How to create a professional headshot with AI (step-by-step)
Still using that cropped wedding photo on LinkedIn? We’ve all been there. But the blurry background and awkward framing probably aren’t doing your personal brand any favors.
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The good news is, you don’t need to book a studio or sit through an uncomfortable photo shoot anymore. With Freepik Spaces, you can take a decent selfie and transform it into a polished, professional headshot in a matter of minutes.
This step-by-step guide walks you through creating an AI-generated headshot that works perfectly for LinkedIn, your resume, or personal branding.
Why use AI for your headshot?
Most people wait too long to update their photo because setting up a shoot takes time and effort. That’s where AI headshots feel like a breakthrough.
With Freepik Spaces, you can experiment with different styles, lighting, and moods at your own pace. And if your look or role shifts, generating a new image takes just minutes. It’s quick, flexible, and feels effortless.
AI Headshot vs. Classic Studio Photo
| Feature | AI Headshot (Freepik Spaces) | Classic Studio Photoshoot |
| Cost | A fraction of the price (or included in your sub) | $200 – $500+ per session |
| Time Investment | 5 minutes, straight from your couch | Hours (travel, setup, shooting, …) |
| Turnaround | Instant results | Days or weeks of editing |
| Flexibility | Unlimited styles (try 4+ looks in one go) | Limited to the outfits and sets you booked |
| Pressure Level | Zero. Experiment in private | High. “Camera shyness” is real |
| Updates | Update it anytime your look changes | Usually kept for years due to the cost |
Our take: Unless you truly enjoy bright lights and long waits, the AI option simply makes more sense.
How to make an AI professional headshot using Freepik Spaces
What you need before you start
Before generating your headshot, make sure your input photo includes:
- A clear, well-lit selfie
- Your face, fully visible (no sunglasses or harsh shadows)
- A neutral or natural smile
- Simple clothing (AI will enhance the final look)
Freepik Tip: The better the input, the better the result.
Step 1: Upload your photo to Freepik Spaces
- Open the headshot template in Freepik Spaces
- Right-click the sample image and click “Replace recreation”
- Make sure your face is centered and evenly lit
- Find the main instructions in your workspace, where you’ll see the style prompts used in the next step.
- Click “Rerun” to start your headshot workflow
Step 2: Choose your headshot style
This is where your personal brand starts to take shape. We’ve built these styles with carefully tuned default settings, so you get high-end results right away. But remember: these are a starting point, not a final limit.
You can easily adjust the prompts to change the background, clothing, or even the lighting until everything feels just right for you.
Below, you’ll find four distinct AI prompt options. Choose the one that matches your vibe, or do what we always recommend and try them all to explore the full range of possibilities.
Environmental portrait – Option 1
Prompt: A professional medium-shot portrait of a person with a warm, genuine, natural smile looking directly at the camera, featuring crinkling around the eyes. The subject is dressed in smart casual attire, such as a textured blazer over a button-down shirt or a high-quality knit sweater. Soft, diffused side lighting creates gentle gradients on the face and catchlights in the eyes, enhancing the natural warmth. The background is a significantly blurred modern open-plan office environment with indistinct shapes of desks, monitors, plants, and natural light streaming through windows, ensuring the focus remains entirely on the subject. The overall atmosphere is inviting, professional, and authentic.
Best for: LinkedIn, creative professionals, modern workplaces
Why we like it: This is the perfect choice if you want a professional photo that still feels relaxed, approachable, and current.
Corporate headshot – Option 2
Prompt: A polished, professional corporate headshot featuring a head and shoulders framing with an eye-level camera angle. The subject displays a confident, approachable posture with shoulders slightly angled, gazing directly into the lens with attentiveness and quiet self-assurance. Their expression is calm, featuring a subtle, knowing smile that conveys trustworthiness. The lighting is softbox-style, coming from the front-left, providing flattering and even illumination that highlights skin texture and hair without harsh shadows. The subject is dressed in a tailored dark navy or charcoal business blazer. The background is a seamless, solid deep navy studio wall, softly blurred to keep full attention centered on the face.
Best for: Corporate profiles, CVs, executives
Why we like it: Reliable and refined, especially for formal settings.
Monochrome low-key studio portrait – Option 3
Prompt: A dramatic, monochrome low-key studio portrait featuring a close-up framing of the subject. The expression is poised and serene, with a soft, closed-lip smile conveying quiet confidence and self-assurance. The facial muscles are relaxed, and the eyes are gently focused directly into the lens, adding warmth and approachability. Lighting is highly controlled and directional, with a focused beam of soft, diffused light illuminating only the center of the face, sculpting the features while creating deep chiaroscuro contrast by restricting light spill onto the edges. The subject wears a matte black turtleneck that seamlessly blends into a pure black void background, ensuring the illuminated face is the sole focal point. The overall mood is intimate, elegant, and timeless.
