A headshot is a portrait, but a portrait is not always a headshot.
A headshot is a professional representation of someone’s likeness used in professional contexts like LinkedIn profiles or CVs. Compared to a “portrait,” a headshot has a narrower definition.
A portrait is less formal or strictly defined, representing a person more artistically and telling their story. While portraits can capture just the face and upper torso, like a headshot, they can also capture much more of the person and much more of the background. There are many other possibilities, and the artistic nature of portraits means there are fewer strict rules.
With the amount of overlap, the difference between these two types of images can be confusing. However, they are both well-defined images of people, each with their own rules. The differences between the two are:
- The intention of the photograph
- What is represented in the photograph
- The physical aspects included in the photograph
To fully illustrate these differences, we must:
- Define headshots and portraits
- Explain the most common headshot and portrait use cases
- Point out the key differences between the two
What is a Portrait?
A portrait is an artistic portrayal of an individual, each one telling a straightforward story through the way the subject is portrayed. To tell this story, a portrait can exhibit more freedom in how the person is depicted.
Unlike headshots, good portraits can show the subject in a variety of moods, from relaxed and friendly to stern and serious, depending on the context.
Portraits are often used in mediums like magazine covers or on platforms like Netflix. They naturally fit this role, similar to the cover of a book. Portraits can show a “sneak peek” into whatever content they are advertising.
Drama & Context
Naturally, they can be quite dramatic. A portrait on a TIME Magazine cover can set the context of the person’s story. A zoologist, for example, can be portrayed in a natural setting, setting the expectation for the featured story in that issue of TIME magazine.
Portraits can also be used in many other contexts. They are often the focus of billboard ads, for example. In these cases, the focus is on the portrait and the message it communicates, with minimal text to add context and entice the viewer to do something.
Artistic Liberties
Portraits don’t need to follow strict rules regarding lighting, body portrayal, and background. In fact, portraits often feature more dramatic lighting, with a more artistic feel. Sometimes, portraits make use of mirrors, glass, and other objects to add more artistic flair.
Similarly, portrait backgrounds can vary enormously. You can have the typical white background of a standard professional headshot. But you can also have the person portrayed in other environments.
A portrait’s foreground can also be very different. You can forgo a foreground and still have a high-quality portrait. Or, you can use a well-designed foreground to add more artistic perspective and context.
The orientation is another area where portraits can be very different from one another and from headshots. Professional portraits don’t follow strict rules here, while headshots do.
Why Make a Portrait?
Portraits are an appropriate art form for a wide range of professional, personal, or artistic purposes.
Within the professional realm, portraits do not generally represent the full scope of the subject’s career; they are contextual representations.
Portraits often create an artistic expression of the individual for a specific purpose. The most common examples would be:
- Social media posts
- Magazine covers
- Book covers
- Alternative social media profiles
- Preserving a moment in a professional’s development
- Business promotional material of any other kind
- An addition to a model’s portfolio
- Commemorating an event
There are also many other personal or artistic reasons to commission a portrait. Individuals use them for reasons outside of their professional lives. They are used in the context of family, hobby, or other groups.
Some of the most common examples of portraits for other purposes include:
- Gifts
- Artistic expression
- Personal social media profiles or posts
- Family keepsakes
- Character studies (for non-professional purposes)
- Self-expression purposes
What is a Headshot?
Compared to portraits, the first thing to mention is that a headshot is a much stricter and more well-defined image than a portrait.
A headshot depicts an individual for formal and professional uses.
Employees and entrepreneurs leverage headshots to represent their professional personas. They are used during the job searching process, and once hired, an individual uses a headshot to represent their own and, by extension, their company’s professionalism.
A professional headshot is now one of the basic requirements for individuals’ professional lives. They are used on:
- Resumes and CVs
- LinkedIn and other professional profiles
- Internal corporate documentation
- Other relevant portrayals of professionalism
Portrait vs Headshot
Compared to portraits, headshots have a stricter set of rules. Just as corporate workplaces have different behavior requirements, the photos are also more narrowly defined.
As we stated at the beginning, a headshot can be a portrait, but a portrait isn’t always a headshot.
Most of a headshot’s visual aspects are more concrete, which is why executive headshots often have a uniform look.
