The Crew Headshot That Gets You Shortlisted

What captains see in two seconds, and how to take a professional crew photo without a studio.

The Crew Atelier · 4 min read

Why it matters

Crew CVs carry a photo. It is not vanity — captains are assessing presentation standards for a guest-facing role.

The formula

Plain, light background
Head and shoulders, centred, eyes to camera
Crew whites or a plain white polo
Natural light, no direct sun, no shadows across the face
Neutral, warm expression

Avoid

Sunglasses, holiday backgrounds, group shots cropped down, filters, visible phone reflections, and photos more than two years old.

Grooming

Hair tied back and off the face, minimal jewellery, clean tidy nails, discreet makeup. Visible tattoos are increasingly accepted but check the boat's policy before you assume.

Technical

Portrait orientation, high resolution, exported as JPG under 2MB. Name the file with your full name and role.

One photo, everywhere

Use the same headshot on your CV, agency profiles and LinkedIn. Consistency makes you easier to remember.