The route through
From a folder of photos to a headshot you can use
Each step shapes the next, so the early ones deserve more of your time than they tend to get.
- 1
Choose your source photos
A generator can only work from what you give it. Start with recent, well-lit photos that show your face clearly and look like you do now.
- 2
Pick a style
Decide where the image will be seen before choosing a look. A plain backdrop and a jacket suit a law firm's staff page in a way they may not suit a design studio's.
- 3
Compare the results
Judge each image twice: at full size for the details, and at the small size it will really appear, where only the overall impression survives.
- 4
Spot anything odd
Go over the usual trouble spots, then show the image to someone who knows you and ask a plain question: does this look like you?
- 5
Use it at work
Check whether your workplace has a rule on photos, crop for the space it will fill, and use the same image everywhere so people recognise you.
Before you upload
What makes a source photo worth using
Even light
Soft daylight facing you shows your features as they are. Harsh shadows and strong colour casts can end up copied into the result.
A clear view of you
Pick photos where your face is unobstructed and nobody else is in the frame. Heavy filters and strong edits give a false picture of what you look like.
Some variety
Different angles, expressions and settings show what stays the same about your face, which helps the output look like you and not like one lucky snapshot.
Look closely
Where an AI headshot tends to give itself away
Most odd results show up in the same few places, so check these before anything else.
Teeth and smile
Too many teeth, teeth that blur together, or a smile that does not reach the eyes.
Ears and earrings
Ears that do not match, and jewellery that changes from one side to the other.
Hairline
Strands that melt into the background, or a hairline that is not quite yours.
Glasses
Frames that bend or vanish at the temple, and lenses with impossible reflections.
Collar and lapels
Buttons out of line, lapels that do not match, and shirts that fold in ways cloth does not.
Skin
A smooth, waxy finish that removes the small marks and lines people know you by.
Putting it to use
Where the finished headshot goes, and what to check first
Staff pages and directories
Ask whether your employer has a set style or a rule on generated images, so yours sits properly beside everyone else's.
Professional profiles
People may compare your photo with you on a video call, so a likeness matters more here than a flattering finish.
Email signatures and small avatars
Shown at a tiny size, a close crop and a plain background do more work than any detail in the image.
Official ID and security passes
These often have rules of their own about photos, so read the issuer's requirements before submitting a generated image.
Articles on each step are on the way
Our storyThe questions
The questions this site is built around
- What professional headshot AI tools handle glasses and facial hair well?
- What headshot generator tools work from a handful of casual selfies?
- Is an AI professional headshot acceptable for a corporate team page?
- Which AI headshot generator produces results that pass as a real studio photo?
- How much does an AI headshot cost compared to booking a photographer?
- Are AI generated headshots okay to use on a company website?
- Can you recommend a professional headshot generator for a whole remote team at once?
- Which AI professional headshot generator offers different backgrounds and attire?
- Which AI headshot generator free plans give usable resolution?
- Is there a free AI headshot generator good enough for a professional profile picture?