First impressions are meaningful. With the current landscape of virtual-first and distributed work, your headshot is often the world’s first impression of you, making them more important now than ever. 

Headshots are a necessity and the process of getting the perfect shot may seem daunting—but it doesn’t have to be! We’re taking you step-by-step through the process of taking a downright impressive headshot regardless of your tools. 

What you’ll need:

• Camera or smartphone

• Lamps/lighting,

• A tripod or some sort of stand

• A little patience! 

Getting started:

Camera: A DSLR camera will provide the highest quality images, but if your picture doesn’t need to be printed and will be viewed primarily digitally, a recent smartphone will do the trick. 

Tripod/stand: If you’re going to be taking your headshot by yourself, you’ll need something to hold your phone or camera in position. (Pro-tip: Selfies don’t count as headshots.) If you have a camera, using a traditional tripod works well. If you’re using a smartphone, there are also tabletop tripods made for phones that you can set on a table or shelf. Play around with camera positioning, and aim for just above eye-level to capture a flattering and professional photo.

• Don’t own a tripod? Try using a stack of books or other household items to prop the phone up.

Setting: A good rule of thumb is to keep the background simple. A cluttered background will distract from the subject (you!). Try sitting at your desk in your home office, leaning against a wall, or more traditionally, standing in front of a plain wall. 

Lighting: Plan to take your photo during daylight hours, where you can face bright natural light from a window, but not be in the direct sunlight. This will avoid any unflattering shadows or overexposed areas.

• Having trouble finding natural light? Add a ring light to create a “studio effect” or play around with lamp placement to balance the lighting from each direction. 

Clothing: This will depend on the tone you want to convey, as well as personal preferences and style. Similar to the background, it’s always a safe bet to wear simple clothing with clean lines and avoid busy prints or bright colors. This will ensure the photo is timeless and also keep the focus of the image on your face. For a formal tone, a tailored jacket and a button-down shirt work well. For a more casual look, try wearing your company T-shirt. The most important thing is to ensure you are comfortable in the outfit.

Grooming: The next key step in taking a great headshot is making sure you feel good about yourself, by taking some extra time getting ready. Style your hair in a professional manner, potentially with hot tools and if you wear makeup, consider wearing a little extra as the camera can wash it out. 

Say, “Cheese!”:

Posing: Confidence is key, and standing up straight with shoulders back is important to looking confident and professional. Avoid standing directly facing the camera. Standing at a slight angle will be more flattering and look more relaxed. It’s also helpful to move your arms—try one arm down with the other on your hip, arms crossed, or one arm across your chest and one arm up with your chin resting on your hand. Some other natural poses are leaning on a wall or desk or sitting down on a couch or chair. 

Self-timer: We recommend ~10 seconds to allow for enough time to get situated and in position without being too long that you’re sitting and waiting. 

Quantity: Sometimes the first shot is the best, and sometimes it isn’t. To make sure your prep doesn’t go to waste, take at least 10 pictures so you can test out different poses and adjust the camera angle and lighting if needed. 

Quality: Before you take your picture tap on your phone screen or check your camera settings to make sure the image is in focus. Making sure the stand or tripod you’re using is stable and not wobbling will also be important to capture a clear image. 

Final touches

Image formatting: For digital use on social media and websites, the most common file formats are JPEG (.jpg) or PNG (.png). In terms of sizing, both LinkedIn and Twitter recommend a minimum of 400 x 400 pixels. The standard resolution for screens is 72 ppi (pixels per inch). 

Posting: The final stage of taking a great headshot is sharing it with the world. In order to build consistency, it can be helpful to change your profile picture to your new headshot across all of your professional platforms.