“In the digital world, your Profile Picture speaks before you do.”
The phrase above is the 2025 version of the popular belief: “first impression is the last impression.” In the era of endless scrolling, you have just over a second to grab anyone’s attention. This >1 second becomes mission-critical, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, where your career is on the line. So when your profile appears on the job-centred social media platform, what do you think scrollers see in the first second? Obvious – your LinkedIn profile picture.
Despite knowing the high stakes, not many optimise their profile picture on LinkedIn. In fact majority of the pictures I see on LinkedIn today don’t even come close to the “professional” mark. This is not due to ignorance but due to the lack of a professionally clicked headshot in most cases. Not many have the chance to get themselves clicked in a super-smart professional attire against a regular background for the perfect profile picture.
But worry not, as Google’s Nano Banana is now here to rescue all such professionals. How? We will find in this article. Read on!
Table of contents
What is Google Nano Banana
Quick introduction for those not yet privy to Nano Banana – it is Google’s new AI image generation tool, which comes as the latest feature of its Gemini 2.5 Flash AI model. The interesting bit with Nano Banana, which we will be exploiting here as well, is that it is an image editing model, and not just an image generation model. It allows you to edit, add, subtract, and completely transform an existing image as well.
Using this, you can turn your existing photos into 3D figurines (here is how), turn your family photo into a royal portrait (know how), or even turn yourself into a retro rockstar straight from the 1980s (learn how).
Here, we will be using this feature of the Nano Banana to craft the perfect LinkedIn profile picture based on your existing image. Before I share the steps for that, here is what you need to keep in mind for an ideal LinkedIn profile picture.
Ideal LinkedIn Profile Picture
Your display picture is meant to be your calling card on LinkedIn. To have any sort of impact on the visitors to your profile, you need to have a profile image that shows the best of you. Here is what separates a great LinkedIn headshot from a forgettable one.
- Clear, Bright, and True to You: Skip the filters and heavy edits. Your face should be clearly visible, evenly lit, and sharp. Natural lighting works best and keeps you looking approachable and real.
- Professional, Not Stiff: You don’t need to look like you’re posing for a passport. A subtle smile or a relaxed expression works better than a forced grin. Aim for confidence without the corporate glare.
- Simple Background, Sharp Focus: Avoid cluttered or distracting backgrounds. Clean, soft tones or blurred office setups help keep the focus on you.
- Dress for the Role You Want: Your attire should match your professional identity. A CEO, a designer, and a developer won’t look the same, but all should look intentional.
- Consistent With Your Brand: Your photo should reflect your field and personality. A creative can afford bold colours; a consultant might prefer muted formals. The idea is to make your picture feel like your brand.
- Updated and Relevant: If your picture is older than your current job title, it is time for a new one. The goal is authenticity; people should recognise you instantly in a meeting or Zoom call.
Crafting the Perfect LinkedIn DP using Nano Banana
Now that we know the exact type of profile image we need for our LinkedIn profile, let us use Nano Banana to create one. Here are the steps to follow:
- Go to the Google Gemini website or open the Gemini app on your phone.
- Select the 2.5 Flash model from the dropdown menu on the top-left.
- In the prompt window, click on “Tools” and select the “Create images” option with the “banana icon” next to it from the list that appears.
- Upload your headshot or selfie using the “+” icon next to Tools, which lets you upload files.
- Use any of the prompts from below.
- Press Enter and let Nano Banana do its magic. Once the image is ready, you can tweak it further with follow-up prompts, or simply download it by clicking the Download icon on the top-right of the image.
Top Nano Banana Prompts For Best LinkedIn Profile Image
Here are some prompts, based on work profiles, you can use for your ideal LinkedIn profile picture.
1. The Executive Makeover
Prompt:
“Transform this image into a professional LinkedIn headshot. Ensure the person is looking directly at the camera with a confident yet approachable expression.
Replace their outfit with a tailored navy-blue suit over a crisp white shirt – an ultra-rich, classic, and corporate look.
Use soft, even lighting to enhance natural skin tones and add professional depth.
