The Quick Answer
A passport photo can be an acceptable option for a LinkedIn profile picture, but it is generally not ideal. The lighting and composition of passport photos are designed to meet strict bureaucratic guidelines, not to present you in the best possible light. A headshot taken specifically for LinkedIn with a professional photographer is better for putting your best face forward in your professional networking profile. But a passport photo is still better than no photo at all on LinkedIn.
Passport Photo Requirements
Passport photos must adhere to strict technical guidelines standardized across many countries. Some of the most common requirements include:
- Printed in color on high-quality photo paper
- Sized specifically, such as 2×2 inches in the United States
- Taken against a plain white or off-white background
- Cropped to include your full head and top of shoulders
- Taken directly facing the camera, no angles
- No smiling, hats, or eyewear
- Neutral facial expression, mouth closed
- Eyes open and clearly visible
- No hair across eyes or covering face
- Taken within the last 6 months to reflect current appearance
As you can see, passport photos are designed for identification and security purposes, not for looking friendly, approachable and professional. The stark lighting and neutral expression don’t allow your personality to shine through.
LinkedIn Photo Best Practices
While LinkedIn doesn’t have strict photo rules like passports, there are some widely recommended best practices for profile pictures:
- High resolution image, at least 400×400 pixels
- Well-lit, preferably outdoors during daytime
- A headshot cropped around head and shoulders
- Looking directly at camera with a smile
- Neutral background that isn’t distracting
- Business dress in professional field
- No hats, sunglasses, or novelty items
- Reflects your true appearance
- Exudes approachability, confidence, and positivity
As you can see, LinkedIn profile photos are meant to complement your personal brand – approachable yet professional, confident yet humble. The goal is to encourage connections to feel comfortable reaching out to you for networking opportunities.
Pros of Using a Passport Photo on LinkedIn
If you don’t have another professional headshot readily available, using your passport photo as a LinkedIn profile picture has some benefits:
- It’s better than no photo – Profiles with photos get up to 21x more profile views than those without. Any photo is better than an empty grey silhouette.
- Consistent with passport – Your passport photo clearly identifies you at borders, so it can aid name recognition on LinkedIn.
- Relatively professional – Passport photos have neutral expressions and backgrounds ideal for professional contexts.
- Visible facial features – Passport photos highlight unobstructed facial features, unlike casual selfies.
- Ease of access – You likely have digital or printed copies of your passport photo handy.
So in a pinch, a passport photo works. The security of passport guidelines ensures a minimum level of professional presentation. But it misses the opportunity to put your best foot forward and stand out.
Cons of Using a Passport Photo on LinkedIn
While acceptable, using a passport photo on your LinkedIn profile has some drawbacks compared to a photo optimized for networking:
- Lifeless expression – The neutral expression looks serious, stern, and uninviting.
- Harsh lighting – Passport photos tend to use bright direct flash that creates stark shadows.
- Dated look – Hairstyles and facial hair in passport photos change over time.
- Bland background – The plain backdrop doesn’t convey personality.
- Washed out colors – Printing technology can result in muted colors compared to digital photos.
- Small size – Passport photos can look pixelated when scaled up as LinkedIn profile pictures.
While passport photos meet the minimum standards for facial identification, they lack the polish, approachability, and memorability of photos tailor-made for networking profiles.
Tips for Using Your Passport Photo on LinkedIn
If you decide to use your passport photo temporarily on LinkedIn, here are some tips to improve how it presents you:
- Select the clearest, most recent photo – Multiple passport photos let you pick the most flattering.
- Crop tightly around your head and shoulders – Eliminate distracting space around you.
- Alter the color and lighting – Increase warmth, contrast, and exposure for a more inviting look.
- Soften facial expression – Use photo editing tools to adjust mouth and eyes to seem more friendly.
- Consider black and white – Removing color imperfections focuses attention on you.
- Add a border – A subtle frame adds style and offsets plain background.
- Update regularly – Change your profile photo whenever your appearance changes.
With selective cropping, color correction, and image enhancements, you can liven up a passport photo. But for the best results, prioritize getting a proper headshot designed specifically for networking profiles.
Should You Smile in LinkedIn Photos?
Most LinkedIn experts agree you should smile moderately in your profile photo. A natural-looking smile makes you look:
- Friendlier and more approachable
- Warm, sincere, and trustworthy
- Self-assured and confident but not cocky
- Professional yet personable
A smiling facial expression in your headshot encourages viewers to connect with you. It balances professionalism with a hint of casual friendliness that’s vital for networking.
However, don’t force an overly wide grin – a tight, face-straining smile looks disingenuous. And keep your mouth closed to avoid looking silly. A slight upturned mouth and warm, genuine eye expression hits the right note.
