How to Do Professional Headshots

What makes a headshot look professional

A professional headshot is usually a tightly framed photo of your face and shoulders, with soft, even light, a simple background, and an expression that looks relaxed and approachable. The details that tend to separate a polished headshot from a casual snapshot are consistent and mostly simple:

• Soft light that does not leave harsh shadows under the eyes or nose.
• A clean background that does not compete with your face.
• Clothing that fits well and does not distract.
• A natural expression, with eyes in focus.
• A crop that still reads clearly at a small thumbnail size.

None of these require expensive gear. They do require some planning, which is where most DIY headshots go wrong.

Hire a photographer or do it yourself

Both routes can work. Which is better depends on how the photo will be used.

Photographers bring lighting experience, direction, and a way to review images with you as you go. If you shoot yourself, you can get close with good window light, a helper, and careful selection afterward. Prices for professional sessions vary widely by location and photographer, so it is worth comparing a few portfolios before deciding.

Plan the shoot

Before you pick up a camera, decide a few things:

1. Where the photo will be used. A professional networking profile, a company website, and a conference bio can all call for slightly different looks. Check whether the platform crops to a circle or square.
2. The impression you want. Approachable and friendly, or more formal and reserved. This guides your outfit and expression.
3. Wardrobe. Solid, well-fitting clothes in colors that contrast with your background usually photograph well. Busy patterns, fine stripes and large logos tend to distract. Our guide on what to wear for a professional photo goes into colors, necklines, layers and industry norms.
4. Grooming. Neat hair, light and natural makeup if you wear it, and a little shine control on the forehead and nose. Many photographers suggest a quick check in a mirror right before shooting.

Bring more than one outfit if you can. It costs little and gives you options when you review the images.

Set up light and background at home

Light matters more than the camera. A few approaches that work for most people:

• Face a large window. Soft, indirect daylight is generally flattering. Stand or sit so the window is in front of you or slightly to one side, rather than behind you. Our guide to the best time of day to take photos inside helps you pick the hour your window works best.
• Avoid harsh direct sun. Bright direct sunlight can create strong shadows and make you squint. A shaded spot outdoors or a bright overcast day can be softer.
• Turn off mixed overhead lights. Ceiling lights can cast shadows and mix color tones with daylight.
• Leave space behind you. Standing a few feet from a wall helps keep shadows off the background and gives the background a softer look. A plain wall, a neutral backdrop or a tidy, blurred space all work.

Keep the background simple. Remove clutter and anything that appears to grow out of your head.

Camera, framing and height

A recent smartphone is capable of good headshots. Some practical points:

• Use the rear camera if you have a helper, since it is usually higher quality than the front camera. If you are alone, a tripod or stable surface and a timer or remote shutter helps.
• Place the lens roughly at eye level. A camera held too low or too high changes how your face appears.
• Step back a little and crop later rather than getting very close to the lens, which can exaggerate features. Many photographers use a moderate focal length for portraits; on a phone, a modest zoom or the portrait-oriented lens, where available, can help.
• Leave a little breathing room around your head so you can crop for different platforms.
• Wipe the lens before you start. This is an easy fix that often gets skipped.

Portrait modes that blur the background can look good, but they can also create odd edges around hair and glasses. Check these areas when you review the image.

Posing and expression

Small adjustments often make the biggest difference:

• Sit or stand tall and relax your shoulders.
• Turn your body slightly away from the camera and turn your face back toward it, rather than squaring up flat.
• Bring your chin slightly forward and a touch down to define the jawline. Go gently; exaggerating it can look odd.
• Relax your forehead and jaw.

Expression is the hardest part. Practice in a mirror, then shoot many frames. A gentle, genuine smile tends to look more approachable than a forced one. See our guide on how to smile for professional headshots for specific techniques and ways to loosen up.

Run the session

• Take plenty of frames. Many photographers shoot dozens or more, since only a few will have the right expression and sharp eyes.
• Pause often to check a handful of shots on a larger screen than the camera or phone, if possible.
• Change small things between sets: a different outfit, a different head angle, a different expression.
• Take a break if you notice yourself getting stiff or self-conscious. Chatting with your helper often helps.

Choose and edit your final image

Selecting the right image matters as much as shooting it.

1. Cull. Remove frames with closed eyes, soft focus or awkward expressions. Check that the eyes are sharp.
2. Pick a few finalists. Look at them at small size, since that is how most people will see them. Ask a trusted friend or colleague for an opinion.
3. Make modest edits. Typical adjustments include exposure and contrast, white balance so skin tones look natural, a gentle crop, and removing small temporary distractions such as a blemish or stray hair. Software menus and tool names vary, so look for general controls like exposure, white balance, crop and spot removal. Our overview of common photo editing apps lists free and paid options.
4. Keep it recognizable. Heavy smoothing, reshaping or filters can make you look unlike yourself, which defeats the purpose of a professional headshot. Many photographers recommend a light touch; see is photo manipulation ethical for how to think about retouching a portrait.
5. Export for the platform. Check the site’s guidance on dimensions and file size, and save a high-quality original for future use. If a site sets a minimum or maximum file size, best DPI for website images explains what actually controls it.

What to avoid

• Heavy filters and beauty effects.
• Cropped group photos in which someone else’s shoulder or hand remains visible.
• Harsh flash directly from the camera.
• Sunglasses, hats or anything hiding your eyes, unless it is part of your professional identity.
• Busy backgrounds, mirrors or windows with bright reflections behind you.
• Very old photos. People generally expect your headshot to resemble how you look today.

What about the “20-60-20 rule”?

You may see a “20-60-20 rule” mentioned in photography searches. There does not appear to be a single, standard definition used across photography, so we do not rely on it here. If you come across it in a tutorial, check how that author defines it before applying it to your own shoot.

Related headshot questions

• Wondering whether a headshot and a general profile picture are the same thing? Read headshot vs profile shot.
• Need a photo for work credentials? See our ID badge photo tips.
• Choosing photos for an app rather than a business profile? Our dating profile photo tips cover a different set of goals.

Quick checklist

• Purpose and platform decided
• Outfit chosen, pressed and a backup ready
• Window light or other soft light set up
• Plain, uncluttered background with space behind you
• Camera at eye level, lens clean
• Many frames taken, in a relaxed state
• Finalists reviewed at thumbnail size
• Light edits only, then exported for the platform