Do you have confusion with what works best and how to position your headshot so that you are easily identified and still look professional?
The general selection or cropping ranges from a close-up head shot (sone with the top of your head cropped off) to the wide-angle fuller upper body. I’m pretty sure we have all cropped a photo into the little circle provided at sometime, and possibly struggled a little with getting all the photo to fit in correctly.
So why do we have so many options and what crop works best for LinkedIn!
What’s The Best Size Headshot and
How to Position - Crop it
It's always a great idea to inform your photographer what platforms you will be loading your head shot onto so they can provide the correct size and dimensions for you. However, Its always better if you know yourself what works best and why.
LinkedIn profile picture is usually 400 x 400 pixels and there are many suggestions on this subject, so try not to get too detailed about it.
Any bigger is okay if it doesn’t exceed 8MB. Avoid small, low-resolution images as they will not be clear enough and look like you don’t know what you are doing, and you get value for money when it comes to quality photography when it’s done right.
A tip for saving your images... Don't save them on your phone and then post it from there as the resolution reduces. This means your image will lose that professional sharpness while making your photo less usable for professional use. Save your headshot image on your computer and then upload it from there if possible.
How to Crop Your Linkedin Headshot.
Talking to your photographer before the shoot would be easier for everyone as they can shoot your image at the right angles etc.… to get the best results. Plus, they can send you your final images in the correct size and dimensions.
Firstly, you need to make sure the image is sharp and clear, if not your images could be too small and need more resolution. Asking your photographer to provide the correct size and dimensions is important to get it right the first time.
The most common mistake is having the photo zoomed out too wide which makes your face harder to see, especially with LinkedIn.
Remember that when looking on LinkedIn, the profile image space is very small. It’s recommended your face takes up at least 2 thirds of the circle. Linkedin recommends at least 60% of your face to be filled in the provided area.
Don’t be afraid to zoom in for an instant identification of your face.
At first, making your face so big can be a bit... "in your face" but remember this is a HEADSHOT, not a dating site.
It's not about your nice corporate clothing or the fancy location you may be in, It's about identification of who you are and the professionalism you uphold. That FIRST IMPRESSION counts!
Sure, some people have the top of their hard cropped of, but hey, if your face is recognizable at the first glance than you are one step closer to more business connections.
Your eyes should be aligned horizontally and face looking directly at the camera.
Don’t try to be creative with angels etc..... It could come across that you have made a mistake with positioning your head shot, so position your face in the center.
Don’t forget your LinkedIn profile is not complete until your head shot is uploaded correctly.
Once you have loaded your headshot, Linkedin have a number of editing tools for you to use to ensure you have the flexibility to position - crop your face 60% into the circle.
Adjustments can be made to crop, straighten and more. Using filters should only apply if your images requires it. A professional image should not need anything done apart from positioning - cropping.
What is the best crop for your professional LinkedIn headshot?
Your head shot is about your face and only your face for immediate identification as viewers scroll through the screen, so now is your chance to make it easier for them to identify you immediately.
A great head shot consists of the following points:
Sharp – Clear with good quality
Clean background - nothing too busy or distraction.
60% of your face cropped into the provided space.
Looks approachable. So, give a nice, relaxed smile.
And of course, if you are branding… your clothing to coordinate with your company colours. a nice touch for brand consistency.
Being seen professionally is a great way to start connections with the right audience. Having a great headshot and positioning it to the specifics is great knowledge as the statistics shows that it works.
A great LinkedIn profile photo can increase your viewers’ attention a lot more than not having one. So, keep in mind the cropping tips and know how to crop photos for LinkedIn. Pick the right photos for your profile and posts and you are on your way to more viewers stopping at the scroll. Afterall, it's all about being seen right!
Your Linkedin headshot is your most valuable visual for that powerful first impressions and assets for LinkedIn, so crop them well and professionally to be even more successful on LinkedIn to create targeted connections immediately.
What Way to Face
When Having Your LinkedIn Headshot Taken
Just like talking to someone, we don't turn our body away from the subject, whatever that may be. Facing your head shot onto the page so that you look engaged, not looking away.
Body language is just as important with your headshot (and other branding imagery) and what way you are facing, so be mindful of the location you load your images.
Always face into the page.
Headshots looking and facing directly to the camera is also a great pose as you can use it anywhere.
My name is Sam and I'm excited to hear about your visions and where you would like to take that for your branding imagery.
BE BOLD | BE BRAVE | BE YOU
Crop Yourself Professionally!