Profile Picture for LinkedIn: How We Actually Create Them For Real People In NYC
This article explains how professional LinkedIn profile pictures are created for real people in NYC. It is designed for communications and people leaders who want to understand the process and importance of high-quality LinkedIn photos for personal and employer branding. Having a professional LinkedIn profile picture is essential for building trust, making a strong first impression, and supporting both individual and employer brand visibility.
Why a Professional LinkedIn Profile Picture Matters
When a journalist runs a search on your new CFO, the first thing they pull is her LinkedIn profile picture. When a candidate considers your job post, they scroll the leadership page and study every face. When a partner due-diligences your Series B, they check who they are actually backing. The LinkedIn profile picture is no longer a nice-to-have. It is operational infrastructure for trust.
PR teams use these images for press days and funding announcements. HR uses them to signal culture on careers pages and job posts. Executives use them in speaking bios, byline headshots, and investor decks. In 2026, LinkedIn is the default first look for anyone vetting your company or your people. Often it gets checked before the website or resume.
In real workflows, these images get pulled into press kits, funding announcement assets, and media outreach by PR and communications teams. HR and People teams use the same LinkedIn profile pictures to reinforce culture on careers pages and job posts. Executives rely on them across speaking bios, byline headshots, and investor decks. Partners and investors often see this image before anything else during due diligence.
About Match Production and Our Approach
I am Lisa Soldberg, Head of Production at Match Production in New York City. We run a portrait and headshot studio out of Times Square and shoot on location across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and occasionally beyond. This article is for busy communications and people leaders who need to understand how professional LinkedIn profile pictures actually get made, not generic tips about smiling and wearing blue.
We focus on process: how we plan, shoot, and deliver LinkedIn profile pictures for corporate headshots NYC, executive portraits, and remote headshots. We work at scale for 60-person teams and one-on-one with founders who need a new photo before a board meeting. We can turn same day headshots NYC when the timeline demands it. By the end of this post, you will know exactly what happens when you work with us.
LinkedIn Profile Picture Basics: What “Good” Actually Means in 2026
A good LinkedIn profile picture for leaders is recognizable, current, clear, and aligned with the person’s role and company brand. That is the whole definition. Everything else is implementation detail.
Profiles with photos receive up to 21 times more views than those without. Aim for your face to fill at least 60% of the frame in your LinkedIn profile picture. Your LinkedIn profile picture should look like you and be recent, reflecting your current appearance. Dress in professional attire that you would wear to work for your LinkedIn profile picture.
Concretely, the face should fill about 60 percent of the frame. Cropped from mid-chest or shoulders to just above the head, the image reads clearly even when LinkedIn shrinks it to a tiny circle in search results or comments. The photo should be completely visible and undistorted at any size.
Resolution matters more than most people realize. We deliver files at 1200x1200 pixels minimum so there is no pixelation or compression artifact on desktop, mobile, or when someone downloads the image for a press kit. A profile photo that looks soft or blocky signals carelessness.
Authenticity matters more than perfection. We handle subtle retouch: evening skin tone, reducing temporary blemishes, managing under-eye shadows. We do not create an unrecognizable, airbrushed version of the person. The picture makes an impression precisely because it looks like a real human on a good day.
Does LinkedIn really need a photo? Some people still ask. The answer is yes. Profiles with a professional headshot receive significantly more profile views than those without. For serious executives and employer brands, a LinkedIn photo is not optional. It is the first impression you cannot skip.
The sections that follow walk through how we build those images in studio, on location, or remote, with examples and real timelines.
How We Plan LinkedIn-Focused Corporate Headshots in NYC
Typical Inbound Requests
A typical inbound request sounds like this:
“We need 40 LinkedIn profile pictures across two Manhattan offices in mid-March” or “Our C-suite needs updated executive portraits before a funding announcement on April 10.” Sometimes it is simpler: “Our new VP starts Monday and needs a professional photo that matches our leadership page.”
Key Planning Decisions
We start by aligning on purpose. Is this LinkedIn only, or are you building a full PR toolkit with press, speaking, and byline images? Will these appear on employer brand pages? Internal org charts? The answer shapes how we shoot and what we deliver.
Key planning decisions we make together:
| Decision | What We Discuss |
|---|---|
| Headcount | Total people, split by office or location |
| Roles and seniority | Staff vs. executives (affects time per person) |
| Dates | Available windows, hard deadlines |
| Style | Formal, smart casual, or creative |
| Location | Times Square studio, on-location headshots NYC, or remote headshots |
Scheduling and Look Guide
From there, we build a simple shot list and schedule. Staff headshots usually get 10-minute slots. Executive portraits get 25 to 30 minutes for more nuanced work. We send calendar invites so everyone knows exactly when to show up.