Best for: Personal branding, creative industries, editorial looks
Why we like it: Bold and timeless, especially if you work in design or media.
Classic monochrome corporate headshot – Option 4
Prompt: A professional, classic monochrome corporate headshot featuring a tight head and shoulders portrait, centered and symmetrical. The lighting is soft yet directional from a single large source, creating sculpted, gentle shadows that define the facial structure and luminous highlights, lending a timeless quality. Fine film grain texture is noticeable throughout the image. The subject displays a confident, upright posture with shoulders squared to the camera. Their expression is professional, approachable, and engaged, with a direct gaze into the lens and a subtle, assured smile. They wear a tailored dark blazer or suit jacket with subtle texture. The background is a seamless, mid-tone neutral gray studio wall, softly blurred to maintain focus entirely on the face.
Best for: Traditional business profiles, leadership roles
Why we like it: A clean, no-nonsense style suited for serious roles.
Step 3: Generate your AI headshot
Once you’ve chosen your favorite style, it’s time to let the tech take over.
Depending on your goals—and how many credits you want to use—you have two ways to run your session:
- Full Gallery: If you want to see all four styles at once, click “Rerun” in the main instructions block. This kicks off the entire workflow.
- Single Shot: If you only want one result, select a single prompt and click Rerun > This node only to generate just that version.
Pro Tip: Each prompt lives in its own Node, so feel free to duplicate, edit, or remix them however you like. If you want to go deeper into how Nodes and Spaces work, we’ve crafted a Welcome to Spaces template that explains every feature step by step.
Step 4: Review and export
Within moments, you’ll get a studio-quality headshot that keeps your real features while adding that polished, just-left-the-studio look.
- Review your results: Take a moment to check the lighting, expression, and overall feel to make sure everything looks right.
- Export with a click: Use the Export option to download your high-resolution photo straight to your device.
Our recommendation: Export a few different styles while you’re at it! Having a folder full of great options beats realizing later that you really wanted that monochrome version after all.
Optional step: Create portrait variations
Finding the perfect look is all about exploration. Sometimes a slight change in expression or a different lighting angle can completely shift the vibe of your profile. Generate additional variations of your professional portrait, or even create a short video to showcase your photoshoot, and add a bit of polish and personality to your online presence.
Refine your expression
Don’t stop at the first result. Try a few variations to find the one that feels most like you, no matter if that’s a confident CEO-style look or a more relaxed, creative smile.
Prompt: A centered, eye-level medium-close professional portrait of a person, captured from the waist up. The subject is “smizing” and making direct eye contact with the camera. They are leaning slightly forward, with one elbow resting on a clean, seamless white studio surface, their hand gently supporting their chin. The other arm is casually crossed in front of the torso, balancing the pose. They are wearing a tailored blazer in deep navy or textured grey over a smart, minimalist top. The lighting is soft and diffuse, creating a warm, flattering glow with gentle shadows that enhance facial features. The background is a smooth, neutral grey studio wall, softly blurred to keep full focus on the subject’s confident and approachable expression. The overall mood is professional, polished, and inviting.
Why we like it: Balanced, confident, and inviting. Great for personal brands.
Where to use your new AI headshot
A professional photo isn’t just for your profile; it’s a core asset for your personal brand across platforms. We’ve seen professionals use AI-generated headshots to elevate their presence in many smart ways:
- LinkedIn & networking: Go with a clean, approachable look for your profile photo, and use a more environmental shot for banners or featured posts.
- CVs & job applications: A sharp, high-contrast headshot helps your resume stand out in a sea of text and gives recruiters a face they’ll remember.
- Corporate & company sites: Keep a consistent “meet the team” look on About Us pages without the hassle of flying everyone to the same studio.
- Email signatures: Include a small, professional thumbnail as your signature to build trust and make outreach feel more human.
- Speaking engagements & portfolios: Monochrome or editorial styles work great for event posters, guest bios, and portfolio headers.
- Freelance marketplaces: On platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, a high-quality photo signals professionalism and shows that you invest in your brand.
In every case, the goal stays the same: a consistent, high-quality, trustworthy image that works just as hard as you do.
One final piece of advice from our team
Don’t overthink “perfection.” We always suggest choosing the style that feels like you’re on a really good workday. If you never wear a suit in real life, don’t pick the corporate blazer look just because it feels more “professional.”
Authenticity beats a shiny AI filter every time. Your professional image says a lot about you, so don’t let an old 2019 selfie do the talking. Minor input improvements make a big difference.
Your professional image says a lot
With Freepik Spaces, creating a professional AI headshot is fast, flexible, and accessible. Whether you’re after a modern office vibe, a classic corporate portrait, or a bold monochrome style, AI gives you full creative control without stepping into a studio.
Ready to upgrade your profile?
