AI headshots vs a professional photographer: an honest comparison

AI headshots have become good enough that many people now use them for LinkedIn, CVs and team pages. That doesn't make photographers obsolete. Each has clear strengths, and the right choice depends on what you need the photo for.

Cost

A studio headshot session in a US city typically costs somewhere between $150 and $400, and usually includes a handful of retouched images. Extra looks, locations or retouched photos often cost more.

AI tools work on a much smaller budget. On Maktek's Starter plan, $9.99 a month gives you 50 photos, which is around 20 cents a photo, and you can try it with a free photo first.

Time

With a photographer you book a slot, travel, spend an hour or so on the shoot, then wait days for retouched files. With AI you upload one photo and get results in minutes, any time of day.

Variety

A studio session gives you the outfits you bring and one or two backgrounds. With AI you can try a navy suit in a modern office, a casual look outdoors and a clean studio portrait from the same upload, and generate more whenever you need a new one.

Where a photographer still wins

• Group and team photos taken together in one place.
• Photos for official ID, where AI-edited images are not accepted.
• Campaigns, editorial shoots and brand work that need a creative director.
• Times you want to be 100% sure every detail is exactly as it is in real life.

Where AI makes more sense

• You need a good LinkedIn, CV or profile photo this week.
• You want several looks for different platforms.
• You live far from a good studio, or the cost is hard to justify.
• You update your photo often and don't want to book a shoot each time.

The honest answer

If you need a profile photo for work or social media, start with AI. It's faster and costs a fraction of a shoot, and if you don't like the result you've lost very little. If you need official, group or high-stakes brand photos, book a photographer.