focus on the eyes
• Flattering but realistic lighting
• A clean background
• A crop that works at small sizes
• A likeness that still looks like you

Do not choose an image only because it has the most dramatic editing. People should be able to recognise you when they meet you.

Request the final image in at least two formats:

• A high-resolution file for print and presentations
• A smaller web-ready file for LinkedIn, websites and email profiles

Keep the delivered files in a secure folder. Confirm that your package includes permission to use the images on personal websites, employer profiles, marketing materials and social media.

How to Take a Professional Headshot Yourself

A DIY headshot can work when you need a usable image quickly and the profile is not highly commercial.

Use this setup:

1. Ask someone to use the rear-facing smartphone camera instead of the selfie camera.
2. Stand near a large window in soft, indirect daylight.
3. Choose a simple, uncluttered background.
4. Place the camera at eye level.
5. Use a tripod or stable surface instead of holding the phone.
6. Leave space around your head and shoulders for cropping.
7. Take many images with small changes in expression and posture.
8. Make minor edits to brightness, color and distractions.

Indeed recommends a simple background, natural light, the rear-facing smartphone camera and multiple photos for a DIY professional headshot.

Avoid harsh overhead light, extreme filters, visible bathroom mirrors, crowded backgrounds and images cropped from group photos. If the result looks like a casual selfie, it will usually be a weak professional headshot.

When Should You Update Your Headshot?

Update your headshot when your appearance changes noticeably, when you change careers or industries, or when the image no longer resembles you. Many professionals review their headshot every couple of years, but there is no need to replace a successful image on a fixed schedule if it remains accurate and appropriate.

The Simplest Recommendation

Use a professional photographer when the image will appear on a business website, executive profile, job application, press feature or client-facing profile. Use a carefully lit smartphone portrait when speed, budget or a basic online profile matters more.

In either case, choose a recent image that people will recognise when they meet you.