You need a professional headshot. Maybe it's for LinkedIn, maybe your company just asked for one, maybe you're job hunting and your current profile photo is a cropped group shot from a wedding. Whatever the reason, you're asking the same question everyone asks: where do I actually go to get one?

The answer used to be simple. Find a photographer. Book a session. Show up, smile, pay, wait. That's still an option, but it's no longer the only one, and depending on your situation it might not even be the best one.

Here's every way to get a professional headshot in 2026, with honest tradeoffs for each.

Where can I get a professional headshot near me?

You can get a professional headshot at a local photography studio, through a freelance photographer, or at headshot mini-session events. Studio sessions cost $150-500 in most cities and include 2-5 retouched images with 1-3 week turnaround. Freelance photographers often charge less ($100-400) with more flexible scheduling and locations.

To find local options, search "headshot photographer" plus your city name on Google, check professional photography directories, or ask colleagues for referrals. Many photographers list their portfolios, pricing, and booking calendars online. Corporate teams can book on-site sessions where photographers come to your office and shoot multiple employees in one day at $50-100 per person.

Can I get a professional headshot online?

Yes. AI headshot generators create studio-quality headshots from selfies you upload at home. Services like Narkis.ai train a custom model on your face and generate 200+ photos in minutes for $27. You get professional lighting, clean backgrounds, and multiple styles without scheduling, travel, or waiting weeks for delivery.

Online options work best for remote professionals, anyone with scheduling constraints, or those who need variety across multiple platforms. The quality from model-trained AI generators is now indistinguishable from traditional studio photography at standard display sizes. You can also hire remote photographers who direct you via video call, though this costs $150-300 and offers less convenience than AI tools.

Option 1: Traditional Photography Studio

The classic. You book a session at a portrait studio or with a headshot specialist, show up in person, and a photographer handles lighting, posing, and direction.

What it costs: $150-500 for a basic session in most cities. In major metros like NYC, LA, or San Francisco, expect $300-800+. Corporate team sessions run $500-1,000+ for the group. The national median is around $250 per session, typically including 2-5 retouched images.

What you get: 2-20 final retouched photos depending on the package. Professional lighting and backgrounds. A photographer who can direct you if you have no idea what to do with your face (most people don't).

Turnaround: Usually 1-3 weeks for edited images. Rush delivery costs extra.

Best for:

• Actors, models, and public figures who need portfolio-grade images
• Corporate teams that want perfectly matched, consistent photos across the company
• Anyone who genuinely enjoys the experience of being photographed

The catch: You need to schedule it, travel to the studio, and commit real time. The whole process from booking to receiving your finals can take 2-4 weeks. And you get a handful of images. If none of them capture exactly what you wanted, you're either paying for another session or settling.

Option 2: Freelance Photographer

Similar to a studio but more flexible. You hire an independent photographer who might shoot at their home studio, a rented space, or even outdoors.

What it costs: $100-400 in most markets. Generally cheaper than established studios because overhead is lower.

What you get: Often more images than a studio session. Photographers who shoot headshots as part of a broader portfolio tend to be more flexible on style and setting.

Turnaround: Varies wildly. Some deliver within days, others take weeks.

Best for:

• People who want something less formal than a studio session
• Budget-conscious professionals who still want human-shot photos
• Anyone who has a specific creative vision and wants to collaborate

The catch: Quality varies enormously. A studio has a reputation to protect. A freelancer on Thumbtack might be incredible or might hand you 200 unedited JPGs and call it done. Check portfolios carefully.

Option 3: Mini Session Events

Some photographers and studios run headshot "mini sessions" or "headshot days" where they batch multiple clients into one day with shorter sessions at lower prices.

What it costs: $75-200 for a 15-30 minute session.

What you get: Fewer images (typically 1-3 retouched photos), but at a fraction of the full session price.

