What is the Difference Between a Portrait and a Headshot?
The main difference between a headshot and a portrait is how the images will be used. Traditionally headshots are taken for official business use, while a portrait is more of a descriptive image used to tell a story about the subject.
An example of a Classic Headshot
Headshots are used for purposes such as business cards, advertisements, auditions, identification badges, website profiles, social media profiles or as other means of identification.
An example of a Portrait
Portraits are used in editorial news stories about the subject, in lifestyle advertisements, on book jackets, in blog posts, as social media posts, or as framed art on the wall.
Basically, a headshot identifies the subject, where a portrait tells the viewer something more about the subject. For example, the photo used on a work identification badge of an employee is a headshot identifying the subject. A photo of a soldier in his/her uniform displaying all their medals contemplating their valiant deeds is a portrait.
An actress has a headshot she sends before auditioning for a job so the casting agency knows what she looks like. But that same actress also has a portrait of her in her home showing her on set of her first major television job, in full makeup and dress.
Portraits and headshots also differ in a few more ways:
Number of Subjects
Cropping
Mood
Environment
Creativity