How-to
How to take a professional headshot
Five decisions, in order of how much they matter. Get them right and a phone photo is indistinguishable from a studio portrait at the size anyone will actually see it.
1. Put the light in the right place
Stand facing a window, about a metre back from it, so the light falls evenly across your face. Turn off the room lights: mixing daylight with a warm bulb makes the skin tone impossible to correct, and overhead light hollows out the eyes.
Then put a sheet of white paper or card on the side of your face away from the window. It bounces light back into the shadow and is the difference between a portrait and a photo.
- Face the window, one metre back.
- Room lights off; no flash.
- White card on the shadow side as a fill.
- Avoid direct sun — it makes you squint and clips the highlights.
2. Fix the camera height and the background
The camera has to be at eye level. A phone held lower looks up at the face, which widens the jaw and flattens the eyes; a phone held higher looks down and shrinks them. Prop it on books, a shelf or a tripod and check the result.
Stand a metre away from the wall so no shadow falls on it, and keep the background plain. Anything recognisable behind you — a door frame, a poster, a kitchen — becomes a distraction in a photo that will be cropped small.
- Camera at eye level, propped, not handheld.
- Stand a metre from the wall.
- Plain background; nothing growing out of your head.
- Frame head and shoulders with a little margin.
3. Wear the right thing, then relax your face
Clothing: something with structure in a solid, muted colour — a collared shirt, a blouse, a fine knit, a jacket. It should match the context you will use the photo in, and it should be pressed.
Expression: the mistake is trying to smile. Look at the lens, think about something genuinely funny or pleasant, and let the expression arrive. Take twenty frames and expect to use the third or fourth — the first ones are always tense.
- Structured clothing, solid colour, no logos.
- Chin level, slightly forward; do not tilt the head back.
- Relax the shoulders — take a breath and drop them.
- Shoot twenty frames; the relaxed ones come later.
4. Where an AI headshot app fits
If you have six to ten decent photos of yourself — different angles, decent light, taken over time — AI Headshot Pro: Zenith Studio generates a set of professional portraits from them, rebuilding the light, the background and the framing.
That is the route for anyone who cannot get the setup right, or who wants a consistent set for a team page rather than a single photo.
How it works
Three steps from a phone photo to a finished image
Upload your photos
Six to ten selfies with different angles and expressions.
Pick a style
Business, editorial, black and white, cinematic — or a profession set.
Download the set
A consistent batch of portraits, ready for your profile.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a professional headshot at home?
Yes. Face a window a metre back, turn the room lights off, prop the phone at eye level against a plain wall, and take twenty frames. That produces a portrait suitable for a directory, a CV or a professional profile.
How long does a headshot take?
About ten minutes once the light and the camera position are set: a few minutes of setup and a few dozen frames. Most of the time goes on deciding what to wear and choosing the final image.
What should I wear?
Something with structure in a solid, muted colour: a collared shirt, a blouse, a fine knit or a jacket. Match the context you will use the photo in, and make sure it is pressed.
Do I need a photographer?
For a campaign or a brand shoot, yes. For a directory, CV or professional profile, no — a phone, a window and a plain wall produce an image that is indistinguishable at the size it will be displayed.
Try it on your next photo
Free to download on the App Store. iPhone and iPad only.