Founder and creator headshot — personal brand over corporate polish

Corporate headshots signal 'professional.' Founder and creator headshots signal 'someone worth following.' They're built on three different choices:

'Editorial headshot of a [AGE-RANGE] [APPEARANCE], [EXPRESSION: direct / thoughtful / amused / candid mid-conversation], [ATTIRE: understated but considered — e.g. well-cut white shirt, quality plain tee, linen blazer], photographed [IN ENVIRONMENT: in a coffee-stained studio / on a rooftop overlooking the city / in front of a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf / at a standing desk with screens behind them], [LIGHTING: dramatic window light from the side / late afternoon golden hour / single overhead pendant creating soft shadows / natural overcast light], [COLOR PALETTE: warm and analog / cool and minimal / earthy and textured], medium-close crop showing face, shoulders, and a hint of environment, slight depth of field separating subject from background, editorial photography, authentic, shot on 50mm f/1.8 --ar 4:5 --style raw --stylize 300'

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THE THREE CHOICES THAT SEPARATE PERSONAL BRAND FROM CORPORATE HEADSHOTS

1. THE SETTING SPEAKS FOR YOU:
A corporate headshot uses a neutral background that could be anyone's office. A founder headshot uses a setting that tells you something without words:
• Bookshelf of specific titles = intellectual, curious
• Workshop or maker space = builder, hands-on
• Rooftop with city behind = ambitious, big-picture
• Coffee shop, slightly messy table = accessible, down-to-earth
• Clean minimalist studio = design-minded, precise
Choose the setting that matches your actual work environment or the persona you're building.

2. LIGHT WITH CHARACTER, NOT FILL:
Corporate headshots maximize flattering light and minimize shadows. Editorial headshots use light that has a point of view. Dramatic side window light, late golden hour, a single overhead pendant — each creates a mood that a flat studio setup can't.

3. THE SLIGHT IMPERFECTION:
The word 'authentic' in the prompt is a calibration instruction — it tells Midjourney to reduce the over-retouched, hyper-smooth look that reads as generically AI. Add 'slight texture, honest skin, not over-smoothed' to reinforce this if needed. This is what makes the headshot feel like it could be on a magazine profile, not a stock photo.

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ASPECT RATIOS FOR DIFFERENT PLATFORMS:
• 4:5 — Instagram and personal websites (head + shoulders with environment visible)
• 1:1 — LinkedIn and profile photos
• 3:2 — press kit and media page (more environment, less crop)

Tip: generate the 4:5 version first — it's the most versatile and can be cropped down to 1:1; use the same lighting description and setting across 3-4 variations for a cohesive press kit; add 'no rings, no jewelry, minimal accessories' to keep the focus on face and expression.