The Ultimate Guide to What Makes a Good Headshot Photo in 2026
A good headshot makes a powerful first impression. It acts as your digital handshake, signaling competence and building trust with clients, employers, and colleagues.
What makes a good headshot?
- Authenticity: It truly looks like you on your best day.
- Strong Expression: Confident, approachable, and genuine.
- Quality Lighting: Soft, even, and flattering, without harsh shadows.
- Simple Background: Clean, blurred, and non-distracting.
- Professional Alignment: Reflects your industry and personal brand.
Understanding what makes a good headshot is more crucial than ever in 2026. Your professional headshot is often your first impression. It’s a key part of your personal brand, communicating your competence and building trust before you even meet someone. For busy professionals and executives, a high-quality headshot is a strategic asset.
Traci Schowmeyer, owner of Metroplex Headshots, brings over two decades of commercial photography experience, specializing in professional and executive headshots. She uses “facial coaching” to help clients relax and capture genuine expressions, mastering what makes a good headshot for diverse professionals.
The Core Elements of What Makes a Good Headshot
When we talk about what makes a good headshot, we are looking at a blend of art and strategy. In the Dallas-Fort Worth business landscape, from the boardrooms of Plano to the creative hubs in Fort Worth, a headshot isn’t just a photo; it’s a tool for human connection.
The three pillars of a standout headshot are authenticity, technical quality, and professional alignment.
- Authenticity: This is the most important factor. If you show up to a meeting in Southlake and look ten years older or completely different than your photo, you’ve already created a “trust gap.” A great headshot captures you on your best day, not an idealized version that doesn’t exist.
- Technical Quality: This includes sharp focus on the eyes, a blurred background to create depth, and professional lighting that eliminates unflattering shadows.
- Professional Alignment: Your photo needs to make sense for your industry. A corporate lawyer in Dallas will have a different “vibe” than a tech founder in Frisco.
Research shows that humans are often notoriously bad at selecting photos of ourselves. We tend to focus on our perceived flaws, whereas strangers look for competence and likeability. To truly understand the nuances, you can see how small details change everything in our guide on how to spot-the-difference-what-makes-a-headshot-good-or-bad.
One of the biggest questions we get is: “Do I have to smile?” this one suggests that you probably should. Many research studies show that you look more likeable, competent, and influential if you smile in your photo. However, it must be a genuine smile—a forced grin can actually have the opposite effect.
Mastering Expression: What Makes a Good Headshot for Actors and Executives
The difference between a “good” photo and a “great” headshot often comes down to the eyes. We call this eye engagement. For both actors and executives, the goal is to look like someone people want to work with.
We often use the “Duchenne smile” technique. This is a genuine smile that reaches the eyes, causing those tiny crinkle lines that signal true warmth. To avoid the “deer in the headlights” look, we teach the “squinch”—a very slight squint of the lower eyelids that conveys confidence and focus rather than uncertainty.
Micro-expressions—those fleeting looks of determination, humor, or empathy—are what we aim to capture through facial coaching. For actors, your expression needs to hint at your “type” or brand. For executives, it should signal leadership and approachability.
Technical Standards: What Makes a Good Headshot Stand Out
From a technical standpoint, we use specific gear and settings to ensure you look your best. We typically recommend an 85mm lens for headshots. Why? Because wider lenses can distort facial features (making noses look larger), whereas an 85mm “compresses” the face in a flattering way.
Key technical elements include:
- Blurred Background (Bokeh): By using a wide aperture, we make the subject pop while the background becomes a soft, non-distracting blur.
- Eye-Level Angle: Shooting from slightly above or exactly at eye level is generally the most flattering. Shooting from below can look overly aggressive, while shooting from too high can look diminutive.
- Rule of Thirds: We position the eyes in the upper third of the frame to create a balanced, professional composition.
- RAW Format: We always shoot in RAW to capture the maximum amount of data, allowing for high-quality, natural-looking retouching later.
To understand how these technical choices differ from standard portraiture, check out our breakdown of professional-headshots-vs-portraits.
Preparing Your Appearance for the Camera
Preparation is 50% of the battle. When you arrive at our studio—whether you’re coming from Grapevine or Colleyville—we want you feeling rested and ready.
The camera catches everything, including your mood and how well-rested you are. We suggest getting plenty of “beauty sleep” the night before and staying hydrated to keep your skin looking vibrant. If you wear glasses, we recommend removing them 15 minutes before the shoot to allow any red marks on the bridge of your nose to disappear.
