A headshot photo is often your first impression if you want to hire someone or purchase their services online. Capturing a professional headshot photograph can significantly boost a career or business.
But how can you get the best? Read on for practical tips to become a good headshot photographer—covering everything from pre-shoot preparation to post-processing.
Headshot photography tips to keep in mind when shooting
Headshot photography is a collaborative process. A professional portrait photographer will interact with subjects, help them feel at ease, and even capture spontaneous moments like a mid-laugh. Or you might be taking headshots on your own.
While photo editing skills are important, planning should also be a part of your process. Let’s break a headshot session down step-by-step so you can refine each stage and deliver results you’ll be excited to share.
Consider the style of the headshot
Start by understanding the purpose of the headshot. This insight will guide your decisions on location, styling, and composition, so the final image aligns with your needs.
Think about:
- Style: Do you need a polished corporate image or a more relaxed, creative one?
- Location: Would shooting outdoors, in a studio, or at a workplace best suit the vision?
- Destination: How will you use the images? Do you need a landscape photo with space for text on a website homepage or a shot that looks good as a square profile photo?
- Included elements: Should the images incorporate branded props, signs, or specific backgrounds?
Remember, even people in the same industry may need vastly different headshots. For instance, sustainable clothing brand Finisterre features its founder, Tom Kay, in a gritty, monochrome outdoor shot. In contrast, ethical clothing designer Ella Griffee opts for a relaxed, welcoming studio portrait. Understanding the purpose of the shot and learning about your client’s unique needs will help you plan the shoot.
Pick (or create) a neutral background
The subject should be the focal point of every awesome headshot, which is why neutral backgrounds are ideal. Here’s how to achieve this effect:
- Indoor shots: Use a neutral wall, fabric, paper, tablecloth, curtain, or sheet. No need for expensive backdrops.
- Outdoors shots: Look for simple, neutral backgrounds like walls, columns, or building steps. Avoid overwhelming elements such as brick walls, graffiti, or shop signage.
- Dynamic backgrounds: Cityscapes or nature can work as a background if they fit the shoot brief. Position your subject with ample space behind them to blur the background.
The National Women’s Law Center, for example, uses a mix of background styles for its board of directors’ headshots, all of which look equally professional.
Add props if needed
Less is often more when it comes to including props in professional headshots. The goal is to make the subject take center stage without overshadowing them or making the image look contrived. In some professions, props can add value to a headshot—like medical professionals, creatives, educators, chefs, craftspeople, athletes, and fitness experts.
Remember these key points when considering props:
- The prop should be an authentic part of the professional’s daily work
- It should be subtle and not dominate the image
- The prop should be in good condition and high-quality
- Avoid clichéd or overused props that might make the image look dated or unoriginal
- When in doubt, take shots both with and without the prop to give the subject options
Set up your light source
Natural light or a studio setup? Your choice of light source will depend on the type of headshot, location, photography style, and technical experience. But as a general rule, don’t overcomplicate it. Unless you’re going for a dramatic, creative shot, focus on creating a natural, flattering look.
If you opt for natural light:
- Aim for diffused lighting to avoid harsh shadows on the subject’s face. You can diffuse light using white or sheer fabric in front of a window or use the transparent part of a multi-use reflector.
- If needed, add a reflector to reduce shadows. Use it on either side or angled in front of the subject to reduce under-eye shadows.
- Experiment with head-on light from the window or outdoors when the sun is lower and slightly angled from the side, or place the subject in front of the sun.
You’ll find plenty of setups for artificial lighting, depending on your budget, skill, and available equipment. Remember, artificial lighting can be harsh, so soften it using modifiers. Softer light works for most business scenarios—like in the headshot below—but some clients might request harsher light for a more dramatic look.
Use a tripod for taking your own headshots
Do you want to create your own headshots on a budget? No problem—just make sure you’ve got a tripod and either a remote release or a timer on your camera or phone.
However, a tripod can also be handy for photographing clients. How does it work? Position your subject, for example, on a stool, and set up your camera focused on the client. Then, plug in a remote release or connect a wireless one. Now, you can freely interact with your subject, talk to them, and press the shutter button when their expression is just right.
Change poses and expressions
Getting the setup right is half the challenge. The next step is posing your client and giving them gentle cues, which will take your photo from good to great. Guide your client through poses and facial expressions to create various images. Start with simple poses, like a slight head tilt in different directions, to help clients relax their bodies.
Many people feel self-conscious when asked to smile or laugh, so gradually ease into more complex expressions. As you change poses and expressions, vary your compositions too. This is particularly important if your subject needs different images from the same location, giving you a set of options.
Review images as you go
It’s easy to get caught up in the shoot without checking any images on the back of your camera. But make sure you take brief pauses to review what you’ve shot. Zoom in to see if the subject’s eyes are in focus. Also, check for any unwanted reflections if your client wears glasses. Handling reflections for headshots is similar to photographing reflective products.
Reviewing your photos and test shots allows you make minor adjustments you may otherwise miss, such as changing light position, client’s pose, or your composition. It’s better to shoot a few more photos than not have enough.
