Headshot Background: Ideas, Lighting Setups, and DIY Tips

Headshot background refers to a still and neutral background that appears behind people in headshots of professional and commercial platforms. Headshot image backgrounds are neutral colors, but they vary depending on the users’ needs.

People, their skin tones, attires, and light setup—affect the quality of a headshot in photos. Wearing neutral and mono-color attire is suggested. Background must be different from the clothing people wear. There are over 20 background ideas, which come in various colors, types, materials, and forms. Professional headshot photographers use 3 types of lighting setups for headshot backgrounds: one-light setup, 2-light setup, and 3-light setup.

Artificial backdrops are available at the market, and DIY backgrounds for headshots are also popular. During photo post-production, expert photo editors eliminate distractions in the headshot background by using cropping, removing background, retouching, and color correction techniques in photo editing software.

What is a Professional Headshot Background?

A professional headshot background is neutral in color and accompanies the headshot photography setup to highlight the subject’s professionalism. Professional headshot backgrounds are white, off-white, sky blue, or gray.

The background is often interchangeably used as a backdrop, but there is a major difference. Anything used behind the subject in photography is a background, while a backdrop is an item used as a backdrop. Different types of backdrops are available in the market, such as seamless paper, fabric, vinyl, wood board, canvas, microfiber, collapsible backdrop, greenscreen, chromakey backdrop, tiles, etc.

Headshot background plays an important role in assisting the photography setup.

• A well-chosen background retains the emphasis on the subject.
• It contributes to creating a controlled environment for a professional setup.
• The right background sets the right ambiance and tone for the photoshoot.
• Professional background aids in retaining consistency and minimizing distraction.

How Does the Background Affect the Quality of a Headshot?

Background affects the quality of the headshot by changing the subject’s appearance, professional appeal, and objective of the headshot photographs. The right background has immense influence on creating high-quality headshots. Neutral, mono-color, and seamless backgrounds help the frame highlight the subject.

There are 3 main areas that are interconnected with the background’s effect on the headshot quality: those are the subject’s skin tone, attire, and light setup. Changing the background impacts each of them when creating the headshots.

• Subject’s Skin Tone: Background affects the appearance of a person’s skin tone in a headshot. A dark shade backdrop often creates a contrasting impact on the photo when the subject has a light-shaded skin tone. But it may make people look pale sometimes. A light background makes a good photo for people with dark skin tones. However, an imbalance of light can make the people look underexposed. It’s better to avoid backgrounds that clash or undermine the subject.
• Subject’s Attire: Background color should be different from a person’s clothing to avoid an unflattering effect and dull look in the headshot. Choose a background that complements the headshot frame. It separates and accentuates the subject and makes them stand out.
• The Light Setup: Background affects the illumination, temperature, and intensity of lighting. A good and even lighting setup achieves the desired look when the background is compatible. Dark backgrounds absorb lighting, and it’s challenging to illuminate evenly. Light backgrounds reflect and spread the light; it doesn’t need many lighting sources. Natural background, colored background, or pattern background reflects light with color cast.

Background contributes to a powerful presentation for headshot photography. To minimize the negative impact of a background, a person’s skin tone, clothing, and light setup are the deciding factors on the color and position of the background.

The Best 28 Headshot Background Ideas

Commercial headshot backgrounds come in many forms, items, types, and variations considering users’ purpose, profession, goal, and choice. Based on that, 28 popular headshot backgrounds are listed as follows.

1. Business Headshot Background

The headshot background for business is clean, simple, and professional to look at. It is mostly a neutral and light color background used to emphasize the subject’s professionalism, competence, and approachability. A business headshot background is used for any professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and salespersons across all industries.

2. Corporate Headshot Background

A corporate headshot background is a controlled and pre-decided background. Most of the headshots are taken inside the organization, such as in law firms and financial institutions. Employee, executive, and C-suite level executives of large companies take shots of the same background inside the office premises. The purpose of a corporate headshot background is to establish a sense of authority, familiarity, and stability.

