# AI Headshot Prompt Generator

An AI headshot prompt generator builds a ready-to-paste prompt that asks ChatGPT, Gemini or another image tool to turn your own photo into a professional headshot while keeping your face unchanged.

**Key facts:** $0 - No sign-up - Prompts for ChatGPT, Gemini and Nano Banana - 11 use cases, from LinkedIn to real estate - No photo needed on this page - One-click copy

Updated October 2026

Nothing is uploaded or stored here: the prompt is built in your browser. Your photo only goes to the AI tool you paste the prompt into, under that tool's own privacy terms.

## How to use it

1. **Pick your AI tool and use case:** Choose ChatGPT, Gemini (Nano Banana) or any image tool that accepts a reference photo, then the place the headshot is for: LinkedIn, a resume, a company website, a speaker bio, real estate and more. The use case loads matching outfits and backgrounds.
2. **Choose the look:** Set the outfit, background, lighting, crop, image shape and expression, and tick anything that must stay as it is, such as your glasses or hairstyle. The prompt rewrites itself with every change.
3. **Copy it, attach a selfie and iterate:** Copy the prompt, open your AI tool, attach one clear and recent photo of yourself and paste. Compare the result with your original photo, and fix one thing per follow-up message rather than starting over.

## What is an AI headshot prompt?

An AI headshot prompt is the written instruction you give an image model, together with a photo of yourself, to turn that photo into a professional headshot. A good one does two jobs at once: it describes the new clothing, background, light and crop, and it tells the model, in plain words, to leave your face alone.

The second job is the one most copied prompts skip. Image models redraw the whole picture, so a prompt that only says "make this a corporate headshot" invites the model to tidy up your features as well as your jacket. The generator above always opens with an identity instruction and keeps every other line about things that are not your face.

## What makes the best prompt for a professional headshot

Every prompt this tool writes has the same parts, in the same order. First the intent: what the photo is for, because "for my LinkedIn profile picture" and "for a book jacket" lead to different results. Then the identity lock: keep the face shape, eyes, nose, mouth, jawline, skin tone, skin texture, age and hairline exactly as they are. Then the changes: clothing, background, lighting, framing, format and expression.

Framing is written as crop anchors rather than vague words like "portrait" or "half body". "From just above the top of the head to just below the shoulders, eyes about one third from the top" gives the model a frame it can measure. The camera line asks for an eye-level, portrait-lens look of around 85mm with a soft background, which is the classic headshot perspective. Finally the prompt asks for natural skin texture and no beauty filter, slimming, text or watermark.

What it never does is describe your face, hair or skin in words. If a prompt says "a man with short brown hair and a strong jaw", the model draws its idea of that description, not you.

- [What to wear for a headshot](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/what-to-wear-headshot)
- [Headshot background ideas](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/headshot-backgrounds)

## ChatGPT prompt for a professional headshot

ChatGPT responds well to natural sentences that explain the goal, followed by a short list of specifics. Attach your photo first, then paste a prompt like this one, built for a company website headshot:

Turn the photo of me that I've attached into a professional headshot for the team page of my company website. It should feel professional and friendly. Keep my face exactly as it is in the photo: the same face shape, eyes, nose, mouth, jawline, skin tone, skin texture, age and hairline. It must still look clearly like me. Clothing: charcoal two-piece suit, well fitted and neatly pressed. Background: neutral beige studio, softly out of focus so no object in it is readable. Lighting: bright, even softbox light from the front, clean and nearly shadow-free, with true-to-life colour. Framing: chest-up crop, framed from just above the top of the head to the middle of the chest, both shoulders fully in frame, with the eyes about one third from the top of the frame. Camera: eye level, with a natural portrait-lens look (around 85mm) and a shallow depth of field. Format: vertical portrait image. Expression: a relaxed, closed-mouth smile. Make it a realistic photograph with natural skin texture: no beauty filter, no skin smoothing, no face slimming, no text, logos or watermark. If any change would alter my face, keep my face as it is and change only the clothing, background and light.

