You Don’t Need a Headshot. You Need a Portrait

Every time someone asks me for a headshot, I gently push back. Not because I won't shoot one — I will — but because what most people actually need is something different. They've been told they need a headshot. What they actually need is a portrait. And yes, there is a real distinction between the two.

A headshot records what you look like. It fills the circle on LinkedIn. It satisfies the HR request for the company directory. It's utility — a passable likeness, evenly lit, inoffensive, interchangeable.