3. Headshot Background at Office/Workplace

Workplace headshot backgrounds often display the working environment of a department. The office is often blurred. This shot adds context and understanding of the person’s role. Workplace/office background appears in the headshots of doctors, plumbers, real estate agents, and consultants.

4. Linkedin Headshot Background

The LinkedIn background for the headshot is clear and professional color. Neutral and solid colors are mostly used so that it doesn’t distract the viewers. These colors make the subject more approachable and trustworthy. A LinkedIn background can be made in a studio setup or DIY home setup as it doesn’t take much space and the photo size is small.

5. Blurred Headshot Background

A blurred headshot background consists of any type of background behind the subject and keeps it blurred to create a shallow depth of field. Blurred background is often used for natural, environmental, and workspace backgrounds for professionals. The blurred background shows the context in a blurry form and keeps the focus entirely on the subject. This background is versatile and ensures a modern look.

6. Outdoor Headshot Background

Outdoor headshot backgrounds encompass a vast range of settings—nature, landscape, environment, weather conditions, and any shoot outside of the photography studio. In outdoor headshots, photographs are taken using natural light. Even though it’s a headshot, the outdoor background provides value and an element to the subject. Outdoor background fulfills the demand of creative fields, and real estate professionals deliver a touch of personality.

7. Natural Headshot Background

Natural background for headshots simply includes natural elements such as trees, sky, mountains, landscape, foliage, etc. Natural background delivers a connection to nature. It suits professionals working in the environment field, health and wellness, or for people with a calm personality. Natural backgrounds are shot on location, and careful background selection is needed.

8. Corridor Background for Headshot

A corridor background for a headshot is used for professionals working in architectural, creative, and design fields. The dynamic and visually interesting look of the corridor as a background creates a modern look for a headshot. It establishes a sense of movement and depth. Oftentimes, such background is blurred to keep the focus on the headshot.

9. Library Background for Headshot

The library background includes shelves and books to create an intellectual vibe about the subject. It creates a sophisticated mood in the frame and conveys knowledge and professionalism. Professionals in academic and research organizations, legal fields, and writing fields use library backgrounds.

10. Strong Lines and Buildings as Headshot Background

Strong lines and buildings create a bold and stylish look in a headshot. Professionals in architecture, urban planning, construction, and development use this background to deliver impact and show expertise. Building and strong lines are kept blurred in the background for a graphic effect that displays confidence and professionalism about the subject.

11. City Headshot Background

The city background for the headshot displays urban elements, buildings, streets, busy city life, and cityscape background. City life displays dynamic lifestyle, modernity, and a peek at the urban life of a certain area in the headshot. This background adds visual interest and creativity to the headshot and displays a contemporary and adaptable image of the subject. It is used by real estate agents, event and urban planners, architects, executives, and tech industry professionals.

12. Environmental Headshot Background

Environmental headshot backgrounds display the natural environment and surroundings that highlight a subject. Sometimes, environmental element display is used in headshots to promote the subject’s profession or brand. It builds trust, authenticity, and values. Environmental headshots are often used by environmental scientists, landscape designers, outdoor guides, and fitness coaches.

13. Blue Headshot Background

A blue headshot background is associated with building trust and stability and shows professionalism. The blue background displays reliability and competence in a calming way. Business executives, law and financial organization employees, IT professionals, and consultants use blue background headshots. The background generally includes different shades of blue, from dark to light, depending on the mood the professionals need.

14. Black Headshot Background

The black headshot background is used by actors, models, creative artists, photographers, high-profile executives, and leaders to create dominating, impactful, and bold images. This background delivers power, elegance, and a dramatic look in the headshot that highlights the subject. To create an artistic look on a black background, placement and variation of lighting impact a lot.

15. White Headshot Background

A white headshot background offers a clean, bright, and lively look on the subject. It creates a minimalist look in professional headshots that project a simple, and calm personality. Medical professionals, business executives, lawyers, doctors, and e-commerce product models use pure white backgrounds.

