Portrait or headshot -which to use/when?

First, some definitions:

Headshots – A headshot is a particular type of portrait – the crop shows the head and shoulders, with the bottom crop at chest level. The focus is the person – and the expression/lighting is key. Used for websites, LinkedIn profiles, bios, headshots work well in most situations, and particularly well where the size of the image is relatively small, such as a LinkedIn profile.

Portraits – portraits show more of the body, with crops ranging from full body to a crop at the torso. Additional consideration is often given to the background, pose, placement of hands, potential props, etc. as those are now part of the frame. The size of the image should be large enough so the viewer can still see the details of the subject’s face and expression.

So which should you use? No rules – both can convey/elicit emotion, but portraits can tell more of a story. Headshots are often used in the about section of a website, and while portraits might be used in social media, blog posts, brochures, or other website pages. You would also use portraits if you had multiple people in the photo.

For portraits, body language, pose, expression, and lighting should play well together and are consistent with your branding. To convey power, arms folded with a bit of a serious expression would work well. Similarly, to convey an open, energetic, friendly brand, a more casual pose, clothing, and energetic/friendly expression would work well.