Replace the background with a minimalist, blurred office aesthetic. Show incoming light into the office from the massive glass panels at one side. Show a huge library at one end and a premium painting hanging at a distance
Make the entire headshot look super natural”
Output:
This prompt is perfect for you if you are in leadership, management, or client-facing roles. This gives your photo a crisp, boardroom-ready finish and shows a premium, executive energy, like you just stepped out of a strategy meeting where things went your way.
Best for: Founders, executives, consultants
2. The Startup Visionary
Prompt:
“Transform this image into a modern, professional LinkedIn headshot. Ensure the person is looking directly at the camera with an ambitious yet approachable expression.
Replace their outfit with smart-casual: a light grey/pastel shirt under a fitted charcoal or navy jacket – clean, modern, and founder-ready.
Use bright, natural daylight from large windows to create an energetic feel. Replace the background with a minimalist, blurred tech-office aesthetic: clean lines, a few out-of-focus monitors/workstations, matte metal accents, soft greys/blues, and a touch of greenery.
Keep facial features and proportions intact, preserve realistic skin texture, and apply subtle colour balance. Make the entire headshot look super natural.”
Output:
This one screams modern, startup, tech-savvy, and ambitious. It’s your go-to if you want your profile to say “I’m building the next big thing” without saying a word.
Best for: Product managers, engineers, and startup founders.
3. The Thought Leader Mode
Prompt:
“Transform this image into a professional LinkedIn headshot. Ensure the person is looking directly at the camera with a calm, reflective, confident expression.
Outfit: neutral turtleneck or a tailored blazer over a simple shirt – understated, editorial, intellectual.
Lighting: soft side-lighting with warm undertones and a gentle catchlight in the eyes.
Background: minimalist and blurred – a tasteful bookshelf at a distance with a few neutral spines, and a single abstract art frame; keep elements sparse and premium.
Maintain natural skin texture and accurate tones; add a very subtle vignette for focus. Make the headshot look super natural”
Output:
It’s that perfect balance between depth and credibility. You look like someone who writes, leads, and inspires. In short, someone worth following.
Best for: Strategists, writers, coaches, keynote speakers
4. The Creative Polished Look
“Transform this image into a professional LinkedIn headshot. Ensure the person is looking directly at the camera with a confident, relaxed expression.
Outfit: smart-creative – a tailored black/navy shirt or crew with clean lines; optional subtle accessory (e.g., minimalist watch).
Lighting: soft studio look with even illumination and gentle shadow falloff.
Background: premium minimalist gradient (light beige or soft teal), blurred and free of clutter; keep it elegant and modern.
Preserve realistic skin texture, accurate colour, and natural proportions. Make the headshot look super natural.”
Output:
If you work in branding, design, or marketing, this one helps you pop while keeping things sophisticated. It says “creative,” not “chaotic.”
Best for: Designers, marketers, visual creators
5. The Field Marshall
“Transform this image into a professional LinkedIn headshot. Ensure the person is looking directly at the camera with a confident, approachable smile.
Replace their outfit with a smart-casual field look – a crisp light shirt under an olive or tan utility jacket.
Use soft, natural daylight with warm tones to reflect an authentic outdoor vibe. Replace the background with a minimalist, blurred outdoor setting – faint greenery, sunlight filtering through trees, and muted earthy tones.
Keep facial features and proportions intact, preserve realistic skin texture, and make the overall headshot look super natural.”
Output:
This one is perfect for the on-site professionals who are almost never at a desk. The kind of portrait that says “I work where the action happens” without losing the refined, LinkedIn-worthy polish.
Best for: Environmental consultants, field engineers, architects, sustainability experts, travel creators.
Conclusion
Remember, your LinkedIn profile picture is a silent pitch for who you are and what you represent. With Google’s Nano Banana, you no longer need a professional studio or expensive shoot to look like your best self. A simple selfie, paired with the right prompt, can give you a headshot that radiates confidence, authenticity, and intent. Whether you’re a founder, a creator, or someone who works in the field, Nano Banana helps you show up like a pro in the digital world. Because on LinkedIn, opportunities don’t knock; they scroll. Make sure your profile image stops them in their tracks.