Best for:

• People who just need one solid headshot and don't want to pay for a full session
• Companies running team photo days

The catch: Less personal attention. You're one of many that day. Limited time means fewer options to experiment with poses or expressions.

Option 4: DIY (Smartphone + Good Light)

Your phone camera in 2026 is genuinely capable of producing a professional-looking headshot if you know what you're doing.

What it costs: Free (assuming you own a phone).

What you need:

• Window light or outdoor shade (never direct sunlight, never overhead fluorescent)
• A clean, uncluttered background (solid wall works fine)
• Phone propped at eye level (not below, not above)
• Timer or a friend to tap the shutter
• Portrait mode for natural background blur

Best for:

• People who need something decent right now
• Anyone comfortable in front of a camera
• Situations where "good enough" genuinely is good enough

The catch: Most people are terrible at photographing themselves. You'll take 50 shots and like zero of them. There's no one directing your expression, adjusting your chin angle, or telling you your collar is crooked. The technical quality might be fine but the human direction is missing. That's usually what separates a headshot from a selfie.

Option 5: AI Headshot Generators

The newest option and the one growing fastest. (See our full comparison of the best AI headshot generators for detailed testing.) You upload 10-20 casual selfies, an AI model trains on your face, and you generate hundreds of professional headshots in different styles, outfits, backgrounds, and lighting conditions.

What it costs: $27-60 for most services. Narkis.ai starts at $27 for 200 photos with a custom-trained model.

What you get: Anywhere from 50 to unlimited photos depending on the service. Multiple styles, backgrounds, and looks from a single upload. Your face, different everything else.

Turnaround: Model training takes about 5 minutes. Generation is instant after that.

Best for:

• Remote workers who can't easily visit a studio
• People who need variety (different backgrounds, outfits, styles for different platforms)
• Job seekers who need a headshot now, not in three weeks
• Corporate professionals and executives who need polished results fast
• Teams that need consistent, matching headshots without coordinating schedules
• Anyone who hates being photographed in person

The catch: Quality depends heavily on which service you use. Cheap generators produce uncanny-valley results that scream "AI." Better services like Narkis.ai train a dedicated model on your face, which means the output actually looks like you. But it's still AI. If you need a photo for a context where authenticity is paramount (acting portfolio, speaker page at a major conference), a real photograph might carry more weight.

The Decision Tree

Here's how to choose:

How much time do you have?

• Need it today: AI generator or DIY
• Can wait 1-3 weeks: Any option works

What's your budget?

• Under $50: AI generator or DIY
• $100-300: Freelancer or mini session
• $300+: Full studio session

How many photos do you need?

• Just one good headshot: Mini session or AI
• 5-10 variations: Studio or AI
• Dozens of different styles: AI is the only practical option

Do you enjoy being photographed?

• Yes: Studio or freelancer (you'll get more out of the human interaction)
• No: AI generator (skip the awkwardness entirely)

Is this for a team?

• Coordinating 20 people for a studio day is a logistics nightmare
• AI generators let each person upload on their own time and get matching, consistent results

For a broader look at how headshot expectations differ by profession, see our complete guide to types of professional headshots.

The Real Talk

Five years ago this article would have been three paragraphs: find a photographer, book a session, show up. That was it.

The landscape has genuinely changed. AI headshots in 2026 are good enough that most professionals can't tell the difference. Not "kind of okay if you squint" good. Actually, genuinely indistinguishable from studio photography for standard professional headshot use cases.

That doesn't mean studios are dead. A great photographer captures something an algorithm can't always replicate: a moment, an expression, a quality of presence that comes from human interaction. For high-stakes, portfolio-grade work, that still matters.

But for the LinkedIn photo you've been putting off for two years? For the company directory headshot or engineer team page photo? For the dating profile upgrade? The calculus has shifted. You can have 200 professional photos of yourself for less than the cost of parking at a photography studio in Manhattan.

The best headshot is the one you actually get. Pick the option that matches your timeline, budget, and comfort level, and stop using that photo from 2019.