Before you start
You do not need a professional camera, studio setup, or photography experience. You need a smartphone or laptop webcam, a reasonably well-lit room, and about 15 minutes.
The most common reason for a disappointing result is a poor input photo — not the AI. The first step is worth a few minutes of attention.
Step 1: Take your selfie
Lighting. Natural light from a window is ideal. Position yourself so the light hits your face directly — not from behind (creates a silhouette) and not from directly above (creates shadows under eyes). Overcast daylight through a window gives the most flattering, even result.
Angle. Hold your camera at eye level or very slightly above. Arm length from your face works well — close enough that your face fills most of the frame, far enough to avoid distortion.
Expression. A relaxed, natural expression outperforms both a forced smile and a perfectly neutral face. Think of the way you look mid-conversation with someone you like — comfortable, present, approachable.
Background. A plain wall in any neutral colour works perfectly. You do not need a professional backdrop; a few steps away from a blank wall at home is fine.
Clothing. Wear something you would wear in a professional context. Solid colours work better than busy patterns. Avoid large graphics or text.
What to avoid. Sunglasses or glasses with heavy reflections. Camera filters or beauty modes — they interfere with processing. Group photos. Hats. Outdated photos where your appearance has changed significantly.
Step 2: Create your account
Go to northsidestud.io and click Sign Up. Choose your plan — a starter plan gives access to core styles; Pro and Business unlock additional styles, higher resolution, and team features.
Step 3: Upload your photo
Click Upload in your dashboard and select your selfie. The system checks for a detectable face, sufficient resolution, and usable lighting. If upload is rejected, the most common causes are: face not clearly detected, photo too small or blurry, or face partially obscured. A new selfie with better lighting usually resolves it.
Step 4: Choose your style
Browse available styles. Each shows an example output with a brief description — background type, lighting mood, typical use case. A few pointers:
- Finance, law, consulting: lean towards darker, more formal styles
- Tech, marketing, creative: lighter and more relaxed tends to work better
- LinkedIn: a mid-range professional style works across industries
- Company website: match the tone of the existing team page if possible
You can generate multiple styles and compare. Each generation is priced individually, so trying two or three options is straightforward.
Step 5: Generate
Click Generate. Processing typically takes 2–15 minutes. You do not need to keep the browser open — you will receive an email when your headshot is ready.
Step 6: Review and download
Check: Does it look like you? Is the lighting natural and consistent? Does the background look clean? Is clothing rendered realistically?
If satisfied, download in your preferred format. JPG works for most digital use cases. PNG is preferable for transparent backgrounds or further editing. If not satisfied, regenerate — a better input photo typically produces a better result.
Step 7: Deploy your headshot
- LinkedIn: Upload the full resolution version — the platform resizes automatically
- Email signature: 80–100px rendered size; keep the file under 50KB to avoid spam filters
- CV/Resume: Use a tight crop showing face from roughly collar height up
- Company website: Match dimensions of existing team photos
Troubleshooting
Result does not look like me. Usually caused by strongly directional lighting or an unusual angle. Try a front-facing, evenly lit photo.
Clothing looks unrealistic. Patterned or textured clothing is harder to render. Try a plain-coloured top.
Background has artifacts. Cluttered input backgrounds cause this. Use a plain background in your selfie.
Your first professional headshot is 15 minutes away — start at Northside Studio.