AI for Headshots: Distorting Reality or Efficient Branding?
- S B
- Jul 11
- 5 min read
The professional headshot. Every professional needs at least one headshot. And if you're like me, you dread the process of getting them professionally taken. Granted, we can take very nice photos with our mobile devices today, but there is something timeless and nostalgic about a well-executed photograph.
But beyond the anxiety of how the photos will turn out, there are the logistics: booking a photographer, picking an outfit, doing your hair, and hoping the lighting doesn’t betray you. It’s time-consuming and often expensive.
I was recently in need of new photographs and decided to try AI after seeing some stunning results from Sherry Horowitz, a leading voice in creative AI.
AI for Headshots: Before and After
This article’s cover image compares my original headshot (left) to the AI-generated version (right). Here’s what stands out:
Face & Likeness: The AI version preserves my facial structure well, including the jawline, lips, dark spots and expression. It subtly enhances symmetry and sharpness.
Lighting & Style: The original uses natural lighting with soft shadows. The AI version introduces dramatic studio lighting with deeper contrast and a richer background. It looks cinematic.
Wardrobe & Expression: The original features a classic black blazer and a warm, approachable smile. The AI version shows a bold burnt orange blazer with a stronger, more executive presence.
Overall Impression:
Original (Left): Polished and professional.
AI (Right): Powerful and editorial.
Both work, but the AI version prioritizes visual branding.
A Note on Enhancements
It wouldn't be fair to present these results without addressing the enhancements in the AI version. But before that two things stand out to me:
The AI preserved the dark spots on my face
The AI didn't lighten my complexion
Earlier AI models were notorious for smoothing away spots and blemishes and lightening complexions.
Nonetheless, the AI did create a more striking representation of my face, but isn’t that exactly what a professional makeup artist does? If I had hired one for a photoshoot, I would have replicated that polished look. And if I were skilled in contouring and applying my own makeup, I could have achieved a similar effect. So while the image is enhanced, it’s not necessarily dishonest; it’s aspirational, just like wearing makeup.
How I Did It
I used my existing headshot on my LinkedIn and treated it like a reference image inside the MidJourney interface. If you're not familiar with it, MidJourney is among the leading AI image generation platforms. In image generation, a reference image is a photo that tells the AI what to prioritize or keep in the new image that it creates.
Inside MidJourney, there is an Omni-Reference feature. You simply upload your reference photo. You can also adjust how closely the AI follows the reference with a setting called Omni Weight (--ow). The higher the value, the more faithfully it sticks to your image. For this image, I used --ow 800.
I started with a prompt shared by Sherry Horowitz and adapted it to suit my style:
Studio portrait of a woman wearing a structured burnt orange blazer layered over a crisp white collared shirt. Luminous studio photography. Clean, polished, and professional aesthetic. Captures boldness, strategic clarity, and modern executive presence.
After a few rounds of tweaks, I had a collection of new images to choose from. I selected the images that best captured my likeness. The orange blazer might not be for my new LinkedIn profile, but it works for something else, still professional, just less buttoned-up.
A Studio Look: But at What Cost?
What the AI did achieve is the studio quality that my original photo lacked. And this studio look isn’t without controversy. MidJourney, for all its glamour, is currently being sued by Disney, and if we look closely at this image, we might get a glimpse of why. I went from business professional to red carpet-ready, as though I was starring in The Devil Wears Prada.
While this was a fun and creative exercise for me, it raises bigger questions about the fairness of a business model that hasn’t fully worked out its unresolved intellectual property issues. It is blatantly apparent that these tools borrow heavily from aesthetic cues shaped by copyrighted or even publicly available works. MidJourney isn't free. So in this case, my $10 per month subscription covered my photoshoot, but did any of the money trickle down to the artists or studios from which the model drew inspiration?
Using These Headshots Responsibly
As these AI-generated portraits become more commonplace, they can certainly be used for social media profiles, banners, avatars, personal websites, speaker bios, or virtual conference platforms.
As with everything, responsible use of this AI technology is paramount.
The biggest challenge I foresee is that there is no reliable way to verify whether someone is modifying images of themselves or someone else. While some AI models have guardrails that prevent obscene or inappropriate content, the fact remains: these tools can easily be used to distort a person’s image, whether alone or in combination with other editing software.
My advice? Follow an honor code. Only generate images of yourself or of others with their full consent. And if you see something happening, for example, if the AI softens your features or alters skin tone, use the feedback button. AI developers need real-world feedback to improve these tools.
Putting It into Perspective
We’re entering a new era of personal branding. There is a greater need to have a professional digital presence, whether on platforms like LinkedIn or through your own website. And with that digital presence comes the necessity of having a strong visual identity.
For professional branding, AI isn’t just helping us write resumes, it’s helping us look the part.
For entrepreneurs, freelancers, content creators, and job seekers, AI-generated headshots are becoming a viable alternative. They’re fast, affordable, and customizable.
No, they’re not perfect. But with some guidance and taste, they’re pretty close.
And while we wait for the verdicts on MidJourney vs. Disney, one thing we know is that once you open Pandora's box, you can't close the lid. Meaning that the ability to create these headshots will remain, and arguably become a standard part of our digital portfolios.
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"AI is the tool, but the vision is human." — Sophia B.
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About the Author
Sophia Banton works at the intersection of AI strategy, communication, and human impact. With a background in bioinformatics, public health, and data science, she brings a grounded, cross-disciplinary perspective to the adoption of emerging technologies.
Beyond technical applications, she explores GenAI’s creative potential through storytelling and short-form video, using experimentation to understand how generative models are reshaping narrative, communication, and visual expression.
