Professional headshots for university staff
Department pages, research profiles, conference proceedings — one consistent set.
The problem
Your university page has your photo from your viva. The department website has a different photo, taken on a different day, against a different wall. Your ORCID page has no photo at all. Your conference proceedings keep using whichever file the organiser found online. Your book jacket will need 300-dpi. Profyle gives you a single, current, professional gallery you can use everywhere, for the rest of your academic career.
By the numbers
225,185
Academic staff in UK higher education (HESA 2022-23)
175
Universities and HE providers recognised by the Office for Students
300 dpi
Minimum for book jackets — Routledge, OUP, CUP standard
21×
More LinkedIn profile views with a professional photo (LinkedIn)
Why Profyle works for academics
- One consistent set of photos across every academic profile and publication
- Eight style variations in the Premium tier — formal (publication author) and warmer (department page)
- Multiple background options suitable for conference materials and book jackets
- High-resolution files ready for print publications and 300-dpi book covers
- From £29 for individuals, volume pricing for whole departments and research groups
What it costs
A London professional studio headshot costs £250–£500 per person, often with a separate print-licensing fee for high-res files. Some universities run department photo days at £1,500–£3,000 per day for 20–30 academics. Per person that's £50–£150. Profyle is £29 per academic with print-res files included and no licensing fee — you own the images outright.
Traditional studio
£250–£500
Per academic. Often a separate licensing fee for print-res. Department day rate £1,500–£3,000.
Profyle
£29
Per academic. High-res for book jackets included. No licensing fee. You own the files outright.
Common mistakes in academic headshots
- Viva photo reused for a decade — readers notice
- Low-res thumbnails from the uni intranet ported onto ORCID, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar
- No photo on key profiles — quietly reads as disengaged to grant panels and journalists
- Conference speaker pages with placeholder icons — a visible gap where trust is built
- A black-and-white artistic shot on a book jacket when the publisher wants editorial
Where you'll use these
- University staff and department pages
- ORCID, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Academia.edu, LinkedIn profiles
- Conference programmes and speaker bios (BSA, BERA, RSM, BMA, etc.)
- Book jackets and publication author photos
- Grant application bios, research group websites, press interview media packs
Questions we get
Print-res for book jackets?
Yes. We deliver high-resolution files suitable for 300-dpi print applications — book jackets, academic journals, and conference programmes.
Can we order as a department or research group?
Yes. Team pricing from £25 per head, minimum 10 academics. Account manager for larger rollouts.
Any ethical concerns for research staff?
No. Profyle only uses photos you upload. We don't train on your image, we don't combine it with external data, and originals are deleted within 30 days.