The process of working with me usually starts with a perfectly reasonable thought.
“I just need a quick headshot.”
Maybe it’s for LinkedIn. Maybe it’s for a new website. Maybe someone on the marketing team or at the agency has asked for an updated photo for a campaign. Either way, it feels like a small task on a long to-do list.
So, the natural instinct is to keep it simple and keep it cheap.
A colleague offers to take one on their phone. A local photographer advertises headshots for £25. Someone sets up a white wall in the office and fires off a few photos during lunch.
Problem solved.
Except sometimes it’s not. Sometimes, this approach creates a whole new set of problems.
While a cheap headshot might tick the box for having a photo, it can quietly introduce a different problem. One that most people never consider.
Trust.
When someone lands on your website or your LinkedIn profile, they’re not analysing the technical quality of your photo. They’re not thinking about lighting ratios or camera lenses.
They’re asking themselves a much simpler question.
Does this person look credible?
That judgment happens almost instantly. Before they read your bio. Before they look at your experience. Before they decide whether to contact you.
Your photo sets the tone for everything that follows.
The First Impression Problem
Think about the last time you looked someone up online before a meeting.
You probably checked their photo without even thinking about it. It helps your brain place them. It helps you form a sense of who you are about to meet.
We all do it. When I was a Chartered Financial Planner, I would ask every new client enquiry if they had visited our website, and 100% had.
Here’s the catch. If the photo feels slightly off, your brain notices that too.
Maybe the lighting is harsh and unflattering. Maybe the background is distracting. Maybe the expression looks stiff or forced.
None of these things feels dramatic on their own. Yet together they can create a subtle sense that something isn’t quite right.
People might not consciously think “that’s a bad headshot”. But they may feel a small amount of friction.
And friction is the enemy of trust.
Cheap Often Means Rushed
In my experience, the biggest issue with cheap headshots is not the equipment. Modern cameras, including many smartphones, are very capable.
The real issue is time.
When a shoot is priced extremely cheaply, it usually means the process has to be rushed. A few minutes (or even seconds) per person. Stand here. Look at the camera. Smile. Next. Flashbacks to school photo day.
That approach ignores the most important part of portrait photography. The person in front of the camera.
Most people aren’t naturally relaxed the moment a lens appears. They need a few minutes to settle in. They need guidance on posture, expression and where to look. They need small adjustments that make a big difference.
Without that process, people tend to default to the same slightly tense expression we all recognise from awkward passport photos.
It’s not that they are unphotogenic. I believe everyone is photogenic. Everyone.
It’s simply that nobody gave them the time or direction they needed.
Your Photo Represents Your Work
Here’s another point that often gets overlooked.
Your headshot isn’t just a picture of you. It’s a signal about how you operate professionally.
If you’re a solicitor, a consultant, a coach or a business owner, your photo sits next to your name every time someone encounters your brand.
It’s on your website. Your LinkedIn profile. Your speaking bio. Your press mentions. Sometimes, even your email signature.
That one image travels everywhere.
So, if the photo looks rushed, poorly lit or slightly amateur, it quietly communicates something about the level of care behind your work.
That might not be fair. But it’s how human perception works.
People connect the dots very quickly.
The Confidence Factor
There’s another hidden cost to cheap headshots that people rarely talk about. Your confidence.
When you have a photo you genuinely like, you use it everywhere. You share it freely. You feel comfortable putting yourself forward.
When you don’t like your photo, the opposite happens.
You avoid updating your website or writing new blog posts. You hesitate to send your leadership portrait to event organisers. You keep putting off that website refresh because you know the photos aren’t quite right.
I see this all the time when new clients arrive for a shoot. They tell me they’ve avoided updating their photo for years because nothing they had felt like them.
Once they have an image they feel good about, everything changes. They start using it everywhere.
A Better Way To Think About It
Instead of asking “what’s the cheapest way to get a headshot?”, it’s often more useful to ask a different question.
“What photo best represents me and the work I do?”
That shift in thinking changes everything.
Because a strong portrait isn’t just about looking professional. It’s about looking like yourself on a good day. Relaxed, confident and credible.
When that happens, the photo does its job quietly in the background.
It helps people trust you before you’ve even spoken.
If you’re thinking about updating your headshot this year, start by looking at the photo you’re currently using. Ask yourself a simple question.
Does this image still feel like me?
If the answer isn’t a clear and definitive yes, it might be time for something better. Not rushed, not awkward, and not something you feel the slightest bit apologetic about using. A photo that genuinely represents who you are and the work you do.
