📸 Try It Now: Professional AI Headshots (10 mins)

Goal: Transform a casual photo into a professional studio-quality headshot using AI—no photographer required.

Step 0: Start With a Decent Photo

You don't need a fancy camera, but you do need good lighting. Natural light from a window works great—just face it so your face is evenly lit without harsh shadows.

Photo Requirements:

  • âś“ Whole face is visible (no weird cropping or sunglasses)
  • âś“ Natural angle—think "how I'd look in a video call"
  • âś“ Even lighting (face the window, avoid harsh shadows)
  • âś— No "MySpace angle from 2007" vibes

The Simple Three-Step Process

1
Upload your photo to Google Gemini

Open 🚀 Google Gemini, click on the Tools menu, and select "Create images" (that's the Nano Banana feature).

2
Switch to "Thinking" mode

In the lower left corner, switch the model setting to "Thinking". This activates the more advanced processing that actually understands what makes a professional headshot work.

3
Paste the magic prompt

Copy the prompt below and let Gemini work its magic.

The Magic Prompt

Here's the exact prompt that creates those polished, studio-quality results:

A professional, high-resolution, profile photo, maintaining the exact facial structure, identity, and key features of the person in the input image. The subject is framed from the chest up, with ample headroom and negative space above their head, ensuring the top of their head is not cropped. The person looks directly at the camera, and the subject's body is also directly facing the camera. They are styled for a professional photo studio shoot, wearing a smart casual blazer. The background is a solid '#141414' neutral studio. Shot from a high angle with bright and airy soft, diffused studio lighting, gently illuminating the face and creating a subtle catchlight in the eyes, conveying a sense of clarity. Captured on an 85mm f/1.8 lens with a shallow depth of field, exquisite focus on the eyes, and beautiful, soft bokeh. Observe crisp detail on the fabric texture of the blazer, individual strands of hair, and natural, realistic skin texture. The atmosphere exudes confidence, professionalism, and approachability. Clean and bright cinematic color grading with subtle warmth and balanced tones, ensuring a polished and contemporary feel.

đź’ˇ What Makes This Work

The prompt is specific about maintaining your actual features while adding professional polish—better lighting, cleaner background, proper framing. You get that studio look without the studio price tag.

Is it perfect for every situation? No. But for LinkedIn profiles, company websites, or conference bios? Absolutely good enough. And you can regenerate different versions until you find one you love.

✨ Pro Tips

  • Generate multiple versions – Try 3-4 variations and pick the best one
  • Adjust the blazer style – Change "smart casual blazer" to "professional suit" or "dark turtleneck" for different vibes
  • Try different backgrounds – Change '#141414' to '#FFFFFF' for a white studio background
  • Keep your original – Save both versions. The AI one is great for professional profiles, but you might want the real photo for personal contexts

đź“ť Quick Exercise

Take 5 minutes to generate your professional headshot right now. Then:

  1. Compare the AI version to your original photo
  2. Update your LinkedIn profile picture
  3. Save the prompt for future use (or when you need a colleague's headshot)

Why this matters: A professional headshot signals credibility and attention to detail. This AI approach gives you studio quality without the £500 photographer session—and you can update it anytime your look changes.