16. Grey Headshot Background

A grey headshot background is used to create a neutral and versatile backdrop for professionals. In professional headshot photography, a light to dark gray shade background is used based on the subject’s skin tone. Corporate executives and consultants often use grey backgrounds to display reliability and an adaptable look.

17. Gradient Headshot Background

A gradient background is a digital background that features two or more subtle shades of colors. It creates a dynamic and modern look with more visual appeal than a solid color background. Gradient background is used in headshots for creative professionals, online marketers, designers, tech professionals, etc.

18. Chroma Key Background for Headshot

The Chroma key comes in green and blue screen format. Professional headshots sometimes are taken in front of the chroma key to allow digital background replacement with flexibility and control. Actors, content creators, visual presenters, and broadcasters use chroma key background for the following reasons.

• To use a customized background
• To have ready to use on any digital and virtual background
• To often change the background for seamless integration

19. Studio Headshot Background

Studio headshot backgrounds have a wide range of variations such as paper, fabric, tiles, wood board, muslin, canvas, collapsible, vinyl, solid, and custom. Studio backdrops prioritize clean and consistent backgrounds to fulfill the subject’s needs. With a professional to dramatic background, the studio backdrop assists corporate executives, business professionals, medical professionals, actors, and legal professionals.

20. Textured Headshot Background

Textured backgrounds refer to canvas, fabric, painted surface, or brick walls used as headshot backgrounds. Textured backgrounds add depth, artistic appearance, and personality to the character in the headshot photography. People in creative fields, such as artists, actors, designers, and musicians, use textured backgrounds to add a distinctive style to their headshot photoshoots.

21. Colored Headshot Background

Colored backgrounds for headshots consist of a specific color than the neutral ones. It is often deliberate to fulfill personal or commercial purposes. Colored backgrounds convey a particular message, conde or create familiarity, and build impactful memories for the viewers. Entrepreneurs, content creators, and influencers often use color backgrounds.

22. Painting Headshot Background

Using painting backgrounds for headshots is intentional and isn’t often used. Artists, painters, and designers mostly used painted backgrounds to display creative personalities, memorable images, and artistic and expressive headshots. The painting background includes canvas, walls, or abstract designs that provide a unique perspective.

23. Paper Headshot Background

Paper backgrounds come in both seamless and textured backgrounds to create a uniform look on headshot photos. Being cost-effective, easy to use, change, and portable has made the paper a fast solution for studio headshot photos. It is an applicable background for any type of headshot.

24. Wood Headshot Background

Wood headshot background features old and new. Painted rustic planks to create a warm and industrial look. Shooting before the wooden background shows craftsmanship, a natural and less formal look in a headshot photo. This headshot is mostly used by designers, architects, craftsmen, and entrepreneurs to display their artistic sides.

25. Fabric Headshot Background

Fabric backgrounds are the most common background for headshot backgrounds. It comes in many forms: velvet, linen, muslin, vinyl, polyester, cotton, etc. Fabric backdrops add sophistication, warmth, and texture to headshot photos. It sparks visual interest, and that’s why fashion designers, musicians, and artists’ headshot backgrounds have fabric backgrounds.

26. Canvas Headshot Background

Canvas background is used by artists, painters, and photographers to project artistry in headshot photos. The canvas background shows depth and dimension, adding a classic and sophisticated look to the canvas.

27. American Flag Headshot Background

The American flag is specifically used in different government organizations in the US, such as military personnel, public servants, veterans, and politicians. Flag as a background for headshot photography displays patriotism, represents and connects with a specific demographic, and upholds the national image of the world.

28. DIY Backgrounds for Headshot

DIY headshot background covers a broad range that is cost-efficient and creative. Creating such a backdrop is based on the user’s choice— a painted wall, paper backdrops, fabric drapes, artificial design, etc. DIY backdrops establish a personalized touch in the photo, expressing individuality and authenticity. Entrepreneurs, freelancers, and artists often have DIY headshot backgrounds.

What are the Best Lighting Setups for Headshot Backgrounds?