But what about passport photos? Since passport photos require a neutral expression, your other option is digitally altering the photo to simulate a natural looking smile. With photo editing software, you can make slight adjustments to the eyes and mouth to seem more uplifting. But overly manipulating a passport photo risks looking obviously artificial.
Should You Wear Glasses in LinkedIn Photos?
Eyeglasses that you normally wear daily or for reading should be worn in your LinkedIn profile photo. They will make you look authentic and be more recognizable. But avoid tinted sunglasses or novelty frames that look unprofessional.
Here are some tips for wearing eyeglasses in your LinkedIn photo:
- Make sure lenses are clean, clear, and glare-free
- Tilt glasses down slightly to avoid lens flare from the camera flash
- Position yourself so glasses don’t cast shadows or reflections
- Angle lighting to highlight your eyes behind lenses
- Choose glasses with a shape and size suiting your face
- Consider contact lenses if your prescription eyewear distorts eyes or features
With proper positioning and lighting, eyeglasses can look completely natural in photos. Just avoid heavy frames that overpower your face. Eyes are crucial for engaging connection photos, so ensure glasses enhance your eyes rather than hiding them.
But passport photos prohibit eyeglasses and strongly discourage contact lenses. So if you always wear prescription eyewear, your passport photo misrepresents your everyday appearance. Digitally adding eyewear could seem tacky, so it’s better to use a regular photo showing your normal look if possible.
How to Take a Great Photo for LinkedIn
Here are some top tips for taking a headshot specifically tailored to your LinkedIn profile:
- Outdoors during daytime – Use soft, natural lighting, positioned to avoid shadows.
- Clear eyes and skin – Get plenty of rest, minimize bags under eyes, shave or groom facial hair.
- Visible upper body – Wear a professional collared shirt, jacket, or dress.
- Focal point on face – Emphasize head and facial features, not clothing or background.
- Relaxed genuine smile – Practice smiling naturally before photos are taken.
- Facing the camera – Look directly into the lens, not off-center.
- Minimal background – Prevent distracting or cluttered backdrop.
- Color balance – Wear neutral cool tones that complement skin tone.
You can hire a professional photographer experienced with LinkedIn-specific headshots. Or do a DIY photo session with a helper using a smartphone camera. Take lots of photos and select the most polished, inviting images showcasing your personal brand.
Using Photo Editing to Improve Your Picture
Don’t rely purely on capturing the perfect photo – embrace editing tools to further refine your image. Photo editing apps like Snapseed and Adobe Lightroom offer powerful enhancements:
- Cropping to adjust framing and emphasis
- Rotation and straightening for proper alignment
- Color correction to improve brightness, contrast, and warmth
- Removing blemishes, flare, and distractions
- Sharpening to increase clarity and details
- Exposure and region editing to highlight your face
Subtle photo editing can make a good source image great. But avoid going overboard. Excessive filtering and manipulation should not misrepresent your likeness. Enhance natural features rather than introducing artificial changes.
Hiring a Professional Photographer
Consider hiring an experienced professional photographer to take your LinkedIn profile photo. Benefits of professional headshots include:
- Access to high-end digital cameras and lighting equipment
- Knowledge of poses, angles, and techniques ideal for your features
- Artistic perspective on styling, framing, and editing
- More variety and options when taking many photos
- Technical skills in post-processing and retouching
- Training with business or corporate headshot experience
- Ability to draw out your authentic personality
Photography studios will usually include a session, multiple digitally enhanced final edited options, printing rights, and copyright release for a single flat rate. And headshots are a tax-deductible business expense for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
While not cheap, professional headshots are an investment in presenting your best personal brand on LinkedIn. And quality results last for years across all your online profiles.
How Often to Change Your LinkedIn Photo
Aim to update your LinkedIn profile picture every 1-2 years at minimum. More frequent replacing photos depends on:
- How quickly your appearance changes
- Updating to reflect professional growth and status
- Maintaining consistency across social platforms
- Major events like changing employers or roles
Regularly refreshing your profile photo keeps your image current, authentic, and recognizable. Outdated photos undermine your professional credibility.
Annual or biannual photoshoots build a library of quality headshots. Mix up primary photos periodically while archiving older ones as your appearance evolves.
Conclusion
In summary, while passport photos meet baseline standards for official identification purposes, they lack the polish and approachability of photos tailored for LinkedIn’s professional networking purposes. A passport picture is better than no photo at all, but prioritize taking and selecting photos specifically designed to showcase you in the best light possible for your LinkedIn presence. Use photography best practices and make minor passport photo improvements in editing when necessary. But ultimately, invest in periodically updating high-quality headshots purpose-built to advance your branding and networking on LinkedIn rather than just basic identification.