Professional Headshot vs Personal Branding Shoot: What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Need?
When clients contact me, they’re often unsure whether they need a professional headshot or a personal branding session.
Many reach out asking for “personal branding portraits”, but during our conversation, it becomes clear that what they’re actually looking for is a set of professional headshots or business portraits for LinkedIn, Social media or their website.
In this article, I’ll explain the key differences between these two popular types of business photography—so you can decide which session fits your needs, your brand and your business goals best.
Portrait from Headshot Session
What are professional Headshots?
Headshots focus on capturing your personality and professionalism in a clean, approachable image. The goal is to create a range of expressions—from serious and confident to warm and friendly—so you can choose what fits best for your LinkedIn profile, website, or social media presence.
Headshots are always photographed against a calm, distraction-free background so the focus stays entirely on you—not your surroundings. After all, this isn’t an interior shoot promoting fancy furniture. It’s about creating a professional portrait that shows your personality, confidence, and approachability.
The background can be a plain studio backdrop, or we can shoot at your office or on location, depending on the mood and style you want to convey.
Traditionally, headshots are framed from the chest up (Headshot Essentials), with you looking directly into the camera. However, I also capture full-body portraits (Signature Portraits) to add variety to your image gallery. During your Signature Business Portrait Session, I’ll photograph you sitting and standing, offering a range of looks and compositions to give your images more depth and personality.
The right outfit can make or break your headshot. That’s why I offer an in-depth consultation before the session to help you choose outfits, colors, and textures that align with your personal brand and the message you want to convey. (Download my free guide: Dress for Success for more outfit tips.)
Headshots are best used for:
LinkedIn profiles
CVs and resumes
Business websites
Leadership team pages
Author bios
Speaking engagements
Press kits
High-level networking platforms
I offer 2 different types of Business Portraits: Signature Portraits and Essential Headshots. Essential Headshot Sessions are perfect if you need just a handful of impactful portraits and want a short super focused session. Signature Portraits are a elevated and custom tailored experience, resulting in a larger variety of images with different looks and background to show all facets of your personality.
Book a headshot session or signature portraits session if you want to show: yourself as competent, approachable, and true to your personality—whether that’s professional, friendly, creative, or a mix.
All about Personal Branding Sessions
In contrast, a Personal Branding Shoot is a more story-driven experience. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, creatives, coaches, and service providers who want to tell a visual story about their business and personality—not just show their face. The goal is to emotionally connect with your ideal clients and showcase the message and core values of you brand.
Other then Headshots we will photograph you in different settings, such as your work enviroment (office, studio, shop) places you love and match your brand vibe or even at your home. Whatever speaks to your audience.
Besides classic headshots a personal branding session always includes images that showcase behind the secenes moments of you working for or with your clients (eg talking to a client, working on a project, preparing for a XXX or even ome lufestyle moments: you with your pet, cooking, reading, doing yoga—whatever shows your human side ), again all of this is gearded towards connecting deeply with your audience. Besides this we often take detail images, which can include, products or tools of trade.
To give you a lot of variety we will photograph you in mulitple outfits and preferabliy several locations, throwing in some more creative frames and focusing on your brand voice (color palette, mood and style).
Personal Branding Session for Laura Herter Content
Where you’ll use branding photos:
Instagram and social media
Email newsletters
Website banners and sales pages
Blog content
Online courses
Digital marketing campaigns
Social Media (eg Instagram Reels, Stories and posts)
Go for a Personal Branding Session if you want to audience connect with you on an emotional level, build trust, and understand who you are, what you do, and how you do it—before they even meet you.
Summary: Choosing the Right Business Photography Session for Your Brand
Choosing between a Professional Headshot and a Personal Branding Shoot comes down to how you plan to use your images and how much story you want to tell visually.
A headshot gives you a clean, focused image that highlights your professionalism and personality for platforms like LinkedIn, your website bio, CV, or press kit. Perfect for: Professionals, Exectuives and Entrepreneurs
A personal branding shoot provides a full image library that reflects your brand personality, business environment, lifestyle, and values—perfect for social media, newsletters, sales pages, and websites. Perfect for: Business Owners, Creatives and XXXX
Both sessions are guided, personalized, and designed to help you feel confident in front of the camera—with results that fit both you and your business goals.
Let’s Plan the Right Session for You
Still not sure? No problem!- Let’s chat about your goals and how you want to show up online and in your business.
Call me at +41 78 401 97 04 or Click here to contact me and schedule a free, no-obligation discovery call.
Together, we’ll make sure you choose the session that feels right—and gives you images you’ll love and use.