How to Make a LinkedIn Headshot from a Selfie
A step-by-step guide to shooting a useful source selfie, generating a professional headshot, and cropping it correctly for LinkedIn.
You do not need a studio camera to create a credible LinkedIn headshot. You do need a source selfie that gives the generator accurate information about your face. Good input reduces identity drift and makes the final image look less synthetic.
1. Set up simple, even light
Stand facing a large window during the day, with the phone between you and the window. Turn off harsh overhead lights and avoid direct sun that creates sharp shadows. A plain wall is helpful, but the generator can replace the background; clear facial detail matters more.
Clean the phone lens and use the rear camera if you can frame it reliably. Keep the camera near eye level and far enough away to avoid the stretched features produced by an ultra-wide close-up.
2. Capture a useful expression and angle
Look into the lens, relax your shoulders, and use a natural expression that fits your work. A slight smile is versatile for most roles. Keep your whole head, hair, neck, and upper shoulders in frame so the model has enough context for a clean portrait.
- Remove sunglasses, hats, and anything covering your face.
- Avoid beauty mode, portrait blur, screenshots, and heavily compressed social photos.
- Use one person per image and avoid hands crossing the face.
- If multiple inputs are allowed, vary the angle slightly while keeping your current appearance consistent.
3. Choose a restrained professional style
Match the visual tone to the role. A software engineer may prefer a clean, modern background and smart-casual clothing; a lawyer or finance leader may want a more formal studio portrait. The image should support the profile rather than compete with it.
Generate a small batch first. Compare facial accuracy before judging background or wardrobe. Discard any output that changes a defining feature, adds impossible accessories, or creates asymmetry around glasses, teeth, earrings, or hair.
4. Crop and inspect at LinkedIn size
Export a square image with enough space around the head for a circular crop. LinkedIn accepts JPG or PNG profile photos and documents a minimum of 400 by 400 pixels. Keep the eyes near the upper third and make sure the face remains clear at a small thumbnail size.
Before saving, view the image on both phone and desktop. Check the jawline, pupils, teeth, glasses, clothing edges, and background for generation artifacts. Ask someone who knows you whether it is immediately recognizable.
5. Keep the profile consistent
Use the same or closely related headshot on your resume site, speaker page, and professional social profiles. Consistency helps people connect a search result, application, and meeting invitation to the same person. Keep a high-resolution master and make platform-specific crops from it.