Once upon a time, I was an awkward high school senior taking photos in my backyard. The pictures turned out decent; as good as you expect for a dreadful haircut, awkward half-smile, and an outfit I wish someone had saved me from.
A few years later, I was applying for internships and needed a professional headshot. Naturally, I decided to pull out the old yearbook and reuse the single image that seemed acceptable enough. I was desperate, a little bit lazy, and like most 20-year-olds, my camera roll was stocked solely with duck-face selfies and Instagram shots.
If only I'd had Portrait Pal.
Years have passed since then, but my headshot has not. Whenever I catch a glimpse of it, I find myself thinking, "Wow, I really should get a new one." The feeling was confirmed after a close friend connected with me on Linkedin, and asked with faint exclamation, "Wow? Is that really, you?"
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Unfortunately, professional photoshoots are often hard to book, especially in New York City. They're not cheap either. Some cost upwards of $1,000, and that's not including hair and makeup. As a working mom, it's not the first thing on my to-do list (or the second for that matter).
I'd heard of a few AI portrait-generating services, but I questioned whether the shots might turn out hazy, unrealistic, or appear overly edited like a Kardashian-esque Photoshop mishap. At best, I thought, I might just end up looking like a distant cousin of myself from the metaverse.
That is not what happened when I signed up for Portrait Pal.
The AI photo-generating service caught my attention for a few reasons; the starter package costs only $35, it's built by real people (i.e. AI researchers), and supposedly it whips up photos that are "uncannily realistic" as well as "professional." That checked all the boxes, for me.
Not to mention, that all this AI-generating can happen as you lay in bed, watching Netflix and eating Doritos, with a charcoal face mask on. I love anything low-effort.
So, I went ahead and made my account. From start to finish, it took me less than three minutes. I entered an email and selected the starter package, which includes 20 headshots. Then, selected my age, gender, hair length, eye color, and body type (I suppose, you can flatter yourself, if you want to).
I've only worked with one other AI generator before, and it almost always misidentified me as a 49-year-old German-Greek television presenter named Linda. I suppose selecting these parameters helps reduce errors, which I'm all about. Nothing against Linda. But, I don't love being aged over 20 years.
Next, Portrait Pal worked by collecting data from my images to piece together the particularities of my face from a variety of lighting conditions; we're talking about everything from the shape of my earlobes to the tiny mole above my lip and the number of frown lines I get when you squint. It sees everything, even if you don't want it to.
I was asked to upload at least six photos. Fortunately, inserting images into an AI filter does not require the precision of curating a dating app profile. I didn't overthink the assignment too much. I had animal cracker crumbs on my dress in the first image, a major sunburn in the second, and a knot in my hair in the third.
Once I was done checking out, I waited. Three hours to be exact. Then I checked my dashboard on Portrait Pal. My portraits were ready.
With the starter package, I was given twenty photos in an assortment of settings; many traditional office spaces, some solid backgrounds, and a few more relaxed outdoor backdrops. I was dressed in business casual pantsuits, blazers, blouses, and such.
I've been influenced to say the least.
Seeing my Portrait Pal photos felt like looking at myself in a dream. She looks just like me, but the me that got eight hours of sleep had a perfect hair day, found time for a manicure, and left her Crest Whitestrips in for a full fifteen minutes. I imagine her also having a professional stylist who picked out her outfits and someone who stood there telling her how to pose.
Of course, there are some occasions when an #IRL photoshoot is warranted, like weddings, pregnancies, and senior year photo shoots (though, I do have some reservations about the latter.)
But, when it comes to getting your headshot taken, I argue that Portrait Pal may be the best bet. The service is user-friendly, astoundingly accurate, and perhaps a lens into the future of photography.
The person in my photos was still me, just me on my very best day -- and at just $35, she costs less than a blow-out, most beauty products and definitely less than that luxury photoshoot in NYC for $1,000+.
So, the verdict is in: I can finally update my outdated LinkedIn photo. How about you?
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This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Journalist. As a Gen Z first-time mother of one, Miska tests baby, maternity and postpartum products ranging from stylish new kids clothes to long-trusted diaper brands with her daughter. She evaluates baby- and mom-approved products for practicality and quality, and consults medical and parenting experts to weigh in on safe ingredients, usage and more. Before arriving at the Post, she covered the lifestyle and consumer verticals for the U.S. Sun.
