Taking a professional headshot or selfie for your LinkedIn profile can be tricky, especially if you’re using an iPhone. You want a photo that looks polished and put-together, not blurry, poorly lit, or awkward. The good news is that with some preparation and the right techniques, you can take a LinkedIn-worthy selfie on your iPhone. In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know, from preparing your environment, finding flattering angles, getting the right focus and lighting, and editing your selfie to perfection. Follow these tips and you’ll have a headshot ready for the business social network in no time!
Prep Your Environment
The first step is making sure your environment is optimized for a great selfie. Here are some quick tips:
- Find an area with ample natural lighting. Outdoors near a window is ideal, but a well-lit room in your home works too.
- Avoid backlight from a window or other light source behind you, which will cast shadows on your face.
- Clear the background of any clutter and distracting objects.
- Try to have a solid neutral backdrop, like a blank wall if indoors.
- Make sure the background is not too busy. A few household objects are fine, but avoid visual clutter.
Prepping your environment removes distracting elements and creates a canvas for you to shine. Having ample, even lighting on your face is also key for capturing your likeness accurately.
Find a Flattering Angle
One of the tricks to getting a selfie that looks great is finding your most flattering angle. Here are some tips:
- Hold the camera higher and angled down slightly for a more slimming perspective.
- Shift the angle until you find the most flattering viewpoint for your facial features.
- Get close enough to frame your head and shoulders, but not so close that distorts or cuts off parts of your face.
- Hold the camera out in front of you, rather than off to the side, which can look skewed.
- Angle your body at a slight tilt towards the camera, rather than straight on, for a more dynamic photo.
- Experiment with both landscape and portrait orientation to see which is more flattering.
The right angle highlights your best features, slims your face, and creates a polished headshot. Don’t be afraid to take a bunch of shots until you land on the most flattering perspective.
Perfect the Focus and Lighting
Now it’s time to dial in your focus and lighting:
- Tap the screen to set the focus on your face. This keeps facial features crisp and clear.
- Check that your entire face is illuminated evenly. Adjust your position or use a reflector to fill in any shadows.
- Avoid heavy shadows or highlights on your face. Sideways lighting is most flattering.
- For indoor shots, position two light sources on either side to light both sides of your face.
- Make sure your entire head is fully in the frame. Cutting off parts of your head looks sloppy.
Proper focus and even lighting prevent shadows, glare, and distortions that detract from your look. Pay close attention to get these fundamentals right.
Perfect Your Pose
Your pose conveys a lot about your personality and professionalism. Keep these tips in mind:
- Hold your chin parallel to the ground, not tilted up or down.
- Relax your neck and keep your head straight, not cocked or turned.
- Aim for a slight smile with relaxed lips, not tightly closed or widely grinning.
- Keep your expression warm and friendly, not stern or blank.
- Position your shoulders at an angle rather than straight on.
- Lean your body slightly towards the camera for a more engaged look.
A natural but intentional pose exudes confidence and approachability. Have a friend take some test shots so you can refine your positioning.
Check Your Appearance
Before snapping your selfie, do a quick check of your appearance:
- Make sure your hair is styled neatly without any flyaways.
- Apply some makeup for a polished look – especially concealer and powder.
- Have chapstick or lipgloss on hand for smooth, moisturized lips.
- Wear professional attire – ideally solid colors or subtle patterns.
- Remove distracting jewelry or accessories besides simple earrings.
- Clean your glasses to remove smudges and glare.
Dressing the part lends an air of professionalism and pulls your look together. Make any last minute tweaks so you look camera-ready.
Take Multiple Shots
Once your environment and appearance are optimized, start snapping photos! Take batches of shots in short succession:
- Take at least 10-20 shots in each pose or position.
- Change up your head position, smile, and eye contact with the camera.
- Use the rear and front-facing cameras for different perspectives.
- Don’t forget portrait and landscape modes – try both.
- Review shots on your phone to make adjustments until you get “the one.”
Taking multiple selfies ensures you capture natural expressions and increases your chance of getting the perfect shot.
Edit and Enhance Your Selfie
Once you’ve got your selfie, it’s time for editing and enhancement:
- Open your photo in the Photos app or other editing software.
- Crop to adjust the framing and cut out distracting edges.
- Use the “Auto-Enhance” feature to instantly improve light and color.
- Manually adjust brightness, contrast, sharpness, and saturation.
- Apply a subtle filter for a polished professional look.
With some quick editing tweaks, you can take your selfie from good to great. Just don’t overdo it – keep edits natural.
Optimize Your Photo for LinkedIn
To ensure your selfie looks it’s best on LinkedIn:
- Save and export your final edited photo.
- Check that the file size is under 8MB and resolution at least 400×400 pixels.
- Upload the photo to your LinkedIn profile and preview how it looks.
- Make any final cropping tweaks to frame your headshot perfectly.
Optimizing size and resolution keeps your selfie looking sharp on your LinkedIn profile. Do a final check that it represents you in the best possible light.
Conclusion
Taking a stellar LinkedIn selfie with your iPhone is totally doable with the right technique. Prep your setting, find a flattering angle, perfect lighting and focus, pose intentionally, check your appearance, take multiple shots, edit judiciously, and optimize the final photo for LinkedIn. Follow these steps and you’ll have a professional headshot ready to elevate your profile in no time!