We also create a lightweight look guide PDF for your team, which includes clothing colors that photograph well, neckline guidance, notes on glasses and facial hair, and whether to show or hide brand elements like company logos on jackets. This small effort saves confusion on shoot day.
Standard timing: for big teams, we confirm dates three to four weeks ahead. For small executive sessions, we can often accommodate within five to seven business days. Rush options exist when the business demands it.
Studio Sessions in Times Square: Consistent LinkedIn Profile Pictures at Scale
Why Studio Sessions Work
Our Times Square studio sits within a few blocks of major subway lines: the 1/2/3, N/Q/R/W, and 7 trains. That matters when you are asking 30 people to converge from across NYC on the same morning. Central location keeps logistics simple.
Studio sessions are ideal for unified LinkedIn profile pictures. Same lighting, similar framing, subtle individual variation in pose and facial expression. When your leadership page loads, viewers see a cohesive company, not a patchwork of random photos from the past few years.
Studio Setup and Process
The physical setup is straightforward: neutral backdrops in light gray, off-white, or charcoal; controlled soft lighting that avoids harsh shadows; and a dedicated tethered screen so subjects can see their images live and adjust in real time.
A typical Individual Standard Session runs 40 to 60 minutes. The person can bring multiple outfits, try several backdrop options, and test both friendly and more serious expressions. We capture plenty of variation so there is real choice later.
During the shoot, we coach on the details that separate a good photo from a great LinkedIn profile picture: posture, jawline angles, eye line, natural smile, and micro-adjustments that keep the image confident but not stiff. We work quickly but never rush. The idea is to help non-models look like themselves on their best day.
We capture a standard LinkedIn crop plus optional horizontal versions for press kits or the company website, all within the same session. One shoot, multiple use cases.
Delivery Timeline
Curated proofs within 24 hours. Final retouched files within two to three business days. Same day headshots NYC available with advance planning.
On Location Headshots NYC: Turning Your Office into a LinkedIn Studio
When On Location Makes Sense
On location headshots NYC make sense when you have a larger team, a leadership offsite, a press day, or simply no time to send 60 people to Times Square. We bring the studio to you.
Pre-Shoot Scouting
Before the shoot, we pre-scout or virtually scout your office space or event venue. We look for a 10x15 foot corner with power outlets and low foot traffic. That becomes your temporary headshot setup for the day.
Mobile Studio Setup
We arrive with a mobile studio kit: backgrounds, professional lighting, a laptop for tethering, and sometimes a stool or posing table if the office furniture is not ideal. The goal is to create the same controlled environment we have in Times Square, just in your building.
Example Schedule
A typical on-location day looks like this: load-in at a Midtown office in the morning, first LinkedIn headshot shortly after, a brief lunch break, then resume shooting through the afternoon. By end of day, 35–40 people photographed is realistic when the schedule is tight and the setup is standardized.
Each person usually gets 8 to 10 minutes for a LinkedIn-focused portrait with a few quick variations in expression and pose. Executives may get 20 minutes for more nuanced leadership portraits.
We often capture one neutral background pass for LinkedIn and then one environmental pass with a blurred office or city view for About pages and PR decks. Two looks, one session.
Consistency Across Locations
Consistency across multiple locations or dates matters for employer branding. We log camera settings, lighting positions, and background choices so that future hires can match the original LinkedIn look. Your page stays visually appealing even as the team grows.
Executive Portraits and Leadership LinkedIn Photos: C-Suite Treatment Without Drama
The Role of Executive Portraits
Executive portraits are more than LinkedIn photos. They appear in earnings decks, media features, board materials, and speaking bios. A CEO needs images that work in a tiny social media circle and a full-page magazine spread.
Session Approach
We start senior sessions with a quick conversation about audience. Who will see this image? Investors, journalists, internal teams, future recruits, or all of the above? The answer shapes everything from background to facial expression.
Styling Guidelines for Leaders
Typical styling guidelines we share with senior leaders: tailored jackets work for all genders; solid colors photograph cleanly; simple jewelry, nothing distracting; and one hero outfit plus a backup in case of last-minute coffee incidents.
We vary expression on purpose. An approachable smile for LinkedIn. A more neutral or serious look for financial press. A slight lean or seat change for thought-leadership uses. Same person, different contexts.
Real-World Example
Here is a brief example from our crew: we shot an early-morning CEO portrait in our Times Square studio before a product launch. Call time was 7:30 a.m. to accommodate their flight later that day. Proofs delivered same afternoon. Final LinkedIn crop plus PR-ready versions turned around overnight. The original photo ran across LinkedIn, the company site, and multiple press outlets that week.
