How Often Should You Update Your Professional Headshot?

As a Boise business owner myself, I’ve even put off updating my own headshot, and I regret it every time I open my email or hand someone my business card.

The photo technically works… but it doesn’t feel like me anymore. And that disconnect has a funny way of creeping into your confidence, especially when you’re putting yourself out there professionally.

If you’ve ever had that same hesitation, you’re not alone. It’s one of the biggest reasons professionals update their headshots every 1–2 years.

Headshot of Annie with longer hair with extensions

My headshot from a few years ago (above), I had much longer hair and was wearing hair extensions. In my headshot (right) you can see I no longer wear hair extensions and I wear my hair in a shorter style now. The updated headshot feels more like the real me, the me my clients see when they walk into my studio.

Updated Headshot of Annie without extensions

“I’ll update my headshot when things slow down.”
“Once I lose a little weight.”
“After this busy season.”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard some version of this, I’d have… well… I’d probably own my studio vs leasing it, lol.

And here’s the thing, the professionals saying this are already doing the work. They’re showing up, building businesses, advancing careers, networking, and growing. They’re not behind.

Their headshot is.

The “I’ll Get to It Later” Trap

Most people don’t avoid updating their headshot because they don’t care.
They avoid it because it feels unnecessary right now.

But while you’re waiting for the “perfect time,” your current photo is still doing a job for you online. Whether it’s accurate anymore or not.

Your website, LinkedIn profile, email signature, and social platforms are quietly introducing you every day.

So… How Often Should You Update Your Headshot?

For most professionals, the sweet spot is every 1–2 years.

Not because your face suddenly changes, but because you do.

Your confidence evolves.
Your role shifts.
Your style refines.
Your brand becomes clearer.

A headshot taken two (or five… or ten) years ago may not reflect the way you show up today, even if you technically still “look the same.”

Signs It’s Time for a New Headshot

You might be due for an update if:

  • You’ve changed roles, industries, or started a business

  • Your confidence is stronger than it was before

  • Your website or brand has evolved

  • You avoid using your current headshot because it doesn’t feel like you

  • Your photo looks more “past version of you” than present-day professional

This isn’t about vanity.
It’s about alignment.

A Real Client Example

When Natasha had her headshots taken in 2023, she was ready to prove herself. She wanted to show up polished, confident, and ready to climb. The kind of image that says I belong here, and I’m going places.

Fast forward two years.

In 2025, Natasha came back for updated headshots — this time as a CEO. The goal wasn’t to prove anything. It was to show up grounded in her experience, comfortable in her leadership, and confident in exactly who she had become.

We made subtle shifts rather than drastic changes. Her makeup was lighter and more natural. The lighting was softer. She even wore one of the same outfits, it’s still her favorite and still fits her role beautifully.

Both sets of headshots work for her.
Neither is “better” than the other.

But they represent two different chapters of the same professional story.

And that’s exactly why updating your headshot every 1–2 years matters, not because you need to change who you are, but because your image should reflect where you are now.

2023 Headshots

Professional headshot of a Boise business professional taken in 2023, representing an earlier stage of her corporate career
A second outfit of Professional headshot of a Boise business professional taken in 2023, representing an earlier stage of her corporate career

2025 Updated Headshots

Updated professional headshot of a Boise CEO photographed in 2025, showing a confident and polished leadership presence
A second headshot in a different outfit of Updated professional headshot of a Boise CEO photographed in 2025, showing a confident and polished leadership presence

Many professionals assume they’ll update their headshot once things calm down.

But here’s the truth, growth rarely pauses long enough to wait for the right timing.

That’s why updating your headshot every 1–2 years works so well. It keeps your online presence current without turning it into a constant task. It’s maintenance, not reinvention.

Your Headshot Should Match Where You’re Going

A professional headshot isn’t about being perfect (perfect weight, perfect clothes, perfect skin)…
It’s about being current, confident, and most importantly recognizable.

If your photo no longer feels like the person you are now, that’s usually your sign.

And January? It’s one of the most natural times to reset.

If you’re a professional in Boise, Idaho and you’ve been thinking, “I should probably update my headshot…” that thought didn’t come out of nowhere.

You’re likely more ready than you think.

👉 View my booking info here
👉 Not sure if you need a Headshot Session or a Personal Branding Session? Read the difference HERE

— Annie Bingham
Boise Headshot Photographer

Annie Bingham