Headshots vs. Personal Branding: Which Is Right for You?
Not sure whether you need a professional headshot or a personal branding session? The answer really comes down to how you plan to use the images.
If you need a few polished, professional photos for LinkedIn, a company website, business card, bio, or other professional profile, a headshot session is probably the right fit.
If you need a larger variety of images for your website, social media, marketing, and content — including photos that show more of your personality, business, and what you do — you're probably looking for a personal branding session.
As a Boise headshot and personal branding photographer, I offer both, and there's definitely some overlap. Here's how to figure out which one makes the most sense for what you actually need.
Headshot vs. Personal Branding
What Is a Professional Headshot?
Headshot photography is focused on representing the person. While the term "headshot" may bring to mind a traditional head-and-shoulders portrait, modern professional headshots can include a much wider variety of images — different expressions, outfits, backgrounds, crops and even more relaxed or lifestyle-inspired portraits.
The common thread is that you remain the subject of the image. These photographs are designed to show who you are and give you professional images of yourself to use across places like your website, LinkedIn, social profiles, speaking engagements, press features and other professional platforms.
And there's no rule about how many headshots you need. Someone who only needs a LinkedIn photo may need one great image, while a business owner who is the face of their brand may want a much larger variety to use throughout their marketing.
What Is Personal Branding Photography?
Personal branding photography creates a collection of images designed to visually represent a business or brand. While headshots and professional portraits can absolutely be part of a branding session, the photography typically goes beyond simply showing what someone looks like.
Depending on the business, that might mean incorporating personality, environment, products, services, work, process or other elements that help communicate what the brand is about. The goal is to create a variety of images that can work together across a website, social media, marketing materials and other business content.
There isn't one formula for what branding photography has to look like. A branding session for a consultant may look completely different from one for a chef, artist or product-based business. What matters is that the images are intentionally created around the story and marketing needs of the business.
When a Headshot Session Makes the Most Sense
You primarily need professional images of you for places like LinkedIn, your website, speaking engagements, company directories or marketing materials.
You want several polished options — different expressions, outfits, backgrounds or crops — but the focus of the images is still you as the professional.
You don't necessarily need images that show your work, process, products, environment or tell the larger story of your business.
When a Personal Branding Session Makes the Most Sense
You need more than professional portraits, you need a library of images to market your business.
Showing what you do is important: your work, process, products, services, environment, personality or other details that help people understand your brand.
You need enough variety to create content across your website, social media, email marketing and other platforms while still keeping everything visually connected.
What to Look for in a Headshot or Branding Photographer
Once you've decided which type of session makes sense, choosing the right photographer matters too. Look beyond the portfolio and consider the experience they provide. A photographer who regularly works with business owners and professionals should be able to help you plan for how the images will actually be used, and guide you through the process even if being in front of the camera isn't exactly your favorite activity.
Look for consistency across an entire session. One great portfolio image is nice, but seeing variety from the same person gives you a better idea of what a photographer can consistently create.
Pay attention to how they guide people. If you're not naturally comfortable in front of a camera, posing and direction matter just as much as lighting and equipment.
Consider whether they understand business imagery. A good headshot or branding photographer should be thinking about where your images will be used, what they need to communicate and what variety you'll actually need.
Make sure their approach fits you. Their portfolio should include people who look comfortable and believable, not just people who already seem like they're professional models.
Still Not Sure Which One You Need?
If you're looking at both options and thinking, “Honestly, I could probably use a little of both,” that's completely normal. There can be plenty of overlap between headshots and personal branding photography.
The easiest way to decide is to think about what you need the images to do.
If you mostly need professional images of yourself, a headshot session is probably the right fit. If you need images that help tell the larger story of your business and give you content to use throughout your marketing, personal branding may make more sense.
And if you're still not sure, you don't have to figure it out alone. I can help you determine which type of session makes the most sense for what you're trying to accomplish.
EXPLORE HEADSHOTS or EXPLORE PERSONAL BRANDING