Do Clients Really Need High-Res Images? A Guide to Providing The Right Deliverables
Do They Actually Need Hi-Res Headshots?
One of the most common questions that comes up in both individual and company headshot sessions is whether the deliverables include hi-res images. And rightfully so.
For many (including myself before I studied up) “hi-res” translates to high quality. That elusive missing link between what you get from your phone versus images that look crisp, sharp, and ultimately “more professional” — and isn’t that the point of professional headshots? To present something elevated?
Yes. But, the term “high resolution” doesn’t actually match up 1:1 with high quality, and usually reflects the opposite file type they need. And without getting deep into a tangent (one of my favorite topics : “seeing light”), the true missing link between an iPhone shot and something that “looks professional” is less about resolution and more about lighting.
But let’s stay on topic.
What Does “Hi-Res” Actually Mean?
Plainly put, "high-resolution" means the image contains a lot of pixels. And in 2025, cameras are capable of delivering an insane amount of pixels, but it is really only critical for print:
Billboards
Trade show signage
Magazine covers
Posters or banners
If that is the use case, a professional camera will have you and your client covered. But until then, hi-res isn’t just unnecessary—and it can be counterproductive to their goals, adding work and costs.
Why Defaulting to Hi-Res Is a Problem
For starters, hi-res files come with larger file sizes. So they either have to rely on web developers to reformat the images, or they are left with slower load times on websites, emails, etc. Sometimes, images don’t load at all due to poor internet or cell service. Not great for your clients.
Taking it a step further, when we slow down their website, that causes an increase in bounce rate (people leaving the site), which then causes the algorithm to believe the site doesn’t deserve attention. In turn, this starts to hurt your rankings, all because of slower load times affecting the website functionality.
So while it’s understandable to want to provide your client with everything they ask, this is one of many instances where you owe it to them to provide context and inform.
What They Likely Need Are Web-Optimized Files
To best understand what kind of files are needed, it helps to ask about where the images are actually going to be displayed. The vast majority of business headshots are used digitally—on websites, LinkedIn, email signatures, internal profiles—not printed at life-size. Ask them to consider the screens the headshot will likely show up on - this year, and in years to come.
Most laptops are between 13–16”
Phones now account for a huge portion of web traffic
Even large monitors (like the iMac) top out at 27–30”
Of course there are people with ultra-wide 40” setups, but if someone’s blowing a face up to 20 inches wide, they know exactly what they’re looking at—and that they’re the outlier. They are you - the photographer *wink*.
The point is, this instance will not impact the decision for what you need, because in a sense, that viewer choosing to blow up your headshot to that size is doing so recklessly, and they know it.
In most cases, what is truly needed are sharp, fast-loading, and properly formatted files for screens across email, websites, and social media. That means:
JPG or PNG files around 2500 pixels wide for desktop
Mobile versions maxing out at 720px, ideally under 1MB
Crops formatted for various platforms - web, email, social, etc.
These smaller files are built function in practice while retaining the quality and the impact professionals and businesses pay for.
What If They Might Print It Later?
No problem. You can always deliver large-format files if you need to. I suggest getting that information upfront, so when it comes time to retouch, you don’t have to do it twice, just retouch with extra care the first time around, and charge for the additional care needed on the backend.
It’s worth noting that providing clients with an understanding of what actually calls for hi-res helps not only to clarify if they even need them, but also why make it clear why these versions cost more:
High-resolution implies:
Commercial use — if the image will be used in advertising, press, or large-scale media and scrutinized up close.
More intensive retouching — because at high resolution, we see more detail. So if the headshot ends up on a 20"x25" print or a jumbotron behind a keynote speaker, the tiny details matter. A stray hair, uneven skin, or a wrinkled collar that’s invisible on LinkedIn can become a glaring distraction at scale. These things don’t just need to be corrected—they need to be corrected cleanly, without compromising the integrity of the image. And that kind of retouching is its own product that you should feel confident explaining.
So yes, they can absolutely get a hi-res version. Just be sure they know it is not simply a bigger export setting. It’s a different deliverable with different processing needs.
What Actually Makes a Headshot Look “Professional”
That’s right! I couldn’t help myself. Time to go down the aforementioned tangent.
With a clear understanding of high resolution, and why it is not necessarily the same thing as high quality, it begs the question what does make something look “professional”?
I still remember the photographer who told me “getting that look isn’t even about the camera, it’s about the lighting.” I remember the response so vividly because I didn’t like it.
At the time, my goal in hiring him was simple: I wanted a image that looked like it was done with care and made me look my best. Like many, it seemed I needed someone with an expensive, professional camera - you know, to look professional.
When he told me it was about “light”, I didn’t even know how to evaluate whether he was good at it. What does that even mean? Now that I’ve spent years looking for that answer, I finally understand. But it’s important to remember that clients may still be in the dark, coming at photography with the same perspective.
To explain the concept, I find it helpful to relate it to that classic idea that you can’t polish…well, you know. You can take a high resolution camera and photograph anything, but if the light isn’t good, you’re just get a very detailed shot of something that looks bad.
In fact, the high resolution kind of makes a poor image more offensive because in the end, all the added pixels do is amplify our eye’s ability to see the details that are being subjected to poor lighting. On the other hand, when you know how to take advantage of your lighting, your high resolution helps to create a stunning image, where the impact of a well lit subject is accentuated by the rich detail the camera offers.
But great lighting and high resolution cameras aren’t the only requirements for premium imagery!
Again, the high resolution camera is just capturing what is there, in great detail - far greater than the human eye. So great lighting is a great start. What’s missing in that equation is the retouching. A topic for another time.
In Short
Hi-resolution is often overkill - the “high quality” they are looking for comes from good lighting and careful retouching of the details in the image.
For most cases, the ideal deliverables are images optimized for screen use in file size and crop format.
High-resolution is important for large-scale use — and the reason clients can expect an added cost is that it implies commercial value and demands more detailed retouching.
So when providing quotes, the best way to ensure you deliver exactly what they need is to discuss how the images will be used, and guide them from there.
