An Architect Headshot on the Lagoon Plateau

The Lagoon Plateau register

Abidjan is a city on a lagoon, called the Manhattan of West Africa: a plateau of glass and concrete towers from the seventies rising above the water, a cathedral like a sail, bridges across the lagoon, and a humid grey-white light. The pack puts the architect there in a charcoal wool suit over a pale grey silk blouse, grey in every value from pale haze to charcoal concrete.

She stands before a wall of grey concrete and glass, soft behind her, the humid light from one side with a catchlight in each eye. She rests a hand on the lagoon's rail, the towers soft across the water. And at half-length she stands on the waterfront while the plateau's towers rise behind her above the lagoon with the cathedral's sail among them. The mood is a woman dressed in the grey her city's plateau was built in.

What comes out is photographic: nine photos of you, three in each of three settings, in the look of Abidjan. The place and the wardrobe are borrowed as a setting; the photos are portraits of you, not pictures taken there.

How to photograph yourself for a architect headshot

Better source photos make better portraits. An ordinary phone photo is enough, and a few habits sharpen the likeness.

1. Even, soft lightStand near a window with daylight on your face. Avoid overhead bulbs and phone flash, which flatten a face.
2. Front or three-quarter angleCamera at eye level, facing it or turned slightly. No shot from below, no stretched arm.
3. Face fully clearHair off the face, no sunglasses and no filters. A clear, front-facing phone photo is the best starting point.
4. A level, composed lookA architect's portrait should read as calm and attentive. A steady expression in your source photo carries over best.
5. A plain background is fineDo not worry about your own backdrop. The pack replaces it entirely.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a real photo taken in Abidjan?

No. It is a portrait of you set in the look of Abidjan. It is not a picture taken there.

Will it look like a real photograph?

Yes. Every photo is photoreal: a real-looking photograph of you, not a painting or a cartoon, in the look of Abidjan.

Is it right for architects and engineers?

Yes. It suits architects, urban planners, structural engineers and project leads, for a practice website, a tender, a conference programme or an author photo.

Is grey too severe for a headshot?

Grey is the register of the plateau's modernism. Charcoal wool over a pale silk blouse reads clear and confident, softened by the humid light.

Is this pack for women?

The wardrobe and styling are cut for women, so the pack reads that way. Other packs on Narcis suit other looks.

Will the photos look like me?

Every photo looks like you, well photographed. If one is nearly right, say what to change, in your own words.

Do I have to write a prompt?

No. There is nothing to write: you pick a pack, and it is ready in seconds.

How many photos of myself do I add?

Between six and twenty, from different days and in different light, with your face clear. We check each one when you add it.

What happens to the photos I add?

They are used only to create your model, on our own servers in the European Union. They are not shared and not sold.

When this pack fits

• An architect headshot for a practice website
• A professional headshot for women in design and building
• A speaker photo for an architecture conference
• An author photo for a book on modern cities
• A competition and tender biography portrait
• A profile picture in lagoon grey
• A gift for an architect

About narcis

Most AI photo tools put every pose, job, era, and style in one giant catalog. The photos all look like every other AI photo on the internet — a glaze over a stock face. Narcis goes the other way. One job: photos of you that look like photographs. You add at least 6 photos of yourself, and we create your AI model from them. Your photos are ready in a few hours, and we email you when they are. Then this pack and every other pack on Narcis can be made with your face. Each pack is curated against real references — paintings, photographers, places — and tested on real faces before it goes live. Built and run by one small team, on our own servers.