The Shelf Life of a Corporate Headshot: When It’s Time for an Update

There comes a time in every professional woman’s life when she looks at her headshot and realizes… this woman no longer works here. Not because she vanished into the woods or joined a cult. But because life moved on, her style evolved, and her current photo is out there representing a version of her that is a few chapters behind.

That was exactly the case with Katherine, who is an editor working with authors in art and architectural history, history of medicine, science and tech studies, material culture studies, and related history fields. Check out THE EDITORIAL ALLY if your are interested in working with her. 

When we first met in 2022, we created headshots that fit where she was at the time: polished, approachable, professional, and a little softer in feel. They worked beautifully. In fact, she told me she got tons of compliments on them and really felt they helped her attract clients. That is exactly what a good headshot should do.

But fast forward 3–4 years, and things had shifted. Her hairstyle had changed and her brand had sharpened. The image she wanted to project on her website was no longer “warm and feminine expert next door.” It was more like, “Yes, I’m warm, but I also know exactly what I’m doing, and you should probably hire me.”

That is the thing people forget about headshots: they are not just pictures of your face, they are visual shorthand for your brand. And your brand evolves with you! Maybe your hair is different or glasses changed. Maybe your business matured. Maybe YOU matured. Maybe you are simply no longer interested in looking like the person who once said yes to everything, undercharged, overexplained, and survived on caffeine and people-pleasing. An updated headshot is often less about vanity and more about alignment. It means making sure your online presence stops lying on your behalf. It says:

“This is who I am now.”         

“This is how I work now.”           

“This is the energy I bring into the room now.”

In Katherine’s case , we moved toward a more assertive look for her website. Still professional and polished and still very much her. But with more edge, more presence, and more clarity. 

Email from Katherine CarrollA warm email from a former client asking for a session to update her headshots

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Hear me out.... If your image still represents you well, great. Keep it. But if it feels a little off, a little dated, or a little too “before,” that is usually your sign.

Send me an email and I will be set up a session for you, as always with professional hair and makeup prior to the shoot. It'll be great to catch up with former clients, or meet new ones! I am open.