What Makes a Good Headshot? 9 Things That Matter Most

What do people really see when they look at your headshot?

Are they seeing someone confident, trustworthy, and competent—or a blurry crop from your last vacation?

Your headshot might seem like a small detail, but it plays a powerful role in shaping how others perceive you. In fact, people form a first impression based on a photo in just 1/25th of a second - that’s roughly 40 milliseconds. And on platforms like LinkedIn, having a professional photo can boost profile views by 14x and increase connection requests by 36x.

So what separates a mediocre headshot from one that actually works for you?

In this post, we will break down 9 key qualities that make a headshot effective. Whether you are prepping for LinkedIn, a company website, or your personal brand, these tips can help you get a polished, professional image without the studio hassle.

What Makes a Good Headshot? 9 Qualities That Matter Most

Not all headshots are created equal. A great one balances technical precision with visual storytelling. It is sharp, well-lit, natural, and perfectly in sync with your personal or professional brand. Whether you are updating your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or media kit, there are a few universal traits that good headshots tend to share.

1. Clear and High-Resolution Image

Before anything else, your headshot needs to be sharp, clear, and in focus. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many people crop a group photo or upload a blurry selfie and hope it passes as ‘good enough’. But, in reality it does not.

A high-resolution image tells the viewer that you care about the details. It makes your features easy to see and conveys professionalism. Something that is instantly lost if your photo appears pixelated or out of focus. Remember, low-resolution images can appear muddy or distorted. Recruiters, clients, and collaborators may not critique your photo out loud, but they will notice if it feels off.

You should aim for -

• A photo dimension
• that is at least 1000 pixels wide.
• A minimum of 300 dpi.
• Your eyes and facial features should be tack sharp, not softened by filters or poor focus.
• Avoid compression artifacts caused by re-saving images repeatedly or using poorly optimized export settings.

A sharp, clear image builds instant trust. A blurry or low-quality one, no matter how stylish it is, can signal a lack of polish or attention to detail.

2. Good Lighting

Lighting is one of the most underrated but the most transformative elements in a headshot. It has the power to enhance your features, set the tone of the image, and create a sense of professionalism even before someone notices your expression or outfit. And yet, it is often where most DIY headshots fall short.

If your photo is lit unevenly with harsh shadows under the eyes, blown-out highlights on the forehead, or strong overhead lights that flatten your face, it will never feel polished or intentional. Even the best camera or AI enhancement tool will not fully compensate for bad lighting.

So, what makes lighting ‘good’ in a headshot?

• It is soft and diffused. Good headshot lighting wraps gently around the face, smoothing edges and giving your skin a natural, even glow. You can achieve this via natural daylight, ring light with a diffuser, or a professional softbox or umbrella lighting setup.
• It is front-facing or angled gently from the side. This avoids strong shadows on one half of the face, unless you are intentionally going for a dramatic or moody look.
• It matches your skin tone. Mixed lighting can make your skin appear blotchy or discolored. Neutral white light (between 5000K–5500K) is the safest bet for a clean, natural look.

3. Purpose-Fit Wardrobe

What you wear in a headshot says more than you think. It instantly frames how people perceive your professionalism, industry alignment, and even personality. That is why choosing the right outfit is less about looking fancy, and more about choosing clothing that quietly supports your personal brand.

The right wardrobe makes you look composed, trustworthy, and confident. The wrong one such as busy patterns, casual T-shirts, or ill-fitting jackets can become a distraction and even send mixed signals.

So, what does a purpose-fit outfit look like?

• It fits your profession and audience. For example, if you are in finance, law, or consulting, a tailored blazer or button-up shirt in dark, solid tones will convey professionalism and authority. If you are a designer, coach, or entrepreneur, you may lean into softer textures, knit tops, or clean casuals that feel warm and approachable.
• It does not distract. Avoid busy patterns, loud logos, shiny fabrics, or overly trendy styles that might date your photo in a year. Go for solid colors in tones that complement your skin.
• It fits well. Baggy, wrinkled, or oversized clothes might be comfortable in real life, but they often look sloppy in photos. The fabric should sit smoothly on your shoulders and chest, with sleeves and collars in proportion.

This is not about dressing up. It is about dressing intentionally for the message you want to send - calm leadership, creative spirit, polished professionalism, or confident approachability.

4. Clean, Non-Distracting Background

A good background does not draw attention to itself; it draws attention to you. Even if your pose, lighting, and outfit are spot-on, a messy, busy, or overly stylized background can completely undermine your headshot’s professionalism.

Here are some ideas to nail that perfect headshot background.

• Go for neutral tones or soft blur. Plain white, gray, beige, or even muted pastel backgrounds are safe and professional. If you are outdoors or using a real environment like an office, the background should be softly blurred so that your face remains the focal point.
• Remove visible objects like plants, shelves, signs, wall decor, or people. Even something as minor as a light switch or a doorframe can be visually distracting when the image is cropped tightly.
• LinkedIn, email signatures, Slack, and Zoom often crop your photo into a square or circle. A cluttered background in rectangular framing might look chaotic when trimmed into a profile thumbnail.

5. Strong Framing and Composition

Framing is the invisible structure that gives your headshot balance, energy, and flow. Even with perfect lighting and expression, bad composition can make a photo feel awkward, amateur, or cramped. The goal is to position your face and body so that your photo feels intentional, natural, and well-proportioned, whether it is shown as a thumbnail or full-size.

