Top 10 Corporate Headshot Trends of 2025

The classic corporate headshot isn’t going anywhere—but in 2025, it looks a lot different than the stiff, one-background portraits of years past. Today, it is imperative for companies and executives to have highly specific, technically flawless portraits that project authenticity and individuality. And it is becoming increasingly important to feature environment in corporate headshots, and to include “lifestyle photography” as well. Whether you’re a CEO, creative director, or tech founder, your image has become an extension of your personal brand and you don’t do it correctly, your brand suffers.

I’ve created a list of the Top 10 Corporate Headshot Trends of 2025, as seen in the work of Kendo Brown Photography, and also seen in the work created by the handful of top studios from Los Angeles to New York—and on every successful LinkedIn feed in between.

1. Editorial-Style Headshots

Corporate portraits are taking cues from magazine photography. Think cinematic lighting, real environments, and intentional storytelling. Executives want to look approachable and powerful—less “corporate ID photo,” more Vanity Fair meets Forbes.

2. Authentic Expression Over Perfection

The “serious face” era is over. In 2025, people want to see natural smiles, subtle laughs, and confident personality. Headshots are about who you are, not just what you do.

3. Environmental Office Portraits

More companies are moving away from studio-only shoots. Portraits in modern offices, co-working spaces, or creative environments tell a more complete story. These backgrounds add context—and credibility—to your image.

4. Lifestyle Lighting

Natural light and cinematic tones are replacing flat, over-lit setups. Whether it’s a downtown office with big windows or a stylized studio setup, lighting now aims to feel real, not sterile. When in a studio, the lighting needs to find a balance between looking natural, but also looking “next-level” in terms of technical proficiency.

5. Personal Branding Sessions

Instead of a single headshot, executives are investing in mini-branding shoots—portraits, candid moments, and environmental details they can use across their website, social media, and press features. It’s about building a visual identity, not just a profile picture.

6. Team Cohesion, Not Uniformity

Company-wide headshot days used to mean everyone got the same background and lighting. In 2025, businesses want cohesive yet individualized portraits that reflect diversity while maintaining brand consistency.

7. Color Makes a Comeback

While clean white and gray backgrounds still dominate, color has re-entered the chat. Soft blues, muted greens, and warm tones are giving headshots depth and personality—without losing professionalism.

8. Cinematic Crops

Creative framing is trending: wide angles, off-center compositions, and headroom that adds modern visual balance. These are designed to stand out online while still feeling sophisticated.

9. AI-Free Authenticity

With AI-generated portraits flooding the internet, real photography has never felt more valuable. Executives are seeking headshots that feel human—crafted by a professional photographer, not a prompt.

10. Multipurpose Visuals

Corporate photography is now strategic. Companies are asking for image sets that can be used on LinkedIn, press kits, websites, and internal branding—future-proofing their investment in authentic, versatile portraits.

Final Thoughts

In 2025, the corporate headshot has evolved from a simple photo to a brand statement.

If you’re ready to update your image and stand out in today’s professional landscape, book a corporate headshot session at www.KendoBrown.com

What Makes a Great Executive Headshot? …Location Helps.

By Kendo Brown Photography, Los Angeles

A great executive portrait is not about perfect teeth, power suits, or the magical tilt of the chin. It’s about credibility. Nobody hires a leader because they can smolder like a super model under studio lights. A strong portrait communicates competence, confidence, warmth, intelligence, and because I do it right—a strong dose of actual humanity. 

Too often, executives lean on clichés: the crossed arms, the fake smirk, the mistaking of looking mean for looking competent, or being so dry that they look like they are pondering the next fiscal quarter or the minutia of a balance sheet. A great portrait skips the bad theater and instead lands somewhere in that sweet spot between polish and authenticity. Your best TRUE you.

Location is the underrated accomplice in this endeavor. A boardroom might scream “corporate,” but does it scream “your brand”? For some it's a luxury estate, for some it's a writers office, and for others it IS a boardroom. But the location must match and enhance your brand. 

Place someone in a context that reflects their industry, their personality, or even their ambition, and suddenly the photo says something bigger than “I own a suit.” A venture capitalist photographed in an urban high-rise suggests reach and scale; a creative director shot against street art implies edge and innovation. The right setting functions like a visual shorthand, adding layers of story before anyone even notices the subject’s choice of tie. A sterile studio image is a blank page; location gives you prose.

And let’s be honest—in business first impressions make lasting impressions, and every headshot is a ad for your brand. Executives know this, which is why they get very specific about their LinkedIn photo, with more urgency than their quarterly filings. The choice is simple: look like another generic figure with a LinkedIn Premium subscription, or use portraiture and location to make your personal brand feel like it has actual weight. After all, people remember the leader who looked like they belonged exactly where they were standing.

Shot in my client’s home office.

What Do I Do With My Hands? (The Executive Edition)

There you are—dressed in your sharpest suit, tie perfectly centered, hair obeying gravity—and suddenly you’re struck by the eternal question: what do I do with my hands? Do I cross them? Do I let them dangle like unused software updates? Or do I go full Superman power pose and hope the boardroom doesn’t notice? Relax. Hands don’t have to be awkward props—they’re one of the easiest ways to project confidence and presence in your executive portrait.

Think of hands as punctuation. Folded lightly in front says “thoughtful.” One hand in pocket says “I know what I’m doing, and I’m not threatened by quarterly reports.” Resting on a desk says “I’m approachable, but also I run things.” What doesn’t work? Clenched fists (you’re not in a boxing promo), finger guns (HR will not approve), or the dreaded “T-Rex hover” where your arms float with no clear destination. The key is intention: where your hands go, your confidence follows.

The best part? You don’t have to overthink any of this. At Kendo Brown photography, we guide you through every pose, from the classic CEO power stance to the modern “relaxed but brilliant” vibe. Our job is to make you look sharp, confident, and yes—like the kind of leader people want to follow. Which is exactly why Kendo Brown is the top executive photographer in Los Angeles. Hands down.

www.KendoBrown.com