For more inspiration on how to prep your look, you can explore the-art-of-the-modern-professional-headshot-ideas-inspiration.
Wardrobe and Accessories
What you wear should support your face, not distract from it. Here are our top tips for wardrobe:
- Jewel Tones: Deep blues, emerald greens, and rich burgundies look fantastic on almost every skin tone and pop against most backgrounds.
- Neutrals: Grey, navy, and chocolate brown are timeless and professional.
- Avoid Stark White: Unless it’s under a jacket, stark white can sometimes “wash out” the subject or flare under studio lights.
- Solids Over Patterns: Busy patterns, stripes, or logos draw the eye away from your face. Stick to solid colors.
- Tailored Fit: Clothes that fit well look better on camera. Baggy clothes can make you look larger than you are.
- Minimal Jewelry: We want the focus on your eyes, not your earrings. Keep accessories simple and classic.
Lighting and Posing Techniques for Professional Results
Lighting is the “secret sauce” of what makes a good headshot. We prefer soft, diffused light that fills in shadows and makes the skin look smooth.
| Feature | Natural Window Light | Studio Softbox Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Changes with time of day | Completely controllable |
| Vibe | Soft, organic, trustworthy | Polished, professional, “expensive” |
| Availability | Depends on weather | Always available |
| Best For | DIY or casual branding | Executive and actor headshots |
When it comes to posing, we use several techniques to make you look your best:
- The 45-Degree Angle: Turning your body slightly away from the camera while keeping your face toward the lens is instantly slimming and more dynamic than standing “flat” to the camera.
- The Chin-Out Technique: We often ask clients to push their chin out and slightly down. It feels ridiculous in the moment, but on camera, it defines the jawline and eliminates any hint of a double chin.
- Posture: Sitting or standing tall with your shoulders back conveys confidence. We might even ask you to lean slightly toward the camera to signal engagement.
Avoid the common mistake of trying to pose like you’re on Instagram. Professional headshots require a different level of intentionality. You can learn more about avoiding these errors in our article dont-get-caught-with-a-bad-headshot-what-to-look-for.
Common Pitfalls and the Role of Retouching
One of the biggest mistakes people make is over-retouching. If your skin looks like plastic, you’ve lost your authenticity.
We believe in “temporary flaw” retouching. If you have a blemish, a stray hair, or a bit of redness in your eyes from a late night in Dallas, we fix it. However, we don’t remove permanent features like character lines or moles. You want people to recognize you when you walk into the room.
Another pitfall is using outdated photos. If your headshot is more than two years old, or if you’ve significantly changed your hair or lost/gained weight, it’s time for an update. Using an old photo can make you seem like you aren’t staying current in your industry.
In recent years, AI headshots have become popular, but they come with risks. Casting directors and high-level executives can often spot an AI-generated image instantly. They lack the “soul” and accurate physical nuances of a real photo. For a deeper dive into this, read our comparison on an-ai-headshot-versus-a-real-headshot-reasons-why-the-difference-matters.
Frequently Asked Questions about Headshot Quality
How often should I update my headshot?
We recommend the “two-year rule.” Even if you think you haven’t changed, your brand and industry standards likely have. If you’ve changed your look—new glasses, a different hair color, or a significant style shift—update it immediately. Your headshot should always be a current representation of who you are today.
Can I take a professional headshot with a smartphone?
You can, but it’s difficult to match studio quality. If you must go DIY, use the rear camera (not the selfie camera, which distorts the face), find a large window for natural light, and use a plain background. However, a smartphone lacks the depth of field and lens compression of professional gear, often resulting in a “flat” look that doesn’t scream “executive.”
Should I smile or look serious in my photo?
This depends on your industry. In sales or real estate, a warm, toothy smile is almost always best because it builds immediate rapport. In law or high-level finance, a “confident neutral” or a subtle smile often works better to convey authority and gravitas. We usually recommend capturing a variety of expressions during your session so you have options for different platforms like LinkedIn versus a formal company website.
Conclusion
At Metroplex Headshots, we understand that what makes a good headshot is the person in it. Our mission is to provide executives and professionals across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex—from Southlake to Frisco—with a professional signature they can be proud of.
We specialize exclusively in headshots, which means we’ve mastered the art of making you feel comfortable and confident in front of the lens. We don’t just take a photo; we help you build your brand with natural, confident results that get delivered quickly.
Ready to replace that outdated selfie with something that truly represents your professional excellence? Book your professional session with us today and see the difference a professional headshot can make for your career.
