Get a LinkedIn Photo That Actually Gets You Noticed

Gather Your Best 'You' with 10 Smartphone Photos

Your perfect headshot isn't one photo. It's a choice you make from ten solid options. Grab your phone right now. Over the next two mornings, take five quick selfies each day. Do it before you leave for work, in the best natural light you can find. I want you to wear a different shirt each day—one dark, one with a bit of color. The goal is to catch your face in its natural, rested state, not after a long, stressful afternoon. This isn't about being a model. It's about creating a shortlist where your genuine warmth and competence are visible. I once had a client who insisted she was "not photogenic." We scrolled through her camera roll and found a candid shot of her laughing at a picnic. That expression, that specific light on her face, became our blueprint. Your ten photos are that blueprint.

The 3 Non-Negotiable Rules for Lighting and Background

Break these, and your photo fails. First, light must come from in front of you. Stand facing a window, not with your back to it. A bright window behind you turns your face into a dark, unreadable silhouette. Second, keep your background simple and distant. A plain wall is fine. A busy bookshelf six feet behind you is chaos. Step at least three feet away from whatever is behind you; this creates a soft blur that makes you pop. Third, avoid overhead light at all costs. Those ceiling fixtures in your kitchen? They cast deep, unflattering shadows under your eyes and nose. It makes everyone look tired. Find that window, turn to face it, and take three steps back from the wall. That's your spot.

Why Your Everyday Glasses Create a Problem

This is the most common technical hiccup I fix. Your regular glasses have lenses that reflect everything. In your selfie, I'll likely see a perfect, tiny rectangle of the window you're facing, or the glow of your phone screen, right over your eyes. It obscures your gaze, which is the most important part of the photo. You have two good options. For a selfie, try taking the photo without your glasses for just a moment. If you need them to see clearly, that's okay—just be aware of the reflection and adjust your angle. Tilt your chin down a touch or shift the phone slightly to the side. The reflection usually moves. If you're working with a photographer, they can use special lens filters called "polarizers" to eliminate this glare entirely. Don't skip glasses if you need them, but don't ignore the ghostly white blob hiding your eyes, either.

The One Expression That Kills Your Results

It's the forced, toothy "say cheese" smile you hold for too long. It strains your eyes and looks inauthentic. The muscles around your eyes don't engage the same way as when a real laugh hits you. Instead, think of a single word that embodies how you want to be perceived. "Approachable." "Capable." "Warm." Say that word in your head, and then let a small, natural smile form as you exhale slowly. Your eyes will soften. I tell clients to think of something that genuinely amuses them—a funny thing their kid said, the absurdity of the situation. The magic happens in the second *after* you think that thought. That's the expression to capture. A closed-mouth, slight smile with engaged eyes reads as confident and trustworthy. A frozen, wide grin reads as nervous.

From Selfie to Headshot: What to Expect Next

You've got your ten photos. You've found your light. Now, choose the one where your expression feels most like you on a good, confident day. The cropping is next. Your head and shoulders should fill most of the frame. There should be a little space above your head, but not so much that you look lost. This isn't a passport photo. We need to see you. Now, look at the technicals. Is it blurry? Are your eyes in sharp focus? Is there a strange color cast from a nearby lamp? Use your phone's basic editing tools. Adjust the brightness just a bit. Increase the "shadows" slider slightly to soften any dark areas. Do not go overboard with filters or skin-smoothing tools; they make you look like a wax figure. The final product should look like the best version of you on a Tuesday, not an alien version of you on a movie poster.

Your headshot is a handshake, not a performance. It’s the first visual cue someone gets about your professionalism and personality. By starting with these concrete steps—gathering real options, mastering your light, managing details like glasses, and finding a genuine expression—you move from hoping for a good photo to creating one on purpose. That shift changes everything.