The short answer
A headshot is a style of photo: a fairly tight image of your face and shoulders, usually with clean lighting and a simple background. A profile photo is a use: whatever image you choose to represent you on an account or platform. Many people use a headshot as their profile photo, but a profile photo does not have to be a headshot.
The phrase “profile shot” is also used in a second, quite different sense: a photo taken from the side. We cover that below.
What counts as a headshot
Photographers generally describe a headshot as a close-framed image focused on the face, typically including the head and the top of the chest or shoulders. Common features include:
- Tight framing, with the face as the clear focus.
- Even, flattering light.
- A simple or softly blurred background.
- Direct eye contact and a clear, approachable expression.
- An emphasis on looking like yourself, so people can recognize you.
Headshots are common for professional networking pages, company team pages, speaker bios, author pages, resumes, and, in a different style, acting and casting. Acting headshots often follow industry-specific conventions, so check what casting contacts expect.
What a profile photo is
A profile photo is simply the image attached to your name on a website, app or account. It might be:
- A formal headshot.
- A relaxed, casual portrait.
- A wider shot that shows part of your surroundings.
- A full-body image.
- A logo or illustration, on accounts that are not personal.
Because it is defined by use, the “right” profile photo depends on the platform and your goal.
Does “profile” mean side view?
In photography, a profile view usually means a photo taken from the side, showing the outline of the face. People searching “profile headshot” sometimes mean this, and sometimes mean “a headshot for my profile.” The two meanings overlap only if you choose a side-on image for your profile.
Can a headshot be a side profile? Technically it can, since a headshot is defined mainly by tight framing. But most professional headshots show the face turned toward the camera, because it is easier for people to read your expression and recognize you. A strict side view is more often an artistic choice than a standard business one.
Headshot, portrait and profile photo compared
| Headshot | Portrait | Profile photo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A tight, face-and-shoulders style | A broader, often more creative image of a person | An image used to represent you online |
| Typical framing | Head and shoulders | Head to waist, three-quarter or full body | Varies |
| Background | Simple or blurred | Can be detailed or environmental | Varies |
| Main goal | Clear, credible, recognizable | Personality, mood, story | Identification and first impression |
| Defined by | Style | Style | Use |
These categories overlap. A headshot can be a profile photo, and a portrait can be cropped into a profile photo.
Which to use where
- Professional networking, team pages, bios: a headshot is usually the safe, clear choice.
- Social accounts: a friendly, well-lit portrait or a tighter crop of one often works well.
- Dating apps: most guidance suggests a clear face photo as the lead plus a few others showing your life. See dating profile photo tips.
- Workplace credentials: a plain, front-facing image, following any employer rules. See ID badge photo tips.
Cropping for avatars and thumbnails
Most platforms display profile photos very small and often crop them to a circle or a square. A few habits help:
- Frame yourself with room around the head so a circular crop does not cut off the top of your hair or chin.
- Keep the face large enough to remain recognizable when the image is only a few dozen pixels wide.
- Avoid placing important details, such as a logo or a second person, near the edges.
- Check the platform’s current guidelines on dimensions, since they change over time. Pixel dimensions matter more than the DPI label here, as explained in best DPI for website images.
What to avoid in a headshot
- Distracting backgrounds or objects behind you.
- Heavy filters and smoothing that make you look unlike yourself.
- Harsh shadows or direct on-camera flash.
- Sunglasses or hats that hide your face, unless there is a professional reason.
- Cropped group photos where someone else’s arm or shoulder is still visible.
- Outdated images that no longer look like you.
Related reading
If you want to create a headshot yourself, our guide on how to do professional headshots walks through planning, lighting and editing.