In today’s fast-paced business world, we meet and interact with more people than ever on a daily basis. But in contrast to the face-to-face handshake deals of the past, most of our business is now conducted online.
From virtual conferences to remote job interviews, in many fields, your online presence is just as important as the quality of your work. How do you distinguish yourself as a leader, grab the attention of recruiters, or land potential clients when you’re just another anonymous voice behind a screen?
You just need a high-quality professional headshot. That random selfie you took in your car won’t cut it anymore.
Headshots in the 21st Century
If the thought of getting dressed up and sweating under hot studio lights doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. With modern technology comes modern solutions. Thanks to recent advancements in AI technology, you can have your professional headshots done within a few hours—without leaving the house.
Later, we’ll talk more about the process and advantages of getting AI-generated headshots from a service like Portrait Pal, but first let’s break down what makes a good headshot and why you need one for your career.
What Is a Headshot, Exactly?
A headshot is a professional photo of you from the shoulders up that you can use wherever you may need to share it for business. You may use it to accompany your bio on a company website, portfolio, articles or other publications.
These days it’s essential to have a high-quality photo for your LinkedIn profile, Instagram, or other social media platforms. You may find it useful to keep a few different headshots in various styles, to separate the image you want to convey for business from the one you share with family, friends, or any other social groups you take part in.
Headshot Basics
The details of the headshot may vary depending on your industry, personal style, and where you’ll be using the photo. But in general, the background is neutral and well-lit, and you should be wearing solid colors in professional or basic styles, and minimal makeup.
A headshot isn’t the time to glam it up, even if you’re using it to audition for acting gigs. You don’t want to use fancy filters that may distort your features or “correct” your flaws.
Of course you should look neat and put together, but there’s no need to strive for perfection. Ultimately, a headshot should bear a strong resemblance to how you look in real life. It’s a statement about how you want to be perceived in the world.
The “It” Factor
While the overall look of a headshot is standard, the distinguishing feature that should stand out the most is you. If it’s done well, the viewer’s focus should be drawn to your face, your unique features, the sparkle in your eye, and offer a glimpse of your personality too.
In short, the purpose of a headshot isn’t just to make you look good (although that is a bonus). It’s about capturing your essence—all those indescribable qualities that make you who you are.
Is it possible to do all this with a single photo? It’s a challenge, but yes, it can be done. And the entire process is much less complicated than it seems.
Why You Need a Headshot for Your Career
For First Impressions
While it’s true that looks aren’t everything, humans are visual creatures by nature. We take in so much information in our daily lives, and our brains can only retain so much to store in our long-term memories.
The moments that tend to stick are the ones that we associate with more than one of our senses. Your memory might be triggered by a unique scent, such as your grandma’s famous cookie recipe, the rough texture of an old blanket or a favorite song.
Although “meeting” people online has become more common over the past few decades, whether it’s for work or social reasons, the people you meet are much less memorable when you have no idea what they look like. This is why you need a headshot—it gives you control over the image that sticks in someone’s head when they can put a face to your name.
For Lasting Impressions
The above is why every social media platform, every website, virtually every memorable advertisement features photos rather than just walls of text. It’s also why you should have a high-quality photo of yourself ready to share in any professional environment.
You can make sure that a recruiter or potential employer has a strong first impression based on a photo that shows you’re confident and capable, approachable and trustworthy. A good headshot can give your career a boost and help you reach your goals.
Add it to your virtual business card to hand out at networking events. Post it on your LinkedIn, personal website, or any other professional platforms that you participate in. Making a name for yourself in your field takes time, but the more you can put yourself out there, the faster your trajectory will be.
Traditional vs. AI Headshots: Pros and Cons
In the past, the ability to get high quality headshots was limited to those who had the budget and resources to hire a professional photographer. The process also requires advanced planning, but if you do go down that route you’ll have the assurance and personal guidance by someone with the expertise to make sure the headshots look sharp and bring out your best qualities.
If you find a good photographer whose work you admire, you’ll most likely be happy with the results. After a few weeks of waiting patiently for the photographer to develop and edit your photos, you’ll have five to ten high-resolution shots that capture your best features and let your personality shine.
But now there’s another option for getting professional headshots, and this one is more accessible for those of us with a smaller budget or bigger time constraints. Or maybe you just live in a small town without a photo studio or an experienced photographer.
AI-generated headshots are an appealing alternative for anyone who doesn’t have the time, money, or patience to organize a professional photoshoot. This efficient and affordable service can help level the playing field in today’s cut-throat job market, giving everyone an equal chance to reach their career goals. The first step is crafting an impressive resume, which should be accompanied by an impeccable headshot.
