How to Have LinkedIn Headshots that Looks Professional

You surely can have a professional profile photo on LinkedIn without the help of a photographer and yet you would still look great.

A professional and an eye-catching LinkedIn headshot can help you attract more views from companies and recruiters. According to LinkedIn an account that has a profile photo receives 21 times more views and 36 times more direct messages. You can simply choose a spot indoors or even outdoors with a plain background.

In taking your profile picture, you have to consider the following three measures:

1. Make use of natural lighting

To get the most out of natural lighting, all you need to do is to find a place with natural sunlight.

You should not worry if you don't have professional lighting equipment. Before shooting, you can test different angles of light. After several experimental shots, you can then find the perfect angle with the help of natural sunlight.

Sidelight / Backlight

You also have to consider the sidelight and the backlight. If you want your photo to highlight you more visually and accurately then choose the sidelight. If you want your skin tones to appear smoother then choose the backlight.

2. Use a wider aperture in your camera

If you want a profile photo that stands out from the rest, you should use a larger space in your camera to create a clear subject with a not-so-clear or blurry background.

If you’re using a mobile phone you must set your camera in a portrait mode. But if you’re using a camera you must adjust your aperture to f2, f2.8 or f4.

3. Moderately lean your head when posing

To make your face appear thinner and to prevent you from becoming too stiff or formal, you must tilt your head around five to 10 degrees.

Besides, a natural pose is more acceptable in social media platforms. LinkedIn headshots should highlight your personality and character. If your pose is more natural you can keep away from being showy.

Final Touch

LinkedIn profile photo format:

File Type: JPG or PNG
Best Dimension：400 x 400 pixels
File Size：< 8MB

Basic Editing

If you are ready to upload your headshot on LinkedIn, you have to first edit and retouch it by using Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. You can crop it, add a filter and adjust it more depending on your preferred size.

As an option, you can make use of the LinkedIn photo adjustment panel.