The rise of interest in AI-generated headshots

As technology advances, more people are considering AI-generated headshots. These headshots are created using artificial intelligence to try and create a realistic and ‘flattering’ image. In our view the technology is still in it’s infancy and leave some disappointed with the results. If a few years no doubt that will be improved and be ready for the mass market. In our prediction, still only suitable for small business, solopreneurs and ID card size photos where cost is more important than quality.

Trend in Software to Aid Photographers Process and Edit Headshots

AI advancements have led to the development of software that can generate artificial headshots from phone photos. This concept has also been integrated into popular photo editing software used by professional corporate headshot photographers, such as Adobe Lightroom, One Raw, and Capture One.

Part of the fee that professional headshot photographers charge goes towards the time they spend meeting with clients and taking their headshots. However, an equal amount of time is spent on post-production (editing) the photos. This can have a significant impact on the final price.

Any software that helps professional headshot photographers be more efficient with their time will lead to real price reductions over time. At the very least, it will help to keep the cost of professional headshots from rising faster than inflation.

In other words, professional headshot photographers who are skilled in the genre may be more cost-effective than AI-generated headshots, relative to the client experience and results compared to do it yourself AI generated ones.

Here are some of the benefits of using advanced AI infused professional software to aid in the processing and editing of headshots:

• Speed: Software can help photographers to edit headshots much faster than they could manually. This can free up their time to focus on other aspects of their business, such as marketing and networking.
• Consistency: Software can help photographers to create consistent headshots for their clients. This is important for businesses and brands that need to maintain a certain image over time.
• Quality: Software can help photographers to improve the quality of their headshots by removing blemishes, balancing lighting, cutting out the background (clipping path), and enhancing colours automatically

Overall, the trend of using software to aid in the processing and editing of headshots is a positive one for both photographers and their clients. By making the process more efficient and affordable, software can help photographers to produce higher quality headshots that meet the needs of their clients.

So we see a trend in software suppliers incorporating more and more automatic features to meet or beat self service AI headshots.

The popularity of environmental headshots and portraits

Environmental portraits are headshots that are taken in natural settings. These portraits can help to show off your personality and style, and they can also make you look more approachable and relatable. Environmental portraits can give a greater sense of place, for example if a multinational business have a new office in Sydney, taking staff photos with an iconic landmark such as the Opera House or Harbour Bridge can add to the story.

Real Estate Trends

Real Estate professionals make great use of their headshots, in the consumer sector simple white background is what is being asked for the most. In commercial real estate there’s a mix of themed backgrounds and solid white.

Legal Sector Trends

Headshots trends in the legal and commercial litigators sector is still leaning towards photos from the waist up rather than just the top of shoulders and head. So we call these business portraits although most of our enquires calls them headshots as a generic term.

Trends in the Technology and Software as a Service Clients

The SaaS and tech sector has a lot of younger staff, in our experience, so we usually got for a clean professional look with a simple white or grey gradient background, well lit and staff with big smiles, we don’t see this trend ending any time soon either.

Is There a Trend in Using more Props?

Kinda, some of the smaller or progressive business use some props, carefully considered to replace their individual personality while keeping it on points and on Brand. Sometime is is with clothing accessories, others are with having their logo and Branding on a wall behind them, Using oversize writing to stand next too for example. See example below.