If the first result changes your face, do not regenerate from scratch. Reply in the same chat: "Keep my face exactly as in my original photo and change only the background." Small, specific follow-ups hold the likeness better than a new long prompt.

## Gemini and Nano Banana headshot prompt

Nano Banana is the popular nickname for Google's Gemini image model, so a Gemini headshot prompt and a Nano Banana headshot prompt are the same thing. Gemini edits work best when the prompt starts from the provided image, says what must stay exactly the same, and then lists only what should change:

Using the provided photo of me, create a professional headshot for the team page of my company website. Keep the face exactly the same as in the original photo: same facial features, face shape, skin tone, skin texture, age and hairline. Do not redraw, reshape or beautify the face. Keep the original expression. Keep my hairstyle, hair length and hair colour exactly as they are, only tidying stray flyaways. Change only these things: Clothing: navy suit, silk tie, well fitted and neatly pressed. Background: slate grey gradient, softly out of focus. Lighting: soft, diffused studio key light from slightly to one side, with gentle fill so there are no harsh shadows under the eyes. Framing: head-and-shoulders crop, framed from just above the top of the head to just below the shoulders, with the eyes about one third from the top of the frame. Aspect ratio: vertical 4:5. Style: realistic photograph, camera at eye level, with a natural portrait-lens look (around 85mm) and a shallow depth of field, natural skin texture, a professional and friendly feel. No text, logos or watermark.

Gemini keeps a conversation going, so you can change one thing per message: "Now make the background lighter, keep the face exactly the same as the original photo." Repeat the keep-the-face sentence in every follow-up.

## LinkedIn headshot prompt

LinkedIn shows your photo small and inside a circle, so a LinkedIn profile picture prompt should ask for a square image, a head-and-shoulders crop with space around the head, and a quiet background. This ChatGPT LinkedIn profile picture prompt uses the defaults the tool picks for LinkedIn:

Turn the photo of me that I've attached into a professional headshot for my LinkedIn profile picture. It should feel approachable and credible. Keep my face exactly as it is in the photo: the same face shape, eyes, nose, mouth, jawline, skin tone, skin texture, age and hairline. It must still look clearly like me. Keep my glasses exactly as they are, with the same frames and no glare on the lenses. Clothing: charcoal blazer, white shirt, well fitted and neatly pressed. Background: soft studio grey, softly out of focus so no object in it is readable. Lighting: soft, diffused studio key light from slightly to one side, with gentle fill so there are no harsh shadows under the eyes. Framing: head-and-shoulders crop, framed from just above the top of the head to just below the shoulders, with the eyes about one third from the top of the frame. Camera: eye level, with a natural portrait-lens look (around 85mm) and a shallow depth of field. Format: square (1:1) image. Expression: the same expression as in my photo. Make it a realistic photograph with natural skin texture: no beauty filter, no skin smoothing, no face slimming, no text, logos or watermark. If any change would alter my face, keep my face as it is and change only the clothing, background and light.

Before you upload, check the result in a circle and at the right size. The free cropper exports a square at a practical size and previews the round crop.

- [Crop it for LinkedIn](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/profile-photo-cropper)
- [LinkedIn headshot examples](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/linkedin-headshots)

## AI prompt for a resume or any image tool

Other image tools that accept a reference photo usually read short labelled fields well. Choose "Any image tool" in the generator to get this format. Here is an AI prompt for a professional headshot on a resume:

Reference: use my uploaded photo as the identity reference. Subject: professional headshot of the person in the reference photo, for my resume. Identity: keep the face exactly the same as the reference (face shape, eyes, nose, mouth, jawline, skin tone, skin texture, age, hairline). No beautifying, slimming or de-ageing. Clothing: crisp white shirt, no jacket, well fitted and neatly pressed. Background: seamless charcoal, softly out of focus. Lighting: bright, even softbox light from the front, clean and nearly shadow-free, with true-to-life colour. Camera: eye level, with a natural portrait-lens look (around 85mm) and a shallow depth of field. Framing: head-and-shoulders crop, framed from just above the top of the head to just below the shoulders, with the eyes about one third from the top of the frame. Aspect ratio: vertical 4:5. Expression: a calm, confident neutral expression with relaxed eyes. Mood: polished and neutral. Style: realistic photograph with natural skin texture. Avoid: changes to facial features, beauty filters, extra people, text, logos, watermarks.

