Guides 4 min read
Can you get a professional headshot from a selfie?
Yes, if you start with the right selfie and use a tool that keeps your face. What AI can and can't do, and how the results compare to a studio shoot.
By Mudassir
A few years ago, the honest answer was no. Today, AI image tools can take a phone selfie and produce a studio-quality headshot with proper lighting, a clean background and a professional outfit, while keeping your face.
What AI does well
- Studio lighting and clean, blurred or plain backgrounds.
- Swapping a T-shirt for a blazer or suit.
- Consistent, polished results for LinkedIn, CVs and team pages.
- Many looks from one photo in minutes.
What still depends on you
The AI has to learn your face from the selfie you give it. A dark, blurry or heavily filtered photo leads to results that drift away from what you look like. A clear, front-facing photo in daylight is the single most important ingredient.
AI headshot vs studio photographer
A studio session in a US city usually costs $150 to $400 and takes days to book and retouch. With Maktek, your first photo is free and the Starter plan works out to about 20 cents a photo. A photographer is still the better choice for official ID photos, group shots and big brand campaigns.
How to try it
Upload one selfie to Maktek, choose Professional or LinkedIn, pick an outfit and background or keep your own, and generate. You can download the result in high resolution and use it anywhere.
