Can I use an AI headshot as my author photo?

For your website, newsletter, social profiles and a self-published book it's your decision; the photos are yours to use commercially. If you have a publisher, ask first: publishers set their own photo specifications and may have a policy on AI-generated images. Whatever you use should look like the person who turns up at the signing.

Is the resolution high enough for a printed jacket?

Downloads are full resolution, and the highest quality setting, which uses 2 credits per photo, gives you the most detail for print. Publishers and printers set their own minimum sizes, so check the specification you were sent before you submit the file.

Should an author photo be colour or black and white?

Colour suits most commercial fiction and non-fiction. Black and white is a long-standing convention for literary fiction. Download in colour and keep a black and white copy as well, because events and press sometimes ask for one or the other.

How often should an author photo be updated?

When you stop looking like it, and when you change genre or publisher. Published advice ranges from every couple of years (IngramSpark) to about every five (TCK Publishing), both read in October 2026.

When should I hire a photographer instead?

If your publisher is paying for a shoot, or the photo will lead a publicity campaign, take the photographer: you get direction, a range of poses and a credited image. An AI headshot fits a debut on a deadline, a self-published title, or a festival bio due this week.

AI author headshots for book jackets and bios

Upload a selfie and get an author photo for the back flap, your publisher page, a festival programme and your newsletter. Pick the outfit, light and background that fit the book.

Get your headshots Browse styles

5 free credits to start. No credit card.

How to get author headshots in 3 steps

No studio, no photographer, no leaving the house.

Step 1

Upload a few selfies

One to three clear photos from your phone. We tell you which ones to skip.

Step 2

Pick your look

Choose the outfit, background, and lighting that fit where the photo is going.

Step 3

Download your headshots

High-resolution portraits, ready for LinkedIn, your resume, or the team page.

Get your headshots

What makes a good author headshot

Match the mood to the genre
Look at the author photos on the books shelved next to yours. Crime and thrillers lean dark and serious, romance and children's books warm and smiling, non-fiction closer to a business portrait.
Keep clothes plain and timeless
Solid colours, simple layers, an open collar. The photo may stay on a book for years, so skip logos, loud prints and anything that will date quickly.
Make sure your eyes read at thumbnail size
Most readers will see it small, on a retailer page or in a newsletter header. Head and shoulders, eyes clearly visible, and a background that doesn't compete with your face.

Ready for the back flap

Download once and use the same photo everywhere it needs to go.

Book jackets and back covers
Publisher and retailer author pages
Festival and event programmes
Newsletters and social profiles

How it compares to a photographer

A photographer is still the right call for some shoots. For a profile photo, this is faster and cheaper.

PhotographerHeadshot Generator AI

TimeTravel, a session, then days for editsAbout a minute per photo

BookingScheduled around the photographerAny time, from your phone

CostA session fee, often per personPacks from $9.99, paid once

RetakesWhatever you got on the dayTry another look in a minute

Styles that fit

Professional looks from the library. Pick one and put yourself in it.

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Chiaroscuro Noir Headshots

A high-contrast monochrome studio aesthetic that emphasizes facial architecture through hard lighting and grainy film textures.

@illyism

Corporate Headshot

Clean studio business headshot

@illyism

Executive Portrait

Premium boardroom power portrait

@illyism

See all of these styles

Simple pricing

Pay once, no subscription. One credit makes one photo.

Starter

For a quick profile refresh

$9.99

20 credits · $0.50 per photo

Every style and background
Full-resolution downloads
Commercial use

Choose Starter

Value

For a job search or a full set of looks

$29.99

120 credits · $0.25 per photo

Every style and background
Full-resolution downloads
Commercial use

Choose Value

Flash

For lots of looks, or the whole team

$49.99

300 credits · $0.17 per photo

Every style and background
Full-resolution downloads
Commercial use

Choose Flash

New accounts start with 5 free credits. The highest quality setting uses two credits per photo. Full refund within 14 days if none of the results work for you.