Scroll through LinkedIn, a company’s “About” page, or even the digital thumbnail in a Zoom meeting, and the traditional corporate portrait — flat, polished, anonymous — feels as outdated as a fax machine. What’s taking its place is something far more dynamic: images that celebrate individuality, cultural identity, and personal style.
“Headshots aren’t about erasing quirks anymore,” says Los Angeles–based photographer Kenneth Dolin, who has spent the last two decades photographing everyone from executives to artists. “They’re about amplifying them. Vulnerability, humor, even the offbeat — that’s what makes people relatable in a digital-first world.”
From Uniformity to Identity
For decades, professional portraits were about conformity: blazers, neutral backdrops, polite smiles. The goal was to signal belonging. But belonging has taken on new meaning.
“Today, representation isn’t about fitting into one mold,” explains Miami photographer Ines Piquet, who documents the evolution of headshots. “It’s about honoring where you come from, who you are, and how you want to show up in the world.”
The numbers back it up. A recent survey of branding professionals found that 74% of Gen Z and Millennials say authenticity and inclusivity in professional imagery directly impact whether they trust a brand or leader.
It’s no longer about being camera-ready — it’s about being culture-ready.
The Everyday Aesthetic
That shift is reshaping visual trends across industries. Minneapolis photographer Elisabeth Eden notes that 2025’s aesthetics are “about everyday realities — images that feel lived-in, approachable, and real.”
Stock photos are giving way to portraits that look like your colleague, your neighbor, your friend. Tattoos peek out from under cuffs. Locs, braids, and natural curls are centered — not airbrushed out. A CEO might be photographed with their dog, or laughing mid-conversation rather than stiffly posing.
“People want to see leaders as humans, not statues,” Dolin says. “The cracks are where the connection happens.”
Diversity as the Starting Point
That connection is also where inclusion lives. For decades, representation in professional imagery was narrow — predominantly white, heteronormative, able-bodied. Today, diversity isn’t an afterthought; it’s the baseline.
“Personal branding starts in the portrait session,” Dolin argues. “It’s the first time many professionals stop and ask: how do I want to be seen? And the answer has to include all of who they are — heritage, identity, style.”
This shift isn’t only aesthetic. It’s economic. Research from Deloitte shows that companies prioritizing inclusive branding see stronger employee engagement and customer loyalty. In other words, representation isn’t just a feel-good choice — it’s a business imperative.
The Cultural Weight of a Portrait
The reimagined headshot is part of a broader cultural conversation about visibility. In music, in fashion, in film, the move away from polish toward truth is unmistakable. Rolling Stone itself has a legacy of capturing artists at their rawest — Dylan mid-tour, Rihanna mid-laugh, Kendrick Lamar mid-gesture.
Now, that same energy is seeping into the professional world.
“When a headshot feels real, it changes how we see each other,” Eden says. “We stop looking for perfection and start recognizing humanity.”
What Comes Next
As AI filters, virtual reality workspaces, and digital avatars become more common, the pressure to stay human only intensifies. “Technology will keep pushing us toward the artificial,” Dolin says. “Our job as photographers is to remind people that nothing beats the real thing.”
In the end, the future of the headshot isn’t about replacing the suit-and-tie archetype with a new uniform. It’s about breaking the idea of uniformity altogether. The headshot is evolving into something deeper: a small but potent act of self-representation.
And in 2025, that makes it one of the most radical images you can take.