Intention
The intention of a headshot is more narrow than that of any portrait. These professional photos present you as a clear and approachable professional. Headshots have a narrow list of uses related to work.
The secondary intention of a headshot is to share your professional appearance and demeanor. They provide a quick view of your professional persona in a way that aligns with your or your employer’s brand.
Comparatively, a portrait is more artistic and can be personal or professional, or even promotional. In short, the intention behind a portrait can be just about anything!
Portraits can capture the same portion of your body as headshots would, but normally cover more. They can also include far more colorful clothing, decorations, and detailed foregrounds and backgrounds—or not (more on that soon).
Vertical Focus
A professional headshot is taken to keep the viewer’s attention on the face as the image’s focal point. To further enhance this facial focus, headshots are taken vertically (or portrait, as compared to landscape). Because the human body is far more vertical than horizontal, this sensible rule ensures a much narrower focus on the subject’s face and upper torso.
In cases where you use headshots on social media, you will still need some space on the x-axis. Square crops can still retain a vertical focus. However, if the original headshot doesn’t leave enough room, the image may be difficult to crop for a social media profile.
Framing
Headshot frames are always tight. They cover the head down to some point on the upper torso, normally near the shoulders. In some cases, they cover more, but the frame is still tight. This narrow frame ensures that nothing distracts from your face.
Portraits, on the other hand, can be framed in many different ways. They can be quite up close, covering as much of the subject as the context demands. The frame is often more complex and sometimes includes other objects or props, so a skilled photographer is required.
Appearances
Headshots typically have a stricter requirement for the subject’s attire and mood. After all, the image will be used for professional profiles, CVs, business cards, and so on. So, the attire needs to maintain that dignity.
Not all headshots require the highest level of formal dress. What is “appropriate” for a headshot will vary depending on the person’s occupation. So, a lawyer’s headshot may necessitate a well-fitted 3-piece suit, but a professional artist may just require an elegant dress top or collared shirt.
Your face on a headshot should normally line up with the professional demeanor your employer expects of you. Most of the time, this means being confident, friendly, and approachable. You want to be an authority figure that inspires trust. However, in some cases, headshots may require a more stern appearance.
Overall, headshot expressions and poses are more straightforward. You can take a few different angles, but they all face the camera directly. The possible differences are small, with the goal to always have a more inviting image.
With portraits, there may be a much wider variety of poses. Your facial expression can also vary much more widely depending on the context. Portraits can include faces that are inquisitive, goofy, serious, or anything else. Your posture may also be more candid or relaxed than in a headshot.
Lighting
The lighting in professional headshots is normally highly modified to eliminate any hint of shadows from the subject’s face. The appearance is supposed to be open and pleasant.
Foreground & Background
Professional headshots don’t have any foreground to speak of. All attention is centered on the subject’s face. So, nothing is obscuring them that could distract any attention away from it. This rule is one of the major ones separating headshots from portraits.
The background of a headshot is normally bright, clean, and often empty. The purpose is the same: you want the attention to be focused on the face.
Lighting
The “rules” for lighting in a headshot are less widely defined than those of a portrait.
Headshots are taken with a focus on the face. The lighting setup photographers use ensures that all the face’s details are clearly visible, highlighting even your minor features. To get this result, photographers often use three-point lighting with fill lights and reflectors. All potential shade is redirected from your body.
A portrait’s lighting can shift the focus or mood in a way that fits the context the photographer is aiming for. Shadows and lights can be used to add drama, perspective, or other artistic features. The lighting used can also vary in contrast, softness, and other aspects for the same reasons.
So, What’s the Main Difference Between Portraits & Headshots?
Simply put, the main difference between portraits and headshots is the freedom of context.
The context of a headshot is always simple. The person in the headshot is being depicted as a friendly and competent professional. Their appearance is presented in a noticeable, familiar style that demands respect.
Portraits have a lot more freedom., and the context and rules surrounding that context can vary enormously. Portraits are used in a wide variety of professional and personal contexts. Like portraits, they paint a story. But that story can be anything, and the rules surrounding what makes a “good” portrait follow after.
Different photography professionals specialize in headshots and in different types of portrait photography. So, you will want to take advantage of the right professionals and the right tools when looking for a great headshot or portrait.
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