Headshot or Portrait – What’s the Difference?

Executive portrait

People who want a picture of themselves taken are sometimes confused about how to name what they want. Say, for instance, you are looking for a small picture, say 5″x7″, of yourself for a gift. Because of the size of the image you’ll probably want a fairly close-up picture of your face; a wider shot would lose most of the detail in your face.

This is often called a head & shoulders portrait. Why not call it a headshot? You could

Actor’s headshot

refer to it that way, but generally headshot refers to a commercial image used for promotion or publicity, such as those used by models and actors. Beyond the head & shoulders portrait, 3/4 and full length poses are often taken in portrait photography.

Other Differences

Beyond matters of size, there are usually other significant differences in the way a photographer might approach a head & shoulders portrait and a headshot. For models, the goal is to produce a number of usable shots, for use in a portfolio or comp card, which is a single sheet printed with several different images of the subject. Actors may want several images showing a range of expressions. In either case the goal is to capture a lively, extemporaneous expression. This requires taking  numerous exposures in a fast sequence. This is very different from the goal of portrait photography which is usually to capture a timeless expression, one which is more generally representative of the subject. The deliberate pace of a portrait session allows for more considered lighting which can be carefully adjusted to flatter the subject’s features. The headshot session, in contrast, requires a more even lighting that will work regardless of the particular pose the subject strikes: whether the model turns to the right or to the left, whether she lifts or dips her chin.

The Business Headshot

Business headshot

An exception to these distinctions between the portrait and headshot is the business headshot, which, apart from usage, has more of the characteristics of the portrait than the model’s or actor’s headshot. The goal is usually to produce one excellent pose which will be used for public relations and editorial purposes.