The best lighting setups for a headshot background are those that offer constant and even lighting. Artificial lights provide constant lighting. Studio photographers use diffusers, bounce cards, or umbrella-like items to balance the light.

There are 3 best lighting setups for headshots: one-light setup, 2-light setup, and three-light or triangle setup.

One-light Setup

One light setup is a cost-efficient and beginner-friendly light setup. The one-light setup consists of only one key light which is placed 45-degree angle to the subject. Sometimes, photographers use bounce cards or reflection cards to balance the light simultaneously across the frame.

Two-light Setup

The 2-light setup consists of an additional flight with the one-light setup to control the shadows around the subject. The fill light is positioned opposite to the subject, at a lower position than the key light. There is clamshell lighting, another popular light setup with one light positioned above and another below the subject illuminating the light.

Thee-light or Triangle Light Setup

The light setup or triangle light setup consists of another rim light, hair light, or backlight with the 2-light setup. It separates the subject from the headshot background. So, the photo gets depth and dimension. Background light makes the background even and clean so the images form as refined and professional.

What is the Best Background Color for a Professional Headshot? 

Neutral mono-color is the best background color for a professional headshot as it offers a clear and uniform perception of the subject. White, off-white, and gray are the colors that appear as the background for headshot photography worldwide.

• White: White suits professionals across all industries, businesses, and brands. It offers a bright, clean, and professional look. Also, white background photos are easy to edit and change into other backgrounds.
• Off-white: Off-white color is less intense and soft than a pure white background. Off-white backgrounds assist in creating approachable and warm headshots.
• Gray: Gray is a sophisticated color with a blending of black and white. Gray background contributes to creating versatile and standard headshots.

Many headshots have dark-shade colored backgrounds, navy blue, and black. Sky blue, and baby pink type light shades also appear as headshot backgrounds. While deciding the right backdrop for headshot photography, analyze clients’ requirements, industry, client’s skin tone, attire, and lighting setup.

What is the Best Color to Wear for a Professional Headshot?

The best colors to wear for a professional headshot are white, grey, navy, khaki, and brown. Color choosing should follow the person’s skin tone to maintain a formal and tidy appearance. 

• Blue: Blue is a universal headshot color. It conveys calmness and trust. Combined with white pants, blue displays a professional look for corporate people. 
• Grey: Gray color is a global choice for headshots as it fits perfectly with all skin tones. The color is neutral and versatile, creating a sophisticated look for the person in the frame. Paired with slightly dark clothing, grey accentuates people’s personalities well. 
• Black: Black is an all-time choice, exuding confidence, elegance, and authority. Pair it with black or any light-color garments to create a powerful look. 
• Pastels: Pastel color tones such as baby blue and baby pink are used to depict a gentle vibe and an approachable and friendly mood in the headshots. 
• Earthy tones: Earthy colors such as khaki, green, olive, and brown display reliability. Combined with light or contrasting colors, earthy tones create a professional vibe in the headshot images. 
• Burgundy: Burgundy color shows a luxurious, creative, and sophisticated look in a headshot. When paired with dark colors, Burgundy highlights a person’s sophisticated look. 

How Men Should Style Up for Headshot Photography? 

Here is how men should style up for headshot photography. 

• Attire: The best clothing males can wear for formal headshots is a neutral color shirt, button-up, and ties or button-down. The shirt should be collared. No pattern or eye-catching prints for corporate headshots. Wear business suits or tailored jackets as they fit your profession or goal. 
• Face: Hair should be trimmed well, medium or short. Ensure the facial hair is well-groomed for a tidy look. Apply sunscreen before shooting. 
• Accessory: Wear a wristwatch during the full-body headshot. 
• Shoes: Wear formal shoes. 

How Women Should Style Up for Headshot Photography? 

Here is how women should style up for headshot photography.