Tools that only take text cannot keep your likeness, because they have no photo of you. Use them for background ideas, not for your headshot.

- [Headshots for a resume](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/headshot-for-resume)

## How to keep the AI from changing your face

The photo you attach matters more than the prompt. Use one recent, sharp photo with your whole head in frame, facing the camera, in soft even light. Take it from a step back, or ask someone else to take it: an arm's-length selfie stretches the nose and face, and the model keeps that distortion. Avoid sunglasses, hats, heavy filters and group shots.

Then change one thing at a time, compare every result with the original side by side, and stop when it still looks like you. Skip requests like "make me look younger" or "slimmer": they ask the model to change your identity, and the result stops being a photo of you.

- [Take a better photo with your phone](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/how-to-take-a-headshot-with-your-phone)
- [Check your photo first](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-photo-checker)

## When a prompt is not enough

A prompt edits one photo at a time. That works for a single profile picture, but every new outfit or background is a fresh generation, and the face can drift a little with each one. If you need a consistent set, for example a LinkedIn photo, a website portrait and a speaker photo that all look like the same person, a model trained on several of your selfies is the more reliable route. That is what Smart Headshots AI does, and it is the honest limit of any prompt, including the ones on this page.

Whichever route you take, check whether the place you are uploading to accepts AI-edited photos, and keep the original photo you started from.

- [Compare AI headshot generators](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/best-ai-headshot-generators)

## What goes into every prompt this generator writes, and the options it offers.

| Prompt part | Options in this tool | Example wording |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Identity lock | Always included | Keep my face exactly as it is |
| Keep as is | Glasses, hairstyle, beard | Keep my glasses exactly as they are |
| Outfit | 6 per use case, or your own | Charcoal blazer, white shirt |
| Background | 6 per use case | Soft studio grey, softly out of focus |
| Lighting | 6 styles | Soft natural window light from one side |
| Crop | Head and shoulders, chest up | Eyes about one third from the top |
| Shape | Square 1:1, portrait 4:5 | Square (1:1) image |
| Camera | Always included | Eye level, around 85mm, soft background |
| Expression | 4 options | A relaxed, closed-mouth smile |



## Free tool, AI headshots or a photographer

The free Headshot Prompt Generator vs an AI headshot service vs a studio photographer. Prices are published US prices in USD.

|  | This prompt generator | AI headshot service | Studio photographer |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost | $0 | $29 to $79 per person | $150 to $300 per session, US median $250 |
| Turnaround | Instant, in your browser | About 2 hours or less at Smart Headshots AI | A booked session, then retouched files later |
| What you get | A prompt to paste into ChatGPT, Gemini or another image tool | A batch of new headshots made from your selfies | A directed session and retouched photos |
| What changes | Nothing by itself: the image tool you paste it into edits the photo | Lighting, framing, attire and background | Everything, set up in person |
| Best for | Trying a general image tool yourself | LinkedIn, resumes and company pages | Actors, executives and personal brands |

- [Capturely: Professional headshot cost](https://www.capturely.com/professional-headshot-cost/)
- [Photography Shark: Average Professional Headshot Cost by City: 2026 Data Study](https://www.photographyshark.com/blog/headshot-cost-by-city/)

## FAQ

### Can ChatGPT make me a headshot?

Yes, ChatGPT can turn a photo you upload into a headshot-style image when you describe the outfit, background, lighting and crop you want. It redraws the whole image, so the face can change slightly; ask it to keep your face exactly as in the original and compare the result before you use it.

### What is the best prompt for a professional headshot?

The best prompt says what the photo is for, tells the model to keep your face exactly the same, and then describes only the clothing, background, lighting, crop and expression. Describe the crop with anchors such as "top of the head to just below the shoulders" and never describe your face in words, because the model will draw the description instead of you.