So, what does good composition look like?

• The most effective headshots frame you from just above the head down to mid-chest or shoulders. Avoid full-body shots or ultra-close crops where your face touches the edges. Those either feel too distant or too tight.
• Place your eyes about one-third from the top of the frame. This gives balance to the image and creates visual harmony.
• Turn your body slightly while keeping your head forward to add depth and appear more natural. This gives your shoulders dimension, especially in chest-up shots.
• Avoid cropping too closely around your face. Leave a margin around your head and shoulders so the image does not feel visually trapped.
• Looking directly at the camera lens creates connection. For professional use, direct eye contact builds trust fastest.

6. Natural but Confident Expression

If lighting, wardrobe, and framing create the technical foundation of a good headshot, your expression is what brings it to life. It is the emotional anchor. And often, it is the first thing people notice.

But this is also where many people get stuck. They try to force a camera smile, overthink every muscle in their face, or freeze entirely resulting in expressions that feel tense, blank, or inauthentic. The best headshots strike a delicate balance - you look like yourself, but with a sense of presence. Warmth without being overly casual. Authority without being stiff.

A slight, genuine smile works best for most industries. It softens the face and makes you appear approachable. If smiling does not come naturally to you, think of something that makes you feel confident or content before the photo is taken. Your expression should reflect how you would look during a great first conversation with a client or colleague - attentive, calm, and self-assured. You do not need to exaggerate. If it feels unnatural when you are posing, it will look unnatural in the photo too.

7. Realistic and Updated Look

A great headshot should represent who you are right now—not who you were three years ago with a different hairstyle, glasses, or look. While that favorite old headshot may still feel like you, using an outdated or overly retouched image can create a credibility gap.

People trust what they can recognize. Whether you are meeting a client on Zoom, walking into an interview, or getting tagged in a team bio, your photo should create a sense of consistency between the version of you online and the one they meet in real life.

If you have changed your hairstyle, started wearing glasses, grown (or shaved) a beard, or simply aged out of the old photo, it is time for an update. A subtle evolution in style is fine, but if your image does not look like you anymore, it can undermine trust in both casual and professional settings. It is perfectly fine to touch up lighting, remove blemishes, and balance skin tone. But you should still look like yourself on a good day, not an idealized version created by AI or editing apps.

8. Alignment with Your Industry

Not every headshot needs to look the same nor should it. A polished blazer against a gray backdrop might be perfect for a legal consultant, but it could feel overly formal for a yoga instructor or visual designer. The best headshots align with industry expectations while still reflecting your personal style.

So, what does industry alignment look like in a headshot?

• The style matches the tone of your work. Scan LinkedIn profiles, company ‘about’ pages, or personal websites to see the tone most professionals use. And, then make your headshot visually consistent with that tone while still adding your own flavor.
• The mood fits your audience’s expectations. Choose expression, lighting, and wardrobe that evoke the emotion you want your audience to feel. Someone hiring a life coach expects warmth and empathy. Someone hiring a legal advisor expects clarity and control.
• It reflects your personal brand within the industry. You do not have to fit a mold. Just stay within the visual norms of your space. If you are in a corporate industry but known for being approachable, a softer expression with a structured outfit might strike the right balance. If you are a designer who leans minimalist, clean lines and muted tones will reinforce that aesthetic.

9. Smart Retouching

Retouching is often the final polish that turns a decent photo into a truly professional one. But when overdone, it can have the opposite effect. It can make your headshot look plastic, unnatural, or worse, unrecognizable. Do not forget that you want to refine the image, not reinvent your face.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

• You can make minor skin corrections without losing texture. It is completely acceptable to remove a temporary blemish, smooth out uneven skin tone, or reduce under-eye shadows.
• You can enhance your features. A slight boost in brightness, contrast, or sharpness can make your photo pop. You can subtly brighten the eyes or teeth, but avoid reshaping your jawline, enlarging your eyes, or slimming your nose. That kind of alteration not only looks fake but could backfire when people meet you in person.
• You can remove distractions like clean up flyaway hairs, reduce shine on the forehead, or remove background noise. These adjustments improve image quality without changing who you are.

Wrapping Up

Your headshot is more than just a profile image. It is a silent introduction. Whether you are applying for jobs, connecting with clients, or building your personal brand, the right photo can help you stand out before you say a single word.

But a good headshot does not happen by accident. It is the result of thoughtful decisions around clarity, lighting, expression, styling, and tone - all working together to build trust and credibility.

If your current photo feels outdated, overly casual, or just not representative of who you are today, you do not have to book a full studio session to fix it. Tools like Headshot Photo use AI to transform existing photos into clean, studio-quality headshots. With just one upload, you can enhance lighting, retouch naturally, and replace distracting backgrounds while saving time and money.

Give Headshot Photo a try and create a headshot that is not just good but genuinely great.

FAQs

1. What is the ideal size and resolution for a headshot?

A good digital headshot should be at least 1000 pixels wide and 300 dpi (dots per inch) if used for print.

2. How often should I update my headshot?

Every 2–3 years, or sooner if your appearance changes significantly. Your headshot should reflect how you look in professional settings right now; not how you looked five years ago.

3. Can I take a good headshot at home without a professional photographer?

Yes, especially with modern tools like Headshot Photo. You can start with a high-quality selfie or smartphone photo in good lighting, and then use AI to enhance, retouch, and reframe the image to look studio-ready.