There’s something slightly uncomfortable about seeing a bad photo of yourself.
Not necessarily even because it’s unflattering. Rather, it’s because it feels wrong. Almost as if it’s showing a version of you that doesn’t quite exist. You know you come across better than that in real life, but the photo hasn’t caught it.
And the truth is, most headshots don’t.
The problem isn’t how people look. It’s how quickly we judge. Someone will look at your photo for a second, maybe less, and make a call, whether they realise it or not. You don’t get time to explain yourself. The image has to do it for you and that’s where it starts to matter.
I think most people assume a good headshot is about looking confident or professional. That usually translates into standing a bit straighter, forcing a smile, trying to look like the kind of person who has everything together, but it almost always goes too far.
You can see it straight away when someone’s trying rather than just relaxing and existing. The smile looks slightly held in place. The eyes don’t quite match. Everything’s a bit tense. It’s not terrible—it’s just not convincing.
That’s the issue. As people we don’t deeply analyse photos. We react to them. If something feels off, it sticks.
What actually works is much simpler, and probably less dramatic than people expect.
A relaxed expression, eye contact that isn’t too intense, and posture that feels natural, not staged.
It sounds basic, but it’s surprisingly difficult to get right because most people aren’t used to being photographed. As soon as a camera’s there, you become aware of yourself in a way you normally aren’t. You start adjusting things that don’t need adjusting. The result is a version of you that’s slightly edited, slightly held back.
There’s also this idea that you need to stand out.
Different lighting, more stylised shots, something a bit more “creative.” And sometimes that works, but more often it just makes the image harder to read.
If someone has to spend time figuring out your photo, you’ve already lost them a bit.
The strongest headshots are usually the simplest ones. Clean light, neutral background, nothing distracting. You look at it and immediately understand the person. There’s no effort involved. That ease is what makes it feel credible.
I think the part people overlook most is how much your mindset shows up.
If you feel awkward, it comes through. If you’re overthinking, it’s there in small ways—your expression, your eyes, the way you’re holding yourself. It’s subtle, but it changes the whole image, and you can’t really fake your way out of that.
The best photos tend to happen when people stop trying to “get it right.” When they settle a bit, forget what they’re supposed to look like, and just exist in front of the camera for a second.
That’s usually when it clicks.
A good first impression in a photo isn’t about looking perfect, or even particularly impressive.
It’s about looking like yourself, just slightly clearer, slightly more composed than usual.
Enough that someone can look at it, quickly, and think: yeah, I get them.