### How do I make a professional headshot with Gemini or Nano Banana?

Open Gemini, attach one clear photo of yourself and paste a prompt that starts with "Using the provided photo of me", says to keep the face exactly the same, and lists what to change. Edit in small steps afterwards, one change per message, repeating the keep-the-face instruction each time.

### What is a good ChatGPT prompt for a LinkedIn profile picture?

Ask for a square, head-and-shoulders headshot with a quiet background, soft light and the eyes about one third from the top, and tell ChatGPT to keep your face exactly as in your photo. Pick LinkedIn in the generator above to get a complete version you can copy.

- [LinkedIn photo size and cropper](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/profile-photo-cropper)

### Can I create a free corporate headshot using AI?

Yes, ChatGPT and Gemini both let free accounts create a limited number of images, and this prompt generator is free with no sign-up. Free limits change often, so check the current plan of the tool you use, and expect to try a few times before the likeness is right.

### Why does AI change my face in headshots?

Image models generate a new picture rather than editing pixels, so they reinterpret your features along with everything else. Clear identity instructions, a sharp front-facing photo and small follow-up edits reduce the drift, but no prompt can guarantee an exact likeness.

### Can a headshot be a selfie?

A selfie can be the starting photo for an AI headshot, but take it from a step back or with a timer rather than at arm's length. Close selfies distort the face, and the AI keeps that distortion in the finished headshot.

- [Phone headshot guide](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/how-to-take-a-headshot-with-your-phone)

## More free tools

- [LinkedIn Photo Checker](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-photo-checker): A LinkedIn photo checker is a tool that scores a profile picture out of 100 for light, sharpness, framing, eye line and background, rating the photo rather than the person in it.
- [Circle Crop Tool](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/profile-photo-cropper): A circle crop tool cuts a photo into a round profile picture and saves it as a PNG with transparent corners, or as a square sized for each platform.
- [Background Changer](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-background-changer): A headshot background changer is a tool that separates the person in a portrait from the background behind them and replaces that background with plain white, grey, a brand color or a blurred version of the original.
- [Cost Calculator](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-cost-calculator): A headshot cost calculator estimates what professional headshots cost from a studio photographer, an on-site corporate photographer or an AI headshot service, using published prices for your city, team size, looks and retouching.
- [Profile Picture Tester](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/profile-picture-tester): A profile picture tester, or pfp tester, previews your photo as the round or rounded square avatar that LinkedIn, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Zoom and X show, from the large profile view down to the small icons beside comments and chat messages.
- [Background Picker](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-backgrounds): A headshot background picker shows which professional backgrounds suit each industry and a LinkedIn photo, with examples, color codes and the attire that pairs with each one.
- [Color Analysis Quiz](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/color-analysis): A color analysis quiz is a short set of questions about your undertone, hair, eyes and contrast that sorts you into a seasonal color type and shows which colors flatter you.
- [Face Shape Detector](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/face-shape-detector): A face shape detector is a tool that measures the length of a face and the width of its forehead, cheekbones and jaw in a photo to estimate whether it is oval, round, square, oblong, heart, diamond or triangle shaped.
- [LinkedIn Profile Checker](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/linkedin-profile-checker): A LinkedIn profile checker is a tool that scores your headline, About section and profile photo against clear rules, such as LinkedIn's character limits, an opening line that lands before "see more" and a way to contact you.

## Related headshot packs

- [LinkedIn Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/linkedin-headshots): A LinkedIn headshot is a head and shoulders portrait, framed for the circle crop LinkedIn applies, that represents you on your profile, in recruiter search results and beside every message and comment you post.
- [Professional Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/professional-headshots): A professional headshot is a head and shoulders portrait, evenly lit against a plain or softly blurred background, used to represent you on company websites, staff directories, email signatures, conference programs and press coverage.

## Links

- [Create your headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/start)
- [All free tools](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools)
- [Home](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/)