A head shot or headshot is a modern (mostly digital files ) portrait where the focus is on the person. The term is usually applied for professional profile images on social media, the 'about us page' or a corporate website and promotional pictures of actors, models, and authors.

Corporate and business headshots

Corporate head shots are portraits often produced digitally and used for engaging in social media, the 'about us' page and industry specialty sites. A headshot or head shot is often used for branding and to showcase the executive team, style and personality. Corporations will use the headshot to merge branding between the people working for them and its agency.

Corporate head shots serve a variety of purposes:

• LinkedIn personal profiles as well as publisher profiles
• Facebook
• About us page
• Professional Resume
• Corporate catalogs, brochures and advertising collateral
• Company publications and websites, internal and external
• Press releases and other announcements
• Marketing materials
• Articles and newspapers
• Author pages

Branding headshots

Branding headshots may be a corporate or business headshot with the difference being that the image is designed to convey the individual's or a corporate branding identity. A corporation may chose a streamlined background for all its headshots while an individual may chose an action, experience or background objects to identify his or her brand. Large corporations, firms and/or agencies will usually have a manual for the type and style of headshot to be photographed.