Your real estate headshot has to work at 72 pixels

A good real estate headshot keeps your face readable in a small square. Give the face enough room within the crop and separate it from the background. A slight smile should remain visible when reduced. Test at 72 pixels before judging the full-size portrait.

Willis and Todorov, Psychological Science, 2006, found that people could form judgments of trustworthiness after a tenth of a second looking at a face. That finding concerns first impressions, not whether a homeowner will hire you. Use it as a reason to inspect the thumbnail, without treating a portrait as a promise of new business.

An agent directory places your portrait beside other small squares. ImmoScout24, a German property portal, is the example behind this test. Compare candidate crops at the same size so a larger preview does not make one look stronger.

At 72 pixels, inspect three things: the share of the square occupied by your face, its contrast with the background, and the expression you can still read. If the jacket dominates, try a closer crop. If your expression disappears, compare another result before choosing.

Use the same recognizable portrait across your property portal and website. Carry it through to your sign, business card, email signature, and any association profile instead of choosing a different face for each placement.

The tool delivers square images at a minimum of 1024 × 1024 pixels. Keep that original when preparing a printed flyer, including an A5 layout, and inspect each crop separately. The small avatar tests readability; the larger version lets you examine details that reduction hides.

The same tile test applies to a therapist directory, where the photo sits in a list beside other therapists. The therapist headshot guide adds the camera angle that matters there.

A suit is optional. Choose a well-kept outfit that fits the market you serve and the way you meet clients. A dark suit with a white shirt suits premium property work; an open-collar shirt or blazer can fit urban or rural work.

With AI, you select the visible outfit as a style; the clothes in your selfie are input, not the final wardrobe. You do not need to own the generated jacket. The headshot clothing guide explains why a clear, suitably dressed upload still matters.

Neutral charcoal or white gives you a starting point. A modern office is another option; an urban skyline can fit city work if it leaves the face readable. Compare the color first, then check whether the lighting on your face agrees with the setting, as the background guide explains.

Use a slight smile you would make in person. Compare it with a broad grin or a deliberately serious expression at thumbnail size. If you want an actual street or building behind you, the outdoor headshot guide covers location and light.

Both images were generated with our own tool and show no real person. In this demonstration, the selfie represents the upload and the image on the right represents the result.

Yes, provided the result preserves your recognizable features. The homeowner who calls after seeing your photo will later meet you at the door. Ask whether a colleague would recognize you immediately, and reject any result that changes those features.

Inspect five places at full size before anything else: the beard line, the ears, the hairline, the eyes, and the shirt collar. Compare them against a recent photo of yourself. Styling should not conceal changes to your appearance.

The AI versus photographer comparison explains the tradeoffs. For German studio pricing and what a finished file includes, read the headshot cost guide.