Last updated January 2025
In our increasingly online world, how you are perceived can be as important as your actual professional skills and personal appeal. That’s why a good head shot still comes in handy, even though you can just use a digital avator to represent your face on LinkedIn, X, Bluesky, or Instagram.
A photo portrait that looks polished and approachable should help you get job interviews, clicks, business, or even a hot date. Here’s what to do—and what not to do—to get a great mug shot.
Do: Consider Hiring a Professional.
Yes, the high-tech cameras and photo-editing tools on smartphones mean you might be able to use a timer or a pal with skills to capture your smiling face. Use natural or bright indoor lighting, get lots of shots, and look at our tips below for ideas. But know that for relatively little money (as low as $150), you can get half an hour or an hour with a pro photographer who can use their better equipment, fancy lights, and knowhow to make you look like an MVP. Their fee is also likely to include retouching and editing. See our section on hiring a photographer for ideas on finding one, plus ratings of local shutterbugs.
Don’t: Wear a Loud Print, All Black, or All White
Most headshots are just that—an image of your face, shoulders, and neck. Don’t distract from your visage with an overly bold print. Instead try simple, solid colors (yes, bright is fine) in medium to dark hues. Know that wearing all black can reflect dark shadows on your face (not a good look unless you want to look like a stereotypical undertaker), and that all white clothing is best confined to doctors.
Do: Wear Something that Fits Your Field
For most headshots, veer to the conservative side of your field. That’s why lawyers should choose a well-cut suit, and design pros should go for a dress or jacket in a brighter hue. Choose items with simple shapes and no distracting necklines (too low, boatneck) or turtlenecks (which may make you look bulky). Ties and subtle necklaces are great; huge, puffy scarves or giant earrings are not. The idea is that the camera captures you—your eyes, your smile, your confident please-hire-me expression—not your outfit.
Don’t: Forget Grooming
If you go with a pro headshot service, you may be able to pay a bit extra for hair and makeup (makeup and hair zooshing for women; a bit of powder and combing for guys). Cameras tend to fade your features, so for women, this is one occasion when brighter blush, more foundation, and a bold lipstick look good, not garish. Just remember to err on the side of real tasteful, not “Real Housewives.”
Do: Consider an AI Service
Yeah, AI feels like it could threaten our jobs, not help us get them. An exception might be using it to morph a smartphone pic into a pro-looking shot for free, or a few dollars. You can simply upload a decent phone snap, choose a template (including outfit and backdrop), and, a few seconds or hours later, receive high-resolution shots fit for your profile or website. The images are cheaper than hiring a photographer and more reliable than relying on your spouse or kid. (Plus AI photos seem to lop off up to a decade off your age.) On the other hand, AI-altered images often look a bit phony—and maybe you are supporting the AI takeover of creative arts.
Services include Aragon AI ($35-$75 for 20 to 100 photos; professional-looking backdrops and outfits): AI Portraits ($0 to $29.99 for six months; has quirky templates to turn you into a D.J., teacher, or priest), and HeadShotPro ($29 to $59; natural-looking poses and backdrops). Still, be wary of giving away your personal info (your face!), and read customer reviews before shelling out.
Do: Get a Lot of Options
Whether you enlist a pal, AI, or a pro, get multiple options so you can pick the best, most comfortable-looking photo. The desired effect: relaxed-yet-confident, someone that Company X or Client Z would gladly hire. Some photography studio packages allow for an outfit change or two, which is ideal if you own your own business (you might want different shots for different sections of your website or other needs) or need different roles (one business-y shot for your LinkedIn profile, or a dressier option for your work on a museum charity).