Your Headshot Should Look Like You, Only Better

Upload Photos That Show Your Real Face

I need to see the real you. Not the you from a decade ago, or the you with perfect vacation lighting. Upload three recent photos taken within the last six months. One should be a straight-on selfie. Another, a candid shot a friend took while you were talking. The third, a photo from a previous professional event, even if the lighting was bad. This gives me a triangulation point for your bone structure, your smile lines, and how you actually carry your weight. I once had a client send only filtered, angled selfies; the final headshot looked like her charming but unfamiliar cousin.

Choose Lighting That Defines Your Features

Flat, direct flash is the enemy. It washes you out, eliminates shadow, and makes your face look two-dimensional—like a passport photo. We want light that sculpts. For a virtual session, stand two feet from a window, but not in direct sun. Do this at 10 AM or 3 PM. The angled light will create a soft shadow under your cheekbone and define your jawline. If you're in my studio, I'll place a light source 45 degrees to your left and slightly above eye level. This "Rembrandt lighting" creates a small triangle of light on the shadowed side of your face, adding instant depth and intelligence. It’s the difference between a flat circle and a sphere.

Pick an Expression You Can Hold for 10 Seconds

A genuine smile involves the eyes, not just the mouth. The problem with asking someone to "smile big" is that it often dies after two seconds, leaving a strained grimace. Here’s the test: find your expression in a mirror. Can you hold it, comfortably, for a slow count of ten? If your cheeks start to quiver, it’s not your sustainable expression. For many people, it’s a "smize"—a slight, closed-mouth smile with engaged eyes. Think of how you look when a colleague tells you a mildly clever joke. That relaxed, authentic warmth reads as confident and approachable for the full duration of the shot.

Avoid the 'Deer in Headlights' Stare

The blank stare into the lens is the most common mistake. Your eyes become glassy and lifeless. Instead, you need a thought behind them. I tell clients to look at the camera lens and imagine it’s the forehead of a specific, friendly person. Picture your favorite barista who knows your order, or a mentor who believes in you. Your gaze will soften and focus. Another trick: blink slowly just before I take the shot. This natural reflex clears the eyes and prevents that wide, startled look. Your goal is to look like you’re about to listen, not like you’ve been caught.

Request Natural Skin Texture in the Final Edit

Over-editing is a plague. Skin that looks like polished plastic tells people you’re hiding something. You must specify you want texture retained. Say this: "Please keep my skin texture, including my freckles, laugh lines, and pores. Remove temporary blemishes only." A great retoucher will use a light hand, maybe spending 15 minutes on subtle corrections instead of an hour of digital airbrushing. The result? You’ll look like yourself on your best day, after eight hours of sleep and a great cup of coffee. People will trust you because you look real, not manufactured.

Your headshot is a handshake, not a mask. It should make the person meeting you for the first time think, "There you are," not "Who is that?" Bring the real foundation—your current face, a sustainable expression, a focused gaze—and we’ll build the best version of that truth together. Start by gathering those three recent, unfiltered photos right now; that’s your first tangible step.