Guide
You do not need a studio. A window, a phone and ten minutes are enough for a headshot that works, and the generator can polish it into a professional one.
To take your own professional headshot, face a window for soft light, put your phone at eye level 1 to 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) away with the 2× or portrait lens, stand in front of a plain wall, wear solid colors and take many shots with your chin slightly forward and a real smile. Then keep the sharpest one. For a studio-style background and light, upload two or three of those photos to Headshot Generator AI and pick a style.
Light from a large window in front of you smooths skin naturally and puts a catchlight in your eyes.
Focus on the eye nearest the camera. A slightly soft background is fine; soft eyes are not.
A plain wall or a tidy room far behind you, with nothing growing out of your head.
Think of someone you like just before the shot; a real smile reaches the eyes.
Stand facing a large window in daylight, out of direct sun. Turn off overhead lights so colors stay neutral.
Put the phone on a stack of books or a tripod at eye level, 1 to 1.5 meters away. Use the 2× lens or portrait mode; a wide lens up close enlarges the nose.
A plain light wall, or a tidy room with depth. Step a meter away from the wall to avoid shadows behind you.
Solid colors that contrast with the background, a neckline that suits you, hair as you normally wear it.
Angle your shoulders, bring your chin slightly forward and down, and look into the lens. Use the timer or burst mode and take dozens of shots.
Keep the sharpest frames with a natural expression. Upload two or three to the generator for a studio-style background and light.
Photographers use the same handful of adjustments for almost every headshot. Try each one and compare:
Clothes take up a third of the frame, so they matter more than people expect:
Use the rear camera rather than the selfie camera: it has the better sensor and lens. Portrait mode blurs the background nicely but check the edges of your hair. Tap your eye to focus, and lower the exposure slightly if your face looks too bright. Wipe the lens before you start; a fingerprint smear softens everything.
If your light, background or outfit fell short but the photos are sharp and look like you, the generator can redraw them as a professional headshot in the style you choose. It cannot rescue blurry or heavily filtered photos, so start with the sharpest frames you have.
Face a window in daylight, put your phone at eye level about 1 to 1.5 meters away on the 2× lens, stand in front of a plain wall, wear solid colors and take many frames with the timer.
Solid mid-tone colors with a simple neckline and a layer such as a blazer. Avoid logos, small patterns and anything shiny, and wear what you would wear to work.
Yes. Modern phones are sharp enough; light and pose matter far more. Use the rear camera, the 2× lens or portrait mode, and a timer or a friend.
Shoulders turned slightly away from the camera, face turned back toward it, chin a little forward and down, and a relaxed, natural smile with eye contact.
Better not. The rear camera is sharper, and holding the phone at arm's length distorts the face. Prop the phone up and use the timer instead.
Upload two or three of your photos and use your 2 free Fast headshots.
Last updated October 6, 2026