Portrait style guide
Professional headshot styles: choose your direction
Content updated · Instructions for the current tool.
A useful style brief connects your audience, clothing, lighting, and background.
AI-generated illustrations, not customer results.
Executive
A navy studio background, restrained clothing, and even lighting create a formal direction. Consider it for leadership profiles, speaker biographies, or a company team page with a consistent visual standard.
Approachable
A light gray backdrop, relaxed expression, and soft daylight create a less formal direction. It can suit consulting profiles, community introductions, and independent professional websites.
Creative
A warm workspace and natural expression suggest a professional in their environment. Keep the background quiet enough that your face remains the focus.
Keep your identity intact
Ask for natural skin texture and recognizable facial features. An effective professional photo should still look like you. Check the final image at full size before publishing it.