How to edit a headshot to look professional
You’ve done your best to get the light right, and your client looks great in the photos. What’s next? Photos straight from the camera might have all the necessary elements, but editing headshots will add that final touch for a professional result.
Apply basic edits
To get started, apply lens corrections. This will fix any distortions or vignetting your lens might create. Then, adjust the exposure and white balance settings for a neutral look. Check if your image needs to be cropped, too.
In the example below, we applied lens correction and slightly reduced the exposure so the subject had more facial definition.
If something still doesn’t look quite right, try fine-tuning other settings. Adjust sliders for highlights, whites, shadows, and blacks. For more precise control, manipulate the tonal curve. Most professional editing apps, like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and Capture One, offer these adjustments.
Reduce blemishes and enhance skin texture
You don’t need to be an expert retoucher to edit a great-looking headshot. When retouching your photos, use Photoshop tools like Spot Healing Brush Tool or Lightroom’s brushes to apply local adjustments to the subject’s face.
For example, you might want to remove temporary blemishes and stray hairs, brighten eyes, lightly soften skin texture, or fix unwanted shine, like in the image below.
But remember, everyone has skin texture, which is entirely normal. Sharp lenses and unflattering lighting can make it more prominent, so keep your edits natural. And before you edit any permanent features, such as moles or scars, always consult your client first. Removing those could drastically change their appearance.
Check for reflections on glasses
Reflections can be an artistic choice, but not when visible on your subject’s glasses and covering their eyes. If your headshot has reflections you didn’t notice during the shoot, you might be able to rescue the image. As long as the reflection doesn’t fully cover the subject’s eyes, you can use a mix of Photoshop’s Spot Healing Brush Tool and Clone Stamp to remove it.
Smooth any clothing wrinkles
Even with the best intentions, some clients may still arrive with an outfit that needs an iron. Or there might be a slight wrinkle on their shirt that neither of you noticed. Either way, you can fix clothing wrinkles in Photoshop using the tools mentioned above. You can also outsource the task if you don’t have time to work on it.
Remove background imperfections
Are you shooting outdoors? The buildings or walls in the background may not be as polished as indoor backdrops. You might encounter some spots, dirt, scratches, or small graffiti or stickers.
But it’s a relatively easy fix! Use the Spot Healing Brush Tool or Generative Fill in Photoshop, and you can remove any background imperfections.
Remove or change background color
Does your client want a different background color for their new LinkedIn profile photo? Or maybe they need a few on-brand color variations for headshots across different marketing channels? You can change the background color with no need to reshoot.
For same-color backgrounds, you can easily change the color in Photoshop or remove the background entirely, using clipping path or masking.
Add more blur to the background
It’s not always possible to blur the background as much as desired—it could be because of the lens used or the subject and background distance. But sometimes, it might be the one thing that’s missing from your photo to make the subject stand out.
You can fix this in Lightroom using a couple of methods:
- Masking tools: Head into the Masking section and click on Select Background. Lightroom will automatically create a mask for the background, which you can use to reduce clarity, sharpness, and texture to soften and blur the background.
- Lens Blur: If you have the latest app version, try the new AI Lens Blur tool in your Develop module. The app will analyze the image and apply smart lens blur. You can control the blur amount and bokeh style or refine it further using brushes.
For more precise blur, you can use Photoshop and work with layers.
Headshots that boost careers and land sales
Commissioning a professional headshot is a business investment for your clients. So, it’s crucial to develop all the skills needed to create a professional result—from technical understanding to artistic vision and even soft skills to build rapport with your subjects.
You’ll improve each one with time. But if you need help with post-production, you can outsource the tedious editing tasks to our experienced retouchers at Path.
Polish up your product shots with pro retouching from 79¢ per image
Learn moreHow to make a headshot look professional FAQs
How do you make a headshot look good?
To make a headshot look good, opt for a neutral, simple background. Ensure proper lighting (natural or artificial), and focus on the subject’s eyes. In post-production, focus on natural edits: lightly soften skin, brighten eyes, remove any temporary blemishes, flyaway hair, or wrinkled clothing.
How do you look professional in a headshot?
- Wear appropriate, non-distracting clothing
- Ensure neat grooming
- Maintain good posture
- Vary between different expressions, from neutral to smiling
- Make eye contact with the camera
- How do you make a good professional headshot?.
- Understand the client’s needs and industry
- Choose appropriate lighting and background
- Guide the client to relax and express themselves naturally
- Take multiple shops with slight variations
- Apply professional editing techniques
How to turn a photo into a professional headshot?
- Crop the image to draw focus on the face
- Adjust exposure, contrast, and color balance
- Remove blemishes and shine
- Enhance eyes
- Blur or replace background if necessary
- Make sure the image looks natural and not over-edited
How to pose for a professional headshot?
Stand or sit up straight with shoulders back. Angle your body slightly away from the camera and tilt your chin down slightly to avoid unflattering angles. Relax your facial muscles for a natural expression. Make eye contact with the camera as you go through different expressions (smiling, serious, approachable). Don’t be afraid to express your personality.
