In this blog, we will reveal the main difference between portraits and headshot photos to conclude how much these image categories differ from each other. Headshots can be used for professional photography, personal profile, and social media. Portraits are generally used for official documentatios like CVs, passports, and more!
What is a Headshot?
A headshot is often a formal portrayal of a person intended for use in a professional environment. Businessmen have them photographed to utilize them in profiles or to complement stories about them. Models and actors both need current headshots for their portfolios. Indeed, in this day and age of online existence, almost everyone needs one for their LinkedIn or Facebook presence.
What is a Portrait?
On the other hand, a portrait should be less formal and more informative – it should tell a narrative or reveal the sitter’s identity. It might be only the head and shoulders, or it can be from the waist up, or it can even display the whole person. And, unlike headshots, portraits allow for creative freedom; for example, dramatic use of light and shade might cast the sitter’s face into shadow to create an air of mystery, or objects can be employed to convey a narrative about the individual.
Portrait and Headshot Techniques
1. Regarding lighting, headshots benefit from softer lighting that does not cast sharp shadows on the face or draw attention to notable features. Portraits enable you to be somewhat more dramatic and allow for greater contrast.
2. Make your subject seem as calm as possible for a headshot. They should dress professionally and avoid new haircuts, excessive make-up, and forced grins.
3. Props should be avoided in headshots, which perform best with a neutral backdrop. Portraits, on the other hand, may extensively use objects and locations to express the sitter’s tale.
4. Portraits may be taken up close or from a distance, and they can be made fascinating by being taken from an odd perspective. These therapies, however, have no effect on headshots.