Personal Branding Photography vs Headshots: What’s the Difference (Really)?
Fi from Fitness Passport needed a new headshot, so I rocked up to her office with my lights and camera and created one for her.
I get asked this all the time.
And usually in a slightly apologetic way.
“Do I just need a new headshot… or is it personal branding photos? I don’t really know the difference.”
Totally fair question. Because the industry has blurred the lines so much that everything now gets called a “branding shoot,” even when it’s really just a nice photo on a plain background.
Let’s discuss it. No jargon. No hard sell. Just what actually matters.
A headshot is the photo you need when you want people to recognise you.
That’s it.
It’s clean, usually shoulders-up, and fairly neutral. It says, “Hello, this is me.”
And sometimes that’s exactly what’s required — a LinkedIn profile update, a company website refresh, a speaker bio.
A good headshot should still feel relaxed and natural (not stiff or overly corporate), but its job is simple: it should look good. It introduces you.
Personal branding photography, on the other hand, is different — not better, just different. Personal branding photos aren’t really about your face. They’re about you in context.
How you move.
How do you work?
How it feels to be around you.
This is where personal branding photography comes in. These images are designed to help people understand who you are and what it’s like to work with you — often before they’ve read a word on your website. It’s the difference between “this is me” and “this is how I show up.”
Here’s the part most people don’t say out loud.
Women rarely come to me saying, “I want personal branding photography.”
They usually say, “I just need a new headshot.”
But what they’re really saying is:
“I don’t like my current photos.”
“I avoid posting because I hate how I look.”
“My business has evolved, but my photos haven’t.”
And that’s where a single headshot often falls short.
A headshot tends to live in one place.
Personal branding photos work everywhere.
Your website.
Your socials.
Your email marketing.
Your launches.
They become the visual language of your business — not just a profile picture.
In 2026, people are scrolling fast. They’re making decisions quickly.
Your photos are often doing more of the talking than you realise.
That’s why branding photos that feel natural and authentic are so powerful. They help you look professional and recognisable — without trying to be someone you’re not. There’s also a confidence component here that rarely gets discussed. Most women believe they need to feel confident before booking photos.
In reality, confidence usually comes after — when you’re guided, when you’re allowed to move, when you’re not standing still wondering what to do with your hands.
That’s why a confidence-led personal branding photoshoot feels so different to a traditional headshot session. It’s slower, more human, and far less performative.
You’re not trying to “pose properly.”
You’re just being supported to show up as you are now.
Queue my Camera Confidence Guide or Learn to Love the Camera Course
How do you determine which one you need?
If you genuinely need a clean, updated image for a specific purpose, a headshot might be perfect.
But if you’re:
Growing a business
building a personal brand
showing up online more
or feeling disconnected from your current photos
Then personal branding photography becomes less of a luxury and more of a practical tool.
One that supports visibility, confidence, and connection.
The thing I always come back to is this:
You don’t need to become more confident, more polished, or more “on brand” to be photographed well.
You need photos that meet you where you are—and reflect that truthfully.
That’s the real difference between a headshot and personal branding photography.
If you’re still unsure which one you need, that’s completely normal.
You don’t need to have it figured out before reaching out.
That’s part of the process.
When you’re ready, we can talk it through and determine what makes sense for you and your business now—not who you were five or ten years ago.
