You do not need a studio to prepare useful reference photos. You do need a clear view of your current appearance. Better input reduces avoidable ambiguity, but cannot guarantee that an AI result will reproduce you perfectly.

1. Find soft, even light

Face a window during the day or use another broad, gentle light source. Avoid standing with a bright window behind you. Look at the preview: both eyes should be visible, without one side of your face disappearing into shadow.

2. Keep the camera at eye level

Clean the lens and use the normal camera mode without beauty filters. Rest the phone on a stable surface or ask someone to help. Step back enough to include your full head, chin and shoulders; avoid a very close wide-angle selfie that changes the shape of your face.

3. Choose a small, consistent set

Start with one clear front-facing image and add 2–4 recent supporting photos of yourself. Use one person per image. Keep your hairstyle and current appearance consistent. A group photo, a distant holiday snapshot and a heavily edited selfie are poor substitutes for a clear reference.

Before you upload: zoom in to check eyes, teeth and hair. If you cannot tell whether a detail is sharp, take another photo. Increasing the pixel dimensions of a blurry image does not restore detail.

4. Check glasses and head coverings

Wear your usual glasses or head covering if you want them represented. Change the light or camera angle slightly if reflections hide your eyes. Do not remove something important to your appearance just to copy a generic example.

5. Use the original file

HeadshotLane accepts JPEG, PNG and WebP. Each photo must be at least 512 × 512 pixels; meeting this minimum does not establish face quality. Prefer an original camera photo over a social-media download or messaging screenshot. If an HEIC photo cannot open, export it as JPEG in your photo app. Renaming the extension is not a conversion.

6. Treat upload warnings as guidance

The website checks some lighting and detail issues on your device. It can miss a poor photo or flag a good one, and it does not verify identity or likeness. Read the message beside the selected image and replace questionable references before generation.

7. Review one generated portrait first

Use the one-image batch option, then compare the result with your references at full size. Check expression, eyes, teeth, hair and accessories before spending more of the pack. Contact support if a material likeness issue remains; do not assume repeated generation will fix it.

Use only your own adult photos with consent. Photo processing, storage and deletion are explained in our privacy policy. For clothing choices, see what to wear for a real estate headshot.