Do you always crop heads?

Don't worry, we won't lose the top of your head!

I always shoot wide enough to capture your whole head, but after the fact I recommend a crop that amps up the power of your shot. 

Even if you don't update your headshot right now, how you crop it can have a major impact in the presence and impact of the shot. 

In some applications, you do need the full shot but in a lot of cases you can lose the top of the head and really amp up the shot. LinkedIn is a great example of this. 

Look at this example. The first image is the full shot the way I shot it in camera, the second is one of the delivered files with my recommended crop.

If you can get away with using the recommended crop I encourage you to go for it.

Why? Because its much more impactful and engaging. The viewer is drawn into the expression much more in the second shot, and the eyes in particular. They know the top of your head is there, in fact their brain fills it in for them subconsciously. 

When I deliver files to my clients, they receive the full size image along with various other formats including recommended crops for web, LinkedIn, etc... 

The moral of the story; let go of the top of your head, its not doing you any favors.