Headshot vs portrait: How do you decide between them?

When it comes to professional photography, understanding the difference between headshots and portraits is crucial. While both styles focus on the subject’s face, they have distinct purposes. Learn more about headshots vs portraits in this guide to find out which is best for your needs.

What is a headshot? 

Professional headshot highlighting a confident expression and clear background. (Source: iStock)

A headshot is a photograph focusing on a person’s facial features and expressions. The photographer often uses a simple, plain background to emphasise the face. 

In headshot photography, many photographers use mirrorless or Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras with prime lenses because these take clear and sharp photos. However, the prime lens should have a long focal length of 85mm to 135mm to prevent the photographer from getting too close while still capturing the even tiniest facial details. 

What is a portrait?

Bright and casual portrait capturing a relaxed headshot style in a modern office. (Source: iStock) 

A portrait is a photograph that captures a person’s quirks or unique features. It aims to dive deep into the subject’s character and life, so you may notice that traditional portraits don’t just focus on the person’s face. The entire body and surroundings can also be captured to tell a story about the subject. 

Since portrait photography involves a lot of storytelling, the approach is more artistic, offering more flexibility in setting up the background, camera, and lighting equipment. Mirrorless and DSLR cameras are also often used, but the focal lengths range from 50mm to 135 mm. This versatility allows the portrait photographer to capture a subject’s lifestyle from different angles.  

Portrait vs headshot photography: What's the difference?

Here are the key distinctions between portraits and headshots to help you decide which is best for your photoshoot project:

In terms of purpose

The purpose of a headshot is to present the subject on corporate websites, business cards, and professional social media profiles. You can also use professional headshots for acting and modelling gigs. Casting directors and modelling agents use these images to determine whether the auditionee’s appearance suits the role.

On the other hand, portraits are often for artistic and personal photoshoots. Their primary purpose is to capture the subject’s story and personality, so these photos should evoke an emotional response. Specifically, they are ideal for family photoshoots, where the photographer captures the subjects’ mundane lives. 

You can also use portraits for social media, blogs, and personal websites. These platforms are more casual, so having an artistic portrait picture is more appropriate than a headshot. 

In terms of framing and composition

Capturing professional headshots with attention to composition and lighting. (Source: iStock)

Framing and composition make distinguishing a headshot from a portrait easier. Framing is all about deciding which photographic elements (such as the subject and background) should be included in an image, while composition is how these elements are arranged. 

Although both photography styles capture a person’s face, headshots have a tighter crop, focusing on the subject’s facial features. They have a vertical orientation and are cropped around the head and shoulders, which is why many photographers refer to headshots as head-and-shoulders photos. 

The composition of a headshot requires the subject to look into the camera and centre their face in the frame. Since headshots are used professionally, they are usually taken by corporate photographers who direct the subject to a more confident and approachable expression. 

Meanwhile, portraits entail more flexible framing and composition since they aim to tell a story. They can have a more varied cropping design, from head-and-shoulder shots to full-body styles. Unlike headshots, the subject doesn’t have to be at the centre. Professional portrait photographers make images where the subject is off-centre, following the rule of thirds for more artistry. 

In terms of lighting and posing

Since a professional headshot emphasises the subject’s face, photographers use large modifiers like softboxes to produce soft and even lighting. This setup helps minimise the shadows around the face, creating a clean look. The subject can look straight into the camera and slightly tilt their chin for a flattering angle. 

Meanwhile, portraits have more dramatic lighting. Portrait photographers could use natural light outdoors to soften the images or lighting gels and coloured lights for special effects. These can make a significant difference during photo printing.

Portrait poses depend on the creative direction of the photoshoot. For example, the subject can lean against the wall with natural light streaming in from a window. This creates interesting shadows, highlighting the subject’s silhouette. 

In terms of background setting

Professional studio lighting and backdrop ready for headshot or portrait photography. (Source: iStock)

Headshots require a plain background, usually grey, white, or black. This helps keep the subject’s face as a focal point while producing a clean and professional image.

Headshot photographers often choose indoor studios because they provide plain-coloured backdrops in a controlled environment. Some headshots can be taken outdoors, but the background is blurred to highlight the subject’s face. 

In contrast, portraits have more artistic backgrounds to reflect the subject’s personality. Usually, portrait photographers incorporate various embellishments. The photos can be taken in a park, on a beach, or even on the street. 

In terms of attire requirements

Preparing your outfit or attire is one of the things to do before a photoshoot. If you choose a headshot, choose corporate dresses, suits, and ties. It could also be anything that would suit your company’s image or individual branding. Just wear something with minimal patterns and subtle textures to keep the focus on your face. 

On the other hand, in portrait photography, you have a flexible wardrobe. Feel free to select suits and dresses with bold colours and patterns, but consult the photographer first and see if your outfit matches the theme.

In terms of editing and retouching

Professional editing of portraits and headshots to enhance clarity and color. (Source: iStock)

When it comes to headshots, the edits are subtle, with basic skin retouching such as removing blemishes and evening out the skin tone. Sometimes, the photographer subtly whitens the teeth and eyes. 

It’s important not to overdo the edits in headshots because the subject must look natural and confident. This can help them make a good first impression and promote their brand. 

On the flip side, portraits allow more edits, like background manipulation and creative colour grading. Some portrait photographers even make the subject’s skin smoother, as if it’s glowing, or more textured to incorporate a cartoonish design.

Find nearby headshot or portrait photographers on Airtasker

Need to have your photos taken by a professional? Find a skilled photographer on Airtasker! Whether you’re after a headshot or a portrait, Taskers can produce high-quality images. They bring the technical expertise needed and can assist with your poses, expressions, and outfit choices to achieve the perfect shot.