LinkedIn Headshots in Los Angeles: What Works and What It Costs
By Julian Buitrago, BLINK Photo Co. · Updated · 6 min read
A clean, well-lit headshot reads clearly even at thumbnail size.
Your LinkedIn photo is usually the first thing a recruiter, client or new colleague sees, and most of the time they see it as a tiny circle next to your name. So build the photo for that circle. Below: what works, what we'd avoid, and what it costs in Los Angeles and Orange County.
A strong LinkedIn headshot is a recent photo that looks like you today, framed from the chest up with your face filling most of the frame, in even light on a simple background. In Los Angeles, a single-look session at BLINK's Marina del Rey studio is $375 with one fully retouched photo and LinkedIn-ready crops (additional retouched photos $50 each). For teams, we photograph on-site anywhere in LA or Orange County from $225 per person for the first 10 people, with a $1,200 minimum per day. Prices as of November 4, 2026.
What makes a good LinkedIn headshot?
The profile photo shows up small almost everywhere: in search results, comments, messages and the feed. That changes what matters.
Tight framing: chest up, with your face taking up most of the frame. Full-length or waist-up photos turn into a tiny face in the circle.
Even light: soft, even light on both sides of your face. Harsh shadows and squinting read badly at small sizes.
A simple background: a solid gray or a soft, out-of-focus office. Busy backgrounds compete with your face.
Eye contact: looking at the camera, with a relaxed expression. A real smile usually beats a serious look on LinkedIn, but go with what fits your field.
It looks like you: people meet you on a video call or in person after they see the photo. LinkedIn's rules also ask that the profile photo be your likeness.
Chest-up framing on a light gray backdrop crops well into the profile circle.
How should you crop and size it?
LinkedIn shows your photo as a circle cut from a square. Start from a square image of at least 400 by 400 pixels, with your face centered and a little space above your head. Every BLINK session includes LinkedIn-ready crops, so you can upload the file as is. Keep the full-size file too, for your company website, speaker bios and press.
Should you use an AI headshot on LinkedIn?
AI headshot apps are cheap and fast, and some results look fine at first glance. The risk is that the photo looks like a slightly different person, which is exactly what the first meeting exposes. Recruiters and clients also tend to want to know whether a photo is real. If you go with AI, make sure it's you on a normal day, not you on your best day ever. If you want a photo you never have to second-guess, a short studio session costs less than most people expect.
A real session: direction, even light, and a few minutes to get the expression right.
What does a LinkedIn headshot cost in Los Angeles?
What you need
BLINK option
Price (as of Nov 4, 2026)
One person, one look
Studio session, Marina del Rey
$375, one fully retouched photo, LinkedIn crops
Extra retouched photos
Add-on
$50 each
Your team at your office in LA or OC: first 10 people
If your company page, website and sales decks show a mix of selfies, old photos and different backgrounds, a team headshot day fixes it in one go. Everyone gets the same light, backdrop and framing, so the team page looks like one company. We set up in a conference room in offices across Los Angeles and Orange County, from Downtown LA, Santa Monica and Culver City to Irvine and Newport Beach. See how to plan an office headshot day.
Same light and framing for everyone keeps a team page consistent.
How do you prepare for the session?
Wear what you'd wear to an important meeting in your field. Solid colors photograph best.
Skip new haircuts the day before. A week before is safer.
Bring one alternate top if you want a second look.
Get some sleep and drink water. It shows more than any retouch.
Prices as of November 4, 2026. Individual studio session at our Marina del Rey studio: $375 (one look, one fully retouched photo, private gallery with LinkedIn crops); additional retouched photos $50 each. On-site team headshots in Los Angeles and Orange County, priced in blocks: first 10 people $225 each, people 11 to 24 $175, 25 to 49 $125, 50 to 99 $75, 100 and up $55; $1,200 minimum per day.
Julian Buitrago is the founder and lead photographer of BLINK Photo Co., based in Los Angeles. BLINK runs on-site event headshot stations nationwide and photographs office teams, actors and models across LA and Orange County.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a LinkedIn headshot cost in Los Angeles?
At BLINK's Marina del Rey studio, a single-look session is $375 with one fully retouched photo and LinkedIn-ready crops; additional retouched photos are $50 each (prices as of November 4, 2026).
What size should a LinkedIn profile photo be?
Upload a square image of at least 400 by 400 pixels, with your face centered. LinkedIn displays it as a circle.
Can you photograph my whole team for LinkedIn in Orange County?
Yes. We set up on-site in offices across Los Angeles and Orange County. Team pricing starts at $225 per person for the first 10 people and drops in blocks to $55 per person from the 100th, with a $1,200 minimum per day (as of November 4, 2026).
Is an AI headshot OK for LinkedIn?
It can work if it truly looks like you. The risk is a photo that looks like someone slightly different, which people notice when they meet you. A real session avoids that.
How often should I update my LinkedIn headshot?
Whenever your look changes noticeably, such as a new hairstyle, glasses or a few years passing.
Book a headshot in Los Angeles or Orange County
Studio in Marina del Rey, or we come to your office. We reply within one business day.
