How Often Should You Update Your Headshot?

Your headshot is often the first impression you make. It’s on your LinkedIn profile, your company website, your email signature, and across your social channels. But how often should you update it to ensure it’s still making the right impression? While there’s no single rule for everyone, we’ve put together a guide to help you decide when it’s time to jump back in front of the camera and get a new headshot.

For Professional and Corporate Headshots

Your professional headshot should always be an accurate and current representation of you. While a precise schedule isn’t necessary, it’s generally a good idea to update your headshot every couple of years. It’s time for a new one when:

• Your Appearance Has Changed: This is the most obvious reason. If you’ve changed your hairstyle, grown a beard, lost or gained a significant amount of weight, or simply look noticeably different, it’s time for an update to avoid misleading a potential client or employer.

• You’ve Changed Careers or Roles: If you’ve moved from a conservative industry like finance to a more creative field like marketing, your new headshot should reflect that shift in brand voice. A new headshot is a key way to visually communicate your new professional identity.

• Your Company Has Rebranded: A headshot should be consistent with your company’s visual branding. A change in brand colours, style, or messaging may call for a new headshot that aligns with the updated brand identity.

• You’re Just Not Keen on It: If your headshot no longer makes you feel confident or you just don’t like it anymore, that’s a perfectly valid reason to get a new one. The best headshots are ones you’re excited to share.

For Actors’ Headshots

For actors, the rules are much stricter, as your headshot is a crucial part of your marketing and a primary tool for securing auditions. Casting directors and agents rely on your headshot to accurately reflect your current appearance and casting type.

• A “Recent” Headshot is Key: Most casting calls specifically request a “recent” headshot. Submitting a photo that’s more than a year or two old is generally not a good idea. If an actor turns up to an audition looking significantly different from their headshot, it can cause an awkward situation, reflect poorly on their professionalism, and potentially damage their reputation.

• Whenever Your “Look” Changes: You should update your headshot whenever you make a significant change to your look, such as a major haircut, a new hair colour, or a different facial hair style. These changes can alter your casting type, and your headshot should always be accurate to avoid confusion.

A New Headshot Is Also a Content Opportunity

Beyond updating your image, getting a new headshot also presents a fantastic opportunity to create fresh content! We find that many of our clients love to document the session itself by creating behind-the-scenes video snippets. This content can be used to engage their audience on social media and helps reinforce their professional brand.

Ultimately, the decision to update your headshot is a personal one, but it’s a small investment that can have a huge impact on your professional image. Whether you’re a corporate professional or an actor, ensuring your headshot is an accurate, current, and confidence-boosting reflection of you is a key part of your personal brand.