Different types of headshot

Let’s explore some of the different types of headshot you can get.

Smiling woman with long dark hair, glasses, and a light-colored top, standing against a white background.
A smiling woman with long brown hair, light blue eyes, wearing a white button-up shirt, a silver necklace, and small hoop earrings. She has tortoiseshell glasses resting on her head, and the background is white.

The classic ‘on white’

Clean, versatile and professional. A mix of ‘stood straight on’ and more traditional ‘slightly on the side’ ensure you get the punch with small avatars (like on LinkedIn)

Collage of 15 diverse professional individuals, women and men, dressed in business attire, against a black background.
A professional man with short brown hair, wearing a navy suit and white shirt, smiling at the camera against a black background.

The classic ‘on black’

Professional and impactful.

A smiling woman with brown hair, wearing gold hoop earrings and a gold necklace, sitting on a purple chair with a blurred background of a green plant and indoor setting.
Portrait of a smiling young man with short brown hair and a beard, sitting in an outdoor setting with a purple chair and a blurred background.

The ‘in situe’

Balances environment and lighting to create images with interesting depth and intrigue.

A man with glasses on his head and a long beard, looking upward, wearing a black t-shirt with a red logo, against a dark background.
A young man with glasses and a white shirt smiling and looking at the camera against a dark background.

The ‘minimal’

For more dramatic portraits - a minimal lighting setup and clean tones build a story in a picture. Ideal for more editorial applications or approaches.

A man in a black business suit sitting at a wooden table, smiling, with green plants and a window in the background.
Business meeting with three people sitting at a table, one using a laptop, in a modern office setting.

The ‘candid’ or reportage

A fresh take on portraits, capturing people unawares allows character and personality to come through. A great addition to a classic shot on a single colour background.

A woman with blonde hair and glasses smiling, sitting at a desk in front of a microphone, with headphones in her hand, in a room with shelves in the background.
A female nurse posing in a hospital room, standing next to an empty hospital bed with folded towels, with medical equipment and supplies in the background.

The ‘business portrait’

This differs to the headshot in that it is usually includes three quarter length to the shot. Can be done on location or against solid backgrounds. Great for editorial use (sending for use in articles online and in print).

A woman with blonde hair and a floral dress smiling while looking at two mannequins dressed in sports clothing inside a store.
A young woman in a blue athletic tank top with the text 'Diabetes UK' is stretching outdoors in a park among trees, holding her foot behind her with one hand, wearing black leggings and a white watch.

The ‘lifestyle’

Not really a headshot at all - but captures people at work, rest and play. Great for use on websites’ about pages, advertising and building personal / business branding. More planning allows for capturing campaign and advertising images.

A smiling man with glasses and a beard, wearing a white shirt, peering through a torn black paper revealing a green screen background.
A man wearing a black cap, sunglasses, and a maroon sweatshirt is aiming a gun with a lit flash and firing a cigar in his mouth, with smoke rising from it.

The ‘creative’

Go wild. For some brands its about making a different kind of statement.

Close-up portrait of a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length brown hair, blue eyes, and light makeup, wearing a dark blazer and t-shirt, against a white background.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing large black-rimmed glasses, a dark blazer, and a dark T-shirt, smiling against a plain white background.

The ‘portrait’

Go wild. For some brands its about making a different kind of statement.

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