Are Real Headshots Still Important In The Age Of AI?
Are Real Headshots Still Important in the Age of AI?
Not long ago, someone left a comment on one of my LinkedIn posts that really stuck with me:
“Thanks for keeping real headshots alive, Matt!”
I laughed a little when I first read it, but it also got me thinking.
With AI headshots becoming more popular and, quite frankly, getting better, does having a professional headshot taken by an actual photographer still matter?
Yes, it does.
And I’m not saying that because I’m against AI. I’m saying it because there’s something important that gets lost when we take the actual person out of the process.
A Headshot Is More Than What You Look Like
Knowing my camera, lighting, posing, and angles is important. But that’s only part of my job.
A big part of what I do is expression coaching.
Most of my clients aren’t professional models, and I don’t expect them to know what to do in front of a camera. I’m watching their expression, talking to them, making adjustments, and looking for that moment when everything comes together.
That’s how I bring out the confidence and approachability I’m looking for in a great headshot. It’s not something I’m adding to the person. It’s already there. My job is to bring it out.
AI can generate an image of you. A photographer gets to work with you.
That’s an important difference.
Does Your Headshot Actually Feel Like You?
My biggest concern with AI headshots isn’t whether they look realistic. The technology continues to improve.
The bigger question is, does that person actually look and feel like you?
Your headshot may be the first time a potential client, employer, or business connection sees you. Eventually, they may meet you in person.
Those two people should match.
Of course, your headshot should show you at your absolute best. But there’s a difference between looking your best and presenting a version of yourself that doesn’t really exist.
So, Am I Losing Business to AI?
Someone once asked me if I was worried about losing money because people could create AI headshots instead of hiring me.
My response was that they might be losing more money than I am.
Your headshot is part of your professional brand. If the image you’re putting out into the world doesn’t genuinely represent you, what could that potentially be costing you?
I can’t tell you that an AI headshot is going to cost you a client. But I can tell you that authenticity and trust matter. Your headshot should help build that trust, not make someone question it.
The Human Part Still Matters
AI isn’t going anywhere, and I’m not interested in fighting technology.
But when it comes to creating a great headshot, the human part of the process matters.
When someone steps in front of my camera at Matt Young Photography, I’m not simply taking a picture of what they look like. I’m working with them, coaching them, and bringing out the confidence and approachability that already exists.
That’s what I want every client in Phoenix, Arizona, and beyond to walk away with. A headshot that represents them at their best while still looking and feeling like them.
Maybe that’s what that LinkedIn comment was really getting at.
“Thanks for keeping real headshots alive, Matt!”
I’m happy to keep doing exactly that.
Because your headshot isn’t just showing people what you look like. It’s introducing them to you.
And the real you is still worth showing.
Matt Young Photography
Matt Young Photography, LLC
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Matt Young Owner, Matt Young Photography
- September 01, 2026
- 623.337.6077
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