A Founder Headshot at the Spring Pool

The Spring Pool register

In Austin, Texas, the spring-fed pool in Zilker Park has water that rises cold and jade-green over a limestone bed all year, under pecan trees, and the city's founders swim there before work. The pack puts the founder at the spring. The water is one spring jade, and a jade-green linen shirt with the sleeves rolled joins it.

He stands on the limestone edge of the pool with the jade water soft and luminous behind him, sits on the grassy bank with his forearms on his knees and the far trees behind, and stands on the stone deck as the long pool stretches away green and clear to the diving board and the old bathhouse. The light is early sun through the pecan leaves, dappled on the water. The mood is a man who starts his company's day in the coldest, clearest water in Texas.

What comes out is photographic: nine photos of you, three in each of three settings, in the look of Barton Springs. 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 founder 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 relaxed, bright lookA founder's portrait should read as someone you would take a call from. An easy, open 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 at Barton Springs?

No. It is a portrait of you set in the look of Barton Springs. 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 in the look of Barton Springs, not a painting or a cartoon.

Is it right for founders and startup teams?

Yes. It suits founders, co-founders, indie makers, consultants and small business owners, for a company page, a pitch deck, an investor profile or a launch announcement.

Why jade?

The pool is spring-fed limestone, and the water shows a clear green. A linen shirt in that green puts the portrait in the water's colour, with the leaves and stone as the neutrals.

Is this pack for men?

The wardrobe and styling are cut for men, 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

• A founder headshot for a company or about page
• A startup founder portrait for a pitch deck or investor profile
• An entrepