A classic headshot is normally used by actors, musicians, and models, and included with their resume and credits. They are composed as a very tightly closeup of just the subject's face. The subject is very well lit, against a plain background, and is looking directly into the camera. Retouching is kept to a minimum to give prospective employers a natural view of the artist.
Lately, executive portraits have been referred to as headshots, but there is technically a difference. Executive portraits are typically cropped to show much more of the upper torso, frequently down to waist level, and in some cases, full length. The background tends to be traditional studio backdrop, or the executive's work environment.
So, what's the big deal? In case you haven't noticed, headshots (or images matching the cropping format of a classic headshot) have popped up all over social media as "profile images". Every social media site and app provides the option to upload a profile image that displays every time you post a message. For the most part, they range from casual, to whimsical, to humorous. At least they did until LinkedIn allowed posting of profile images. At that point, the game very quietly turned serious for anyone in business or corporate career minded.
So, what's the big deal? In case you haven't noticed, headshots (or images matching the cropping format of a classic headshot) have popped up all over social media as "profile images". Every social media site and app provides the option to upload a profile image that displays every time you post a message. For the most part, they range from casual, to whimsical, to humorous. At least they did until LinkedIn allowed posting of profile images. At that point, the game very quietly turned serious for anyone in business or corporate career minded.