Head Shots

A headshot is a tightly cropped portrait image that focuses on a person’s face—usually from the shoulders up—and is used in many real-world professional and creative settings. In the real world, headshots are often a person’s first impression, whether it's for a job, a performance, or a profile.

Here are a few common examples of how headshots are used:

• Professional Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles:
  In business and job hunting, a clean, professional headshot adds credibility and helps hiring managers remember applicants.
  
  

• Actors, Models, and Performers:
  In the entertainment and fashion industries, headshots are required when auditioning. Casting directors rely on them to decide who to bring in.
  
  

• Company Websites and Staff Pages:
  Many businesses use headshots of their team on their websites to make their brand feel more human and approachable.
  
  

• School Yearbooks and ID Photos:
  While less formal, these are headshots too—and they show how individuals are presented and remembered.
  
  

• Social Media and Personal Branding:
  From Instagram bios to YouTube thumbnails, people use strong headshots to represent their identity and build a personal brand.

Pair Up:
Find a partner you don’t know well yet. Introduce yourselves briefly—name, something you like (hobby, show, food, etc.).

Photo Session:
Using your phone cameras, take 5–10 headshots of your partner. Switch and let them do the same for you.
Tips:

• Shoot vertically (portrait orientation).
  
  

• Use natural light if possible (near a window or outside).
  
  

• Avoid harsh shadows and cluttered backgrounds.
  
  

• Pay attention to framing—fill the frame with the subject's face and shoulders.
  
  

• Try at least one image with the subject making eye contact and one candid.
  
  

Pick Your Favorite:
As a team, review your images and choose one headshot of each person that best captures their personality.