From AstraZeneca and American Express to Cambridge University and Rockstar Games, explore 11 real LinkedIn profile photo examples photographed by Headshot Company and discover what makes them work.
Before somebody reads your experience, qualifications or recommendations, they see your profile photo. Whether you’re applying for a role, growing your network, speaking at conferences or building relationships with clients, your LinkedIn profile photo is often your first introduction. But what actually makes a good LinkedIn profile photo?
The answer is surprisingly simple:
The best LinkedIn profile photos don’t follow a rigid set of rules. They reflect the professional version of you.
A profile photo for an AI startup founder might look completely different to one for a university fellow, healthcare executive or creative director — and that’s exactly how it should be.
In this guide we’ll look at eleven real examples from our own work and explain what makes them successful.
How To Get A LinkedIn Headshot
There are several ways to get a professional LinkedIn profile photo, depending on your circumstances and whether you’re booking for yourself or an entire organisation:
Individual Studio Sessions
If you’re updating your personal profile or building your personal brand, a dedicated studio session gives you complete control over styling, wardrobe and the overall look of the images.
Our Northamptonshire studio sessions are tailored around your industry, goals and personality, whether you’re looking for something traditional, creative or somewhere in between.
You can find out more about our LinkedIn headshot photography sessions here.
Company-Wide Staff Headshot Days
If your whole organisation needs new profile photos, bringing a mobile studio to your offices is often the most efficient solution.
This allows every employee to receive a consistent, professional image with minimal disruption to the working day, while ensuring your organisation presents a cohesive and professional image online.
You can see examples of our staff headshot photography here.
Virtual Headshots
Remote team? No problem.
Virtual headshots allow employees anywhere in the world to capture professional profile photos using their smartphone, which are then professionally edited and matched to your company’s chosen style and background.
It’s become an increasingly popular option for distributed teams and international businesses.
Learn more about our virtual headshot service here.
So What Makes A Good LinkedIn Profile Photo?
Despite what many articles will tell you, there aren’t dozens of hard rules.
In our experience, great LinkedIn profile photos usually have four things in common:
- They look like the person you’ll meet in real life.
- They suit the person’s industry and audience.
- They feel authentic to their personal brand.
- They still work when viewed at thumbnail size.
Everything else is flexible.
Let’s look at some real examples.
1: Match your Industry
Moritz Drachsler — Global Clinical Head, AstraZeneca
Healthcare and pharmaceuticals tend to favour professionalism, credibility and authority over creativity or disruption.
The darker background and understated styling here create exactly that feeling. The image feels premium, senior and trustworthy without becoming overly formal or intimidating.
If you work in healthcare, law, finance or consulting, a more restrained visual style often works extremely well. Moritz’s headshot was taken in our studio.
2. Let Your Environment Tell Part Of The Story
Daniel McKay — Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge
Sometimes the background becomes part of the message.
Daniel’s role is inseparable from Cambridge, academia and history, so photographing him against the cloisters of Emmanuel College instantly communicates context before anyone reads his biography.
Environmental portraits work particularly well for academics, architects, hospitality professionals and founders.
3. Don’t Be Afraid Of Colour
Laura Mills — Founder & COO, Noggin HQ
LinkedIn can be a sea of navy suits and grey backgrounds.
Bright colours can help your profile stand out while reinforcing your company’s visual identity.
Laura’s bright green background mirrors Noggin HQ’s branding perfectly, creating a profile that’s instantly recognisable in comments, messages and search results.
The goal isn't to look like a banker if you're an engineer, or a lawyer if you're a startup founder.
4. Your Expression Matters More Than Perfection
Layla Alikhani — Marketing Executive, American Express
You don’t need a huge smile or a serious executive stare.
What matters is authenticity.
Layla’s relaxed, genuine expression creates an approachable and trustworthy first impression — exactly the qualities you want in a marketing role built around communication and relationships.
People do business with people they feel comfortable talking to. Layla’s headshot was taken as part of a company-wide staff headshot shoot across three of Amex’s offices- check out the case study here.
5. Dress Like The Professional Version Of Yourself
John Kattenhorn — CTO, Kwalee
You don’t need to be suited and booted for a great LinkedIn profile photo.
John is a CTO, founder and maker. A simple black t-shirt feels authentic to his role, industry and personality.
The goal isn’t to look like a banker if you’re an engineer, or a lawyer if you’re a startup founder.
Instead, ask yourself:
What would I wear to an important meeting with my ideal client?
That’s usually the right answer.
6. Use Branding Intelligently
Kishan Vadgama — Associate Director, McBains
Small details make a big difference.
The orange background mirrors the McBains branding in the banner image, creating a profile that feels cohesive and intentional.
The result is memorable without feeling forced or overly corporate.
Soft, flattering light creates separation from the background, brings life to the eyes and ensures your image remains effective even at small sizes.
7. Remember Where Your Photo Will Actually Be Viewed
Joe Hirst — Creative8
Most LinkedIn profile photos aren’t viewed full-screen.
They’re viewed:
- in comments
- in messages
- in search results
- on mobile devices
That’s why tighter crops tend to work well.
Joe’s profile photo fills the frame nicely while keeping the attention exactly where it should be — on the face and expression.
If your profile photo still works at thumbnail size, you’re probably in good shape.
8. Creative Industries Can (and should) Break The Rules
Tom Stevenson — Founder, Pynea
This image would look completely out of place for a corporate solicitor.
For an AI startup founder?
Perfect.
The dramatic lighting and cinematic feel reinforce exactly the qualities Pynea wants to communicate: innovation, creativity and forward thinking.
The best profile photos don’t follow rules.
They fit the person.
9. Great Lighting Makes Everything Better
Andrew Varda — LinkedIn
Good lighting doesn’t draw attention to itself.
It simply makes people look their best.
Soft, flattering light creates separation from the background, brings life to the eyes and ensures your image remains effective even at small sizes.
10. Your Banner Matters Too
Matthew Hewitt — Rockstar Games
Your profile photo doesn’t exist in isolation.
It works alongside your banner image to tell a story about who you are and what you do.
Matthew’s profile photo and GTA banner work together perfectly to communicate exactly the world he works in before you’ve read a single word of his profile.
Great LinkedIn branding is rarely just about the photo.
It’s about the whole profile working together.
11. Sometimes Simple Wins
Andrew Thomas — CEO, Softwire
After all the colour, creativity and environmental portraits, sometimes the simplest approach is still the right one.
Clean background.
Great lighting.
Strong expression.
Professional styling.
A classic corporate portrait remains incredibly effective when executed well. While on site with Softwire, we also shot a library of corporate lifestyle photography for them. Check out the case study here.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The perfect LinkedIn profile photo doesn’t exist.
The right LinkedIn profile photo for you does.
The best images feel authentic, suit your industry and present the version of yourself that people will actually meet when they walk into the room or join the Teams call.
If you’re considering updating your LinkedIn profile photo — whether that’s for yourself, your team or your entire organisation — we’d love to help.
After all, every example featured in this article was photographed by us!
Ready to Update Your LinkedIn Profile Photo?
Whether you’re looking for an individual studio session, company-wide staff headshots or a solution for a remote team, we’d love to help. Get in touch to discuss your project or explore the options available.
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