To land on a high-paying job through LinkedIn or another portal, you need a professional headshot. You need to look professional to take an entry in a place where you want to work. The cost of a professional headshot is not affordable for everyone.

So, what to do? Simple, don’t pay for it. Go with the Do-it-Yourself approach.  Here are some tips that let you have a professional headshot for your LinkedIn Profile or any other place where you need to add an image, such as in a visual CV.

Tip No.1 Picture Pixel Matters a Lot

A picture that is taken from a professional camera is always of HD quality. Thanks to the new-era smartphone, pixels of a picture aren’t a problem anymore. You need to share HD-quality images whose pixels are bright, vibrant, and sharp.

Make sure the headshot is not a blurry picture with a pixel burst. When you share this sort of picture, then a hiring manager or recruiter considers you a person who cares nothing about the latest trend in resume and technology. Know the difference between a hiring manager and recruiter. 

Tip No.2 Remain Careful About Picture Lighting 

You don’t have to take a professional headshot in a dark place. Light matters the most in your picture. Although you need lighting in your picture, it doesn’t mean to go with FlashLight. The flattering impact of that light is not that cool for an image.

Another thing to note at this point is that your picture shouldn’t be taken in direct sunlight. The shadow it creates makes your image look bad. However, you can capture an image in the golden hour of the day, which is right before the sunset. 

Tip No.3 Carefully Choose a Background 

You need a professional background for the picture, therefore, go with a plain wall. Don’t sit too close to the wall; maintain the adequate distance from it. Typically, a blue wall does the magic, but any other shade will go well. 

Here is How you Can Start a Career in Photography in India

Another background that works well for a professional headshot is an office desk. You can sit on a chair and use that office block as your picture background. However, you should try not to have a messy desk. 

Here are Some tips on Experts for Choosing Picture Background

Even when you don’t have an organized desktop, for the picture’s sake, you should keep it tidy and clean. So, everyone who looks at the image will think that you are an organized person who keeps everything in proper order.

Know: How to Increase Productivity at Workplace

Make sure your background is not a toilet mirror or a messy area. The first impression of your picture should be good.

Tip No.4 Wear Professional Attire

When you are applying for a job in a specific company and want to take a professional headshot for it, then the best tip here is to follow the company attire. Try to create a coherent look, so when a headhunter from that company looks at your image, then he thinks that you are the one who can blend with the company culture.

People always want to know how to dress up for a professional headshot. The answer is pretty simple; your need to go with professional clothing. 

Tip No.5 Professional Headshot for Women 

A common question every woman asks when it comes to taking a professional headshot is whether to wear makeup or not. Well, in my opinion, you need to apply makeup to instill a glam factor into your persona. Here is the best interview attire for women.

However, you need to go with natural makeup. Yes, you can do contour, but don’t overdo it. The natural-looking makeup will help you get an attractive image. However, a glittery or party-makeup will not bring a significant image; after all, we are talking about the corporate environment.

Tip No.6 Your Facial Expression and Pose Matters a Lot

If you are wondering How to pose for a professional headshot, then normally a professional photographer asks you to watch your pose and chin. Your facial expression at work could hurt your business.

Watch your pose; how?

You don’t have to sit casually like you are sitting in front of a friend. Imagine you are sitting in front of a professional panel in a group interview. 

Your expression must show your self-confidence. 

Watch out your Chin; how?

Keep your face forward and keep your chin at a low level. The purpose here is not to show off your double chin as it doesn’t offer a great impression.

Tip No.7 Take DIY Professional Headshot with the Tripod 

When you take a Professional headshot through your smartphone, it shouldn’t look like a selfie. You can use a tripod, so there is some distance between you and your smartphone. Normally, when you take a picture through your hand in a selfie-mode, then your face looks wide and broad.

However, setting your smartphone on a tripod and then setting a remote timer lets you get some perfect pictures.

Wrap up

When you are going to take a professional headshot for free at home, or in-office then you should take into account all those points. They help you get the best shot, indeed.