Delivery and Scheduling
We deliver multiple crops of each chosen frame: standard LinkedIn square, tighter 1:1 close-up, and horizontal 16:9 or 3:2 for banner image uses and slide decks.
Executive portraits can be scheduled off-hours or on weekends when calendars are less chaotic. Realistic advance booking in NYC: one to three weeks where possible, though we accommodate tighter windows when the job demands it.
Remote Headshots for LinkedIn: Our In-House Workflow for Global Teams
Why Remote Headshots Matter
Remote headshots matter because teams are distributed. Hybrid companies, remote-first startups, and executives traveling between New York, San Francisco, London, and beyond all need consistent LinkedIn images without flying everyone to Manhattan.
Remote Session Flow
We direct remote headshots through an in-house live workflow. Our professional photographer coaches pose, angle, and expression over a phone camera or laptop while capturing files at consistent quality. It is not a selfie. It is a guided session with a real person behind the camera icon.
The basic remote session flow: pre-session email with clothing and background guidance; 15 to 20 minute live guided shoot in a secure live session; our team handles selection and retouch; final files delivered within standard timelines.
We help non-NYC staff match your existing LinkedIn look. Similar wall colors, light sources away from direct sunlight, and consistent framing. Post-production standardizes tones so remote team members do not stand out awkwardly on the company page.
Scheduling and Budget
Remote sessions can be scheduled across time zones. Example windows: 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Eastern for Europe and US overlap. Late afternoon Eastern for West Coast partners.
Remote headshots are often more budget-friendly and quicker to schedule than full in-person shoots while still producing LinkedIn-ready results. We can run remote days for dozens of people using staggered time slots and a shared signup sheet managed by HR or comms.
Lighting, Background, and Expression: How We Get the “LinkedIn” Look
Lighting for LinkedIn Profile Pictures
The technical side matters because LinkedIn shrinks photos and shows them on screens in harsh office light, on phones at odd angles, and next to dozens of other faces in search results. A photo that works everywhere requires intention.
Our default lighting setup is soft and flattering. We avoid deep shadows under the eyes and create a gentle highlight so eyes do not look flat in the small LinkedIn circle. Natural light is preferred for taking a LinkedIn profile picture to avoid harsh shadows and unflattering effects. Natural light through windows works beautifully when we control it. Harsh light does not.
Background Best Practices
Background choices for LinkedIn profile pictures follow industry norms. Finance, law, and consulting often lean toward charcoal or dark gray. Tech and startups frequently choose light gray or a soft blur. Creative and media teams sometimes prefer environmental or brand-matched looks. Healthcare and education typically stay with clean neutral tones.
A simple background helps ensure that you are the focal point of your LinkedIn profile picture. We never use a group photo crop or a vacation pic. The background photo behind you should support the frame, not compete with it.
Expression Coaching
Expression coaching happens in real time. We guide toward warm but not exaggerated smiles, relaxed jaw, a slight squinch around the eyes to avoid the startled look, and head angles that balance authority with friendliness. The pose matters. We adjust until it feels right.
We sometimes shoot both glasses-on and glasses-off options so you and your comms team can decide which feels truer to your daily look. Same with smile versus neutral.
One note: we avoid heavy filters. No automated filters or synthetic effects that distort likeness. We rely on clean light and gentle retouch instead of trendy beautification that makes people look like a different person. Your professional profile picture should look like you.
Retouching and File Delivery: From Raw Capture to LinkedIn Upload
What We Do in Retouching
Subtle, skilled retouching is the difference between a good photograph and one you can actually use everywhere.
What we do in retouching: refine skin tone for natural appearance; reduce temporary blemishes; lighten under-eye darkness slightly; remove dust, lint, or stray hairs; even out the backdrop while keeping natural texture.
What we do not do: drastic reshaping of facial features; heavy smoothing that removes pores; unrealistic slimming that makes the image untrustworthy.
The final product should make real people look like themselves, just polished. Not plastic.
File Delivery Package
A typical file delivery package includes:
| File Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| High-res color JPEG | Print, press kits |
| Web-optimized version | Website, social media |
| Pre-cropped LinkedIn file | Direct upload ready |
Timelines: proof galleries within 24 hours of shoot end for small sessions, within two to three business days for larger teams. Retouched finals usually follow within another two to four business days. Same day headshots NYC are possible for select scenarios like last-minute media requests. This requires pre-agreed rush terms and fast decision-making on selects.
I suggest comms or HR teams keep all final files in a central, labeled folder. Future LinkedIn updates and press uses become simple when you know exactly where everything lives.
Special Cases: LinkedIn Profile Pictures for PR, Employer Branding, and Hiring Campaigns
PR-Driven Shoots
Not all LinkedIn photos serve identical roles. Some support a PR push. Some shape employer brand. Some are primarily for recruiting or leadership visibility. The approach shifts accordingly.
