What’s the Difference between A headshot and a portrait?

There seems to be a fine line between headshots and portraits. I often see headshot sites that are actaully showing business portraits and not standard headshots. At first, both of these may seem similar, both styles aim to show your personality and what you look like, yet they should be used in different ways. Here we’ll explore the differences between headshots and portraits and why you might choose one or other, or both!

Let’s start by defining what these two types of images are.

Headshots

Headshots are typically an image that shows you from about mid-chest up. We often don’t include arms or hands in headshots. The focus here should be on your face. These are typically used in professional settings like LinkedIn profiles, business cards, websites and marketing materials.

Portraits

These photos show more of you than just your head and shoulders. These can be from full body to 3/4. These images aim to tell a broader story about the subject. It’s not uncommon to add props in portraits. I’ve photographed many musicians with their instruments and doctors in their offices.

Differences between Headshots and Portraits

1. Purpose

   Headshots. The primary purpose of the headshots is to show someone’s identity, personality, and professionalism in a clear way. These are most often used in marketing materials and online professional sites like LinkedIn.

   Portraits. These show a broader view of the subject. Often full body or 3/4 body and including props. These images tell a story of who you are, what’s important to you, or what you do for work.

2. Composition

   Headshots are typically photographed from about mid-chest up and don’t include arms or hands. We don’t include props in headshots. We want the focus to be on your face and your expression. Backgrounds are kept simple and clean.

   Portraits have a wider composition. Here we can have different backgrounds and photographs in places that can show context to where you work or what your craft is if you’re an artist.

3. Environment and Background

   Headshots need to have a simple and clean backdrop. We don’t want to distract from your face and expression. Solid and neutral colors are best for these.

   Portraits often incorporate the background into the subject’s photos. Especially if the space where you’re creating these helps to tell the subject’s story. A place of work, or maybe a place where you typically meet clients. Real estate agents tend to shoot portraits showing where they sell as the background.

4. Expression

   With headshots, we focus on your expression. We want an expression that shows confidence and approachability.

   Portraits aim to tell a much broader story. I like to capture portraits with a wide variety of angles and expressions from defeat to victory.

So this being said, there are some clear differences between what makes a headshot versus what makes a portrait. Now, you may be thinking about which one you need. Why not consider both? Especially if you have a website, run a blog, are in the service industry, and need to educate your audience. A mix of headshots and portraits is what really makes up a branding session. These images are used to visually punctuate the stories that you tell your audience.

If you’d like to find out what the best option is for you, click below and reach out for a free consultation and let’s talk about what your goals are.