• Shoes: Wear flat sole shoes, no high-heels.
• Attire: Solid color blouses and blazers or formal skirts. No flashy dresses or layering dresses. The clothing items must be three-quarters to full-sleeve.
• Face: Neatly comb your hair back with a simple bun or ponytail. Apply simple makeup to ensure a natural look. Use nude, or dark shade of burgundy color lipstick that enlightens the face but doesn’t stand out.
• Accessory: Plain ornaments for full-body headshots, such as simple earrings, chains, and wristwatches.

How to Create a Professional Headshot Background at Home?

Use DIY background approaches to create a professional headshot background at home as follows. 

• Choose a room with a window where ample sunlight enters. Decide any wall that receives sunlight. Balance the light, use a softbox or reflectors on the opposite side of the light source, and shoot. 
• Gather any fabric material you find at your home, long and wide, and single to vibrant color. It can be a bedsheet, a scarf, or any large fabric. Hang the fabrics against the wall. 
• Check for window blinds, wooden doors, brick walls, or stone walls. Those backgrounds are perfect for creating artistic headshots. 
• Use professional or purpose-related items as the background blurs them during the photoshoot. 

What is the Difference Between Studio and Outdoor Headshot Backgrounds? 

The difference between studio headshots and outdoor headshots backgrounds is the nature of the background. In outdoor headshots, backgrounds are lively and spontaneous, whereas in studio headshots, backgrounds are fixed. Other differences between outdoor and studio headshots are as follows. 

Topic	Studio Headshot Backgrounds	Outdoor Headshot Backgrounds
Types of Backgrounds	Studio background takes all types of backdrops from paper, and fabric to tiles and board, even a TV screen.	Outdoor backgrounds incorporate some natural elements that add value to the headshot.
Light Source	Relies mostly on artificial lighting sources.	Use natural lighting sources.
Flexibility in Background	Fixed types of artificial backdrops. Creating a creative background takes time but allows control.	Diversity and liveliness in the environment allow opportunities for creative headshots.
Personality of the People	People maintain a formal and professional vibe during the session.	People start opening up and revealing their nature and personality in outdoor settings.
Control over the Background	The studio background is fully customizable and controllable. The photo session is consistent.	Weather conditions, time, and location affect the background. It affects the photoshoot.
Distractions	Less chance of distracting elements.	Unpredictable distractions occur.

How Do I Remove Distractions from a Headshot Background?

To remove distractions from headshot backgrounds, use cropping, remove background, retouch, and perform color correction.

Image Cropping

Cropping an image is editing out distractions in the frame and improving composition. A photo is cropped based on the aspect ratio of the publishing platforms to make it suitable as marketing material. Cropping is only applicable if the distraction is near the edges of the photo frame.

Remove Background from Headshot

A headshot background containing too many props, designs, or decorations overpowers the subject and is better to eliminate. The background removal process includes photo clipping to isolate the subject from the surroundings. Then, you can place the subject on any preferred background to create a clean look. Another solution is to hire professional headshot background removal services.

High-End Skin Retouching

Photo retouching is an all-in-one solution to remove background and enhance photo quality and appearance. Photo retouching tools allow seamless blending and effortless removal of flaws in the background. Also, it sharpens images, reduces noise, works on people’s faces, changes skin tone, and thus improves overall image quality. Professional photo retouching ensures flawless and polished-looking headshot photos.

Color Correction

Applying color correction adjusts the color tone of the headshot backgrounds and minimizes distractions. Headshot photos with color variations, tones, and color imbalances mostly use color correction techniques. Color grading, desaturating, and adjusting brightness and contrasts help improve the headshot’s appearance and fix background distractions. Thus, the headshot appears professional in front of a consistent background.

Final Overview 

Here is a quick recap of what we have discussed up till now.

• A headshot background impacts a person’s appearance in the frame, so choose carefully.
• When choosing a background, a person’s skin tone, apparel, and surrounding lighting condition matters.
• Low light creates artistic images. Highlight reflects people. Use a diffuser or reflector to balance light.
• The best background lighting is a 3-light setup, and the best color for the background is neutral-mono colors.
• Making a DIY background for professional headshots at home is possible. Choose a room with ample natural light and a plain wall to shoot.