A PR-driven shoot captures a more polished version of the LinkedIn headshot to run alongside interviews, op-eds, or funding announcements. We often shoot multiple wardrobe looks and both tight and wider frames. The professional photo needs to work in a social share, a video thumbnail, and a magazine page.
Employer Branding and Hiring
Employer branding teams use consistent LinkedIn images to show inclusive, approachable leadership and cohesive teams on company pages and job posts. This supports your personal brand and professional brand simultaneously. Users scrolling your company site should see a unified visual language.
We coordinate with marketing to ensure colors and backgrounds do not clash with your brand palette across the website and LinkedIn banner designs. If your site uses navy and white, your leadership portraits should complement that, not fight it.
For hiring campaigns, we might steer expression a touch more welcoming and supportive. Candidates will see these faces throughout the application process. A great LinkedIn profile picture signals that this is a place where people matter.
We can add a few relaxed, slightly wider environmental portraits per person to complement the tight LinkedIn crops. This gives comms teams more layout flexibility for About pages and introduction section uses.
When You Actually Need Same Day Headshots in NYC
Urgent Scenarios
Sometimes the timeline is not negotiable. Breaking news PR opportunities. Last-minute board appointments. Same-week speaking invites. A key element of crisis comms. These scenarios call for same day headshots NYC.
Our Rush Process
Here is how we handle urgent calls: quick style consult by phone; fastest available Times Square studio slot or pop-up on location near the client; a very focused shot list; no time for exploration. We know exactly what we need.
In rush cases, we keep things simple: one outfit, one background, a few expression variants, immediate selection on set so retouching starts right away.
In true emergencies, we can sometimes capture at 8:00 a.m. and deliver a finished LinkedIn-ready file by late afternoon. This requires locking decisions quickly and keeping approvals tight.
Rush scenarios are priced differently than standard sessions. They should be reserved for situations where delaying is genuinely costly to the business. An Individual Standard Session runs around USD 600; rush terms adjust that based on timeline compression.
Even on rush days, we do not skip basics. Flattering light. Subtle retouch. A professional headshot that stands up to scrutiny. We just compress the timeline and number of options.
How to Prepare Your People for LinkedIn Headshot Day
Advance Communication
Smooth headshot days depend less on cameras and more on how prepared the humans are. A little advance communication saves significant impact on quality and efficiency.
I suggest HR or comms send a simple prep email five to seven days before the shoot. Include clear guidance on clothing, grooming notes, exact timing and location, and what these photos will be used for (LinkedIn, company site, press, internal tools).
Clothing Tips
Concrete clothing tips to include: solid colors photograph cleanly; no large logos; avoid busy stripes or high-contrast checks; bring one backup top or jacket in a neutral tone; dress in professional attire that you would wear to work for your LinkedIn profile picture.
Practical Notes
Glasses wearers should bring lens cloths. People with facial hair trims planned should schedule them one to two days before, not the same morning. The pic should look intentional, not rushed.
We encourage people to arrive five to 10 minutes before their slot. Time to settle, check hair, adjust collar, and avoid a stressed look in their LinkedIn profile picture.
On set, we keep communication light, encouraging, and direct. This helps non-models relax quickly. Most people who dread headshots leave saying it was actually fun. That shift in personality shows in the final image. For added peace of mind, you can review our cancellation and rescheduling policy before booking.
Working with Match Production: What Happens After You Email Us
Getting Started
Working with us is straightforward. Scope, schedule, shoot, deliver, adjust if needed. No mystery, no drama.
First steps: send scope and timing to hello@match-production.com with details like number of people, target dates, locations, and where the photos will live. LinkedIn only? Multi-channel? Press kit needs? Free form is fine. A few lines are enough to start.
Our Process
We respond with a proposed approach, ballpark budget, and draft schedule. You will quickly see whether a Times Square studio day, on location headshots NYC, or remote headshots make the most sense.
Example pricing context: Individual Standard Session around USD 600. Half-day Corporate Mini Session for teams around USD 1449.
We quote based on scope, not a rigid rate card. The tools and approach adjust to fit your needs.
Once approved, we lock dates, share a prep guide, and assign a dedicated shoot team and producer. You have clear points of contact before and during the shoot. No confusion about who to call when a friend in leadership has a last-minute calendar conflict.
If you are planning a leadership refresh, a hiring campaign, or a press push, we would like to hear from you. Send scope and timing to hello@match-production.com or connect through our website. LinkedIn profile pictures, executive portraits, team headshots, same day headshots NYC. We handle it all.
By Lisa,
guiding every shot with precision and passion to create authentic LinkedIn profile pictures that truly represent real professionals in NYC.
