Sure, having a professional digital SLR or mirrorless camera combined with a good quality lens can really help ensure the end result looks sharp. But there are some simple tips you can follow if you're looking to take a professional looking portrait shot for platforms such as LinkedIn, corporate websites and the like.
The first thing to try to get right is lighting. If you don't have access to professional off-camera flash equipment, you can still create a good looking portrait by using available light sources such as windows if you're indoors, and of course the sun if you're outside. If taking the shot outside however, it's usually best not to have your subject standing in direct sun as this will not only create dark shadows under the eyes, but may also cause them to squint if it's quite bright, not a good look. Local parks & gardens are fantastic places to take these shots because you can achieve some great results with the scenery blurred behind the subject.
Pro tip: make sure your subject is a good distance away from the scenery in the background, ie not right next to it. This will help create separation of the subject from the background and really make them stand out.
If taking the picture indoors, having the subject near or next to a large window can work well, especially if the light coming through the window is soft - eg a cloudy day, or if there is some opaque coverings on the window to help filter the light coming through. This will usually generate sufficient light for at least half of the person's face, but what about the other half? If you can enlist the help of another person, they could hold a large white material or object just out of frame on the other side of the subject. This is what's called bounced light and helps fill in the shadows caused by the window light on the other side. This could be a large sheet of paper, cardboard, foam etc.
With your lighting sorted, the next key point to consider is your subject's pose - how do you want them to stand, look and how will they hold their head. For a standard corporate style shot, you can achieve some pleasing results by having the subject stand on a slight angle with their shoulders facing at say 10 o'clock (assuming you are at 12 o'clock), but then get them to turn their head towards you so that both eyes are on the same plane...this will ensure both eyes are in focus and you don't have one blurry. Sometimes a more flattering look can be achieved by taking the shot slightly higher than the subject and get them to look up towards the camera.
Other important things to consider are clothing, make up and facial expressions. Usually for a standard corporate portrait you're better off keeping the clothing relatively plain, in other other words try to avoid bold patterns such as florals, checks and thick pin stripes. For men this can mean a nice crisp shirt (must be freshly ironed) and a good pair of pants or suit (if that's the look they're going for. Hair should be neat & tidy.
For females, again plain colours are best although try to avoid too much black if you can. A good amount of make up can also help avoid sheen on the skin too...not too much, just enough to accentuate the cheek bones, lips and eyes.
Last but not least, don't forget to try to make it a bit fun! It doesn't have to be all serious and no laughs. Try some different facial expressions, smiling, teeth, no teeth, serious...after all, the benefits of digital photography mean that you can take as many as you need to and delete the ones not required.
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