Why Professional Headshots Matter More Than You Think

II never thought my recruiting career would intersect with photography. And yet, here we are.

Back in my recruiting days, I reviewed thousands of LinkedIn profiles. I helped senior professionals refine their summaries, sharpen their positioning, and make sure their experience read as impressively as it actually was.

I placed people at Cisco, GE, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, but all the pros knew: how they present themselves matters. All of it. Wardrobe. Manners. Body Language. Moreover, industries differ. You dress one way for the interview in a large IT corp, but a creative marketing agency or a fashion label will expect a different look. Job function also matters. One thing stays the same. You need to “look the part”.

And before I read a single word of any profile, there it was: the photo. Staring back at me. Setting the tone before I even got to their credentials.

Wow, did some of those photos tell a story. Just not always the right one. Cropped-out exes. Shirtless vacation selfies. Pixelated mystery shots taken from across a conference room. A very pixelated crop from a very large group photo. And the classic: the car headshot. You know the one. Granted, these were the early LinkedIn headshots fashion days. 

What a Recruiter Actually Sees

Let me be clear about the hierarchy: a compelling resume wins. Relevant experience, sharp positioning, accomplishments that actually land and fit the profile, that's what gets people hired. No headshot has ever compensated for a weak candidate.

But here's the thing about professional profiles: the photo is there whether you like it or not. And humanity, alas, has always been somewhat vain. Sharp presentation mattered in the courts of Versailles, in the boardrooms of the 1950s, and it matters today on LinkedIn. The medium changes; the instinct doesn't.

The difference is that when resumes were submitted by fax, nobody (ahem, almost nobody) included a photo. The profile was just words. Now the photo is structural, it's part of every LinkedIn profile, every company bio page, every conference speaker listing. You don't get to opt out.

So the question isn't whether your headshot matters. It's whether it's adding unnecessary risk. A recruiter scanning 80 profiles in an afternoon isn't lingering. They're pattern-matching at speed. A bad photo doesn't disqualify you, but it creates a small, nagging doubt that a good photo simply doesn't. Is this person current? Detail-oriented? Do they understand how they're perceived?

The purpose of a strong professional headshot is the same as the purpose of a well-formatted, thought out resume: to make sure you're not dismissed for reasons that have nothing to do with your actual qualifications.

That's a low bar. But it's worth clearing.

First Impressions Now Happen Before You're in the Room

When I was recruiting in the early 2000s, your photo mattered less. Today it matters more, because the first impression happens earlier. Your LinkedIn photo, your company bio page, your Zoom profile picture - these images are doing work before you ever open your mouth or shake a hand.

The meeting you want? Someone looked you up first. Your personal Facebook page included. The client you're hoping to land? They Googled you. The speaking opportunity, the board seat, the job offer, somewhere in that process, your face appeared on a screen and someone made a fast, mostly unconscious judgment.

A professional headshot doesn't guarantee any of those outcomes. But a bad one can quietly work against you in ways you'll never trace back to the source. And no one will ever admit to this, because how shallow that can be, right? 

What to Expect at a Professional Headshots Session

If it's been a while since you've had professional headshots taken, or if you've never done it, here's what the process actually looks like.

A typical individual session runs 30 to 60 minutes. We start with a quick conversation about where the images will be used, what you want them to communicate, and any specific requirements from your employer or organization. Then we shoot, usually a mix of expressions and angles, enough to give you real options without overwhelming you with 400 nearly identical frames.

You'll get a full gallery, not one picked shot. Read more about what's included and how to prepare for your session.

One thing people consistently say afterward: it was less awkward than they expected. That's not an accident. Getting a usable headshot out of someone who's uncomfortable in front of a camera is a skill, and it's one I've spent 15 years developing.

Studio or Outdoor? It Depends on What You Need

This is one of the most common questions I get, and the honest answer is: location matters less than execution. A studio headshot doesn't have to look overly conservative or stiff. An outdoor portrait doesn't have to look casual. I've shot venture capitalists outdoors who look more authoritative than attorneys in a studio.

The better question is what you want the image to accomplish, and who's going to see it. Or are there any particular requirements we need to meet, such as backdrop tones, angles, sizes, crops. Read the full breakdown of studio vs. outdoor professional headshots here.

What to Wear

For professional headshots, the goal is simple: wear something that looks like you on a good day, in a professional context. A few specifics:

• Avoid busy patterns and tight stripes, cameras create a visual glitch called moiré that makes them look strange on screen. Avoid all-black (details disappear) and neon colors (they cast color onto your skin). Solid colors in jewel tones, navy, burgundy, and soft neutrals tend to photograph well. 

• Please try to avoid tightly woven textures. For headshots specifically, simpler fabrics read cleaner on camera. 

• Avoid an overall pastel palette. Headshots often rendered black and white and your light blue jacket and a pale pink shirt will all look gray and will blend into each other. Which means - wear contrasting pieces.  

Bring options. Most people bring two or three tops and decide on location. That's smart. If you're not sure, send me a photo of your options beforehand, I'm happy to weigh in. 

Why This Background Makes Me a Different Kind of Professional Headshots Photographer

When I photograph professional headshots in Chapel Hill, I'm not just thinking about light and composition. I'm thinking about what this image needs to accomplish. Who will see it. Where it will live. What it needs to say in the two seconds someone gives it.

I know what makes a LinkedIn profile photo stop a scroll. I know what reads as trustworthy versus trying too hard. I know what gets lost when an image gets compressed into a 100-pixel circle, and what survives.

That recruiter's eye didn't go anywhere, it just moved behind the camera.

So in a way, I'm still doing exactly what I used to do: helping people put their best professional foot forward. I used to do it through words. Now I do it through images.

From resumes to headshots. Funny how things come full circle.

Pricing and Booking

Individual professional headshot sessions start at $350 for an express session and always include a full gallery. Team and corporate sessions are available with volume pricing for groups of 10 or more. Here is more info about Full pricing and FAQ

If you're in the Chapel Hill, Durham, or Raleigh area and your LinkedIn photo is overdue for an update, book a session here or reach out with questions to nina@merklina.com or just text me at 917-940-9326. I'm happy to talk through what makes sense before you commit to anything.

From recruiting to the camera: two sides of the same professional presence