Having a professional headshot is crucial for your LinkedIn profile. With over 774 million users on the platform, standing out from the crowd with a great photo can help you connect with more people and opportunities. But taking and editing a LinkedIn headshot doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive if you use a handy smartphone app.
Why You Need a Good LinkedIn Headshot
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform. Unlike casual social media sites, it’s designed specifically for career networking and job searching. Recruiters and potential employers frequently look up candidates on LinkedIn.
With so much competition on the platform, having an eye-catching, polished headshot gives you an advantage. A professional headshot projects confidence and credibility. On the other hand, a sloppy, amateurish photo or no photo at all gives the impression that you don’t care as much about presenting your best self.
Users with a photo tend to have more profile views and connection requests. A quality headshot makes you look more trustworthy as well. According to research by the Wharton School, people seen as trustworthy have an edge in negotiations, leadership, and even election campaigns.
Key Tips for Great LinkedIn Headshots
To make the best impression, your LinkedIn photo should be:
- High resolution and in focus
- Well lit, not too dark or bright
- A head and shoulders shot, taking up most of the frame
- Shot straight on or slightly angled, not sideways
- A natural, friendly facial expression
- Professional attire in solid colors that contrast well with the background
Pay attention to the background too. A professional office, paneling, or solid wall looks best. Avoid distracting backgrounds or those that blend too much with your skin or clothing tone.
Challenges of Taking Your Own Headshot
Traditionally, people hired professional photographers to take their LinkedIn headshot. While this remains a great option, it also comes with some drawbacks:
- Costly – Professional headshots cost $100-$500 per session
- Time consuming – You must schedule a time and commute to the photographer’s studio
- Pressure for perfection – Expecting to nail the “perfect” pose and smile in a brief session can be stressful
- Lack of control – You must wait days or weeks to get proofs and purchase the final images
Thankfully, smartphone cameras and photo editing apps have advanced tremendously. With a little practice, you can now easily take and edit great headshots from the convenience of home.
Best Apps for DIY LinkedIn Headshots
Here are the top apps recommended by professional photographers for taking quality headshots yourself:
Camera Apps for Shooting Headshots
| App | Key Features |
|---|---|
| iPhone Camera | Built-in camera app on iPhone. Lets you control focus, exposure, lighting, and offers a timer |
| Open Camera | Manual controls over ISO, shutter speed, focus, white balance, and more (Android only) |
| Focos | Shallow depth of field/bokeh effects. Intuitive manual controls |
The default iPhone camera app offers powerful controls that most people don’t realize. You can adjust the exposure to brighten or darken your shot and tap to change the focus. Using the timer prevents blurriness from pressing the shutter. For Android, Open Camera gives you manual control over focus, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and more.
Photo Editing Apps
| App | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop Express | Intuitive editing tools. Blemish and wrinkle remover. Perspective correction |
| AirBrush | Blemish remover, teeth whitener. Smooth skin and slim face filters |
| Dotted | Passport photo editor and resizer. Background chooser |
After shooting your headshots, photo editing apps transform them with tools to touch up blemishes, even skin tone, whiten teeth, reshape faces, and more. Adobe Photoshop Express offers a full range of intuitive editing tools at no cost. AirBrush has filters specifically for portraits including skin smoothing. Dotted lets you easily resize for passport or ID photos with customized backgrounds.
How to Take Your Own LinkedIn Headshot
Follow these steps to take your own quality headshot at home with your smartphone:
- Choose a simple, solid colored background, ideally medium to darker gray.
- Get ample, diffused lighting on your face. Position near a large window during daylight.
- Use rear/back camera which has higher megapixels than selfie camera.
- Set focus on your face. Use timer to prevent blur.
- Take multiple shots experimenting with angle, distance, expression.
- Edit your favorite photo(s) in an app to perfect lighting, crop, adjust tones, etc.
You don’t need expensive photography equipment to take an excellent LinkedIn headshot. With some simple tips, the right apps, and a little practice, you can take professional quality headshots using just a smartphone.
Conclusion
A quality headshot is vital for making the best impression on LinkedIn. The iPhone and Android camera apps give you robust manual controls similar to a DSLR. Photo editing apps then provide the tools you need to touch up blemishes, refine lighting, and customize the image.
With a smartphone camera and a few handy apps, anyone can now easily take professional-grade headshots from the comfort of home. No need to hire an expensive photographer. Just follow the tips and best app recommendations covered here to create a head-turning LinkedIn profile photo.