What Makes a Great Headshot

Most headshots look like proof of employment. Stiff shoulders, forced smile, a background that says "corporate," not "person."

A great headshot does something different — it looks like you, on a good day, having a normal conversation.

Here's what actually makes the difference:

Relaxed shoulders, not squared ones. Squaring up to the camera reads as defensive. A slight turn, weight shifted, feels like a person mid-thought.

A real expression, not a held one. The smile you hold for three seconds looks different from the one that happens because something made you laugh. I'd rather catch the second one.

Clothes that feel like you, not a costume. Wear what you'd actually wear to meet a client. If it's not something you'd choose on a normal day, it won't look like you in the photo either.

A few minutes of just talking first. The best shots rarely happen in the first five minutes. They happen once you've forgotten there's a camera pointed at you.

Multiple genuine options, not one "perfect" pose. A headshot session should feel more like a short conversation with photos happening throughout, not a series of instructions to follow.

A headshot's job is simple: make someone feel like they already know you before they've met you. That only works if it actually looks like you.

Ready for one that does? Let's start the conversation.