Still torn between whether you should get your headshots done the traditional way or try an AI-headshot generator? Let’s break down some of the biggest differences between the two services, so you can decide which one will work best for you.
Traditional Headshots
Speed
If you need your headshots within a day or even a week, traditional headshots are not the answer. Aside from the time it takes to research and make an appointment with a photographer, travel to the location and sit for the photos (which will take a minimum of two hours), you’ll also have to factor in your prep time.
You’ll need to choose appropriate outfits and make sure your hair and makeup are done just right. A photoshoot isn’t something you can just squeeze into your lunch hour. It can take hours or days of planning and preparation to make sure you look polished and professional for your headshots. Then you’ll need to wait at least a week or so for the photographer to develop, edit and print the photos for you.
Pricing
As mentioned earlier, hiring a professional photographer is prohibitively expensive for the average person. Depending on the number of shots or locations you agree on, you can expect to pay from $250 to $1,000 or more just for the photoshoot.
Additional expenses you should also consider are the cost to rent a space if you want your photos to be in a specific environment. If you don’t have a business suit or other professional clothing, you might have to go and buy a new outfit or two. And you may need to pay another professional to get your hair or makeup done for the occasion.
Versatility
Usually for traditional headshots, you’ll have the chance to bring a few different outfits to change into, so you’ll have a few looks to choose from for the final photos. The photographer will provide some different background options using photo backdrops or a few outdoor locations.
But when it comes down to it, you won’t have too much flexibility to change things up too much at a professional photoshoot. You won’t have time to drastically change your hair or makeup mid-shoot, and you can’t swap out different backgrounds or clothing through post-editing as easily as you can with AI headshots.
AI Headshots
Speed
You will be amazed at how quick the turnaround time is for producing AI headshots. The prep time on your end just depends on how long it takes for you to choose and upload several photos you already have. No need to do your hair and makeup, as that will all be generated as part of the process.
Your new headshots will be created and sent to your inbox within a few hours (or even less) of placing your order. So if you need high-quality photos quickly done quickly, AI-generated headshots are the best option by far.
Pricing
If you’re working with a limited budget, AI-generated headshots are a clear favorite in the cost category. Depending on the package you purchase, you can get a nice variety of different shots starting as low as $29, and even the premium features and add-ons won’t set you back as much as professional photos.
Another way that you save money with AI headshots is that you don’t have to invest in any new clothes or expensive hair stylists. Various outfits, backgrounds and hairstyles will be automatically generated, making the whole process much more affordable and less stressful overall.
Versatility
You won’t get nearly as much variety in your photos if you go with a traditional photoshoot. The main reason is that changing clothing and backgrounds takes a lot of time, and most professional photographers charge by the hour.
That can be fine if you just want a basic look for your headshots, but if you want to get more creative or have the flexibility to use your photos on various platforms, using an AI headshot generator will provide the versatility you need and all the variety you want.
They will offer dozens, even hundreds of options for outfits, backgrounds, and different styles that you can mix and match with the click of your mouse. You can even refresh your look in previous photos rather than ordering a whole new batch. The possibilities are truly endless!
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never considered getting a professional headshot before reading this article, by now you probably understand why it’s almost as important to your career as building a resume. A clear, high-quality photo is one of the most powerful ways to level up your image and make a lasting impression on recruiters and decision-makers in your industry.
Maybe you have considered getting headshots before, but were never quite sure how to make it happen. Or maybe you’ve taken some steps to research the process, but then realized you didn’t have the funds to hire a photographer or the weeks of planning it takes to prepare for a studio photoshoot.
Thanks to recent advances in AI technology, almost anyone with a phone or computer can get their headshots made within a few hours. If you’re interested in learning more about this type of service, or you’re ready to jump in and order your high quality AI headshots for a reasonable price, contact the specialists at Portrait Pal today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Everyone Need a Headshot?
Even if you don’t work remotely, a lot of business networking and most job searching is done online these days. Your online presence is important for any career, and no matter how isolated you are, you’re likely to have one.
When you have a professional headshot available to post anywhere your name appears, such as your company’s website or social media profiles, you’re taking control of that image. It’s the first impression people will get when they connect your name with your face—don’t you want to make sure it’s a good one?
How Much Do Headshots Cost?
The cost for headshots can vary widely depending on your needs and the type of service you use to get them done. Professional photographers may charge anywhere from $250 to $2,000 for a photo session, while AI headshot services are usually priced between $20 and $100.
What’s the Fastest Way to Get My Headshots Done?If you need a good quality headshot quickly, you should probably use an AI headshot-generator like Portrait Pal. You’ll just need to upload 6-16 photos of yourself that you already have, submit your preferences, and your fresh set of headshots will be sent to your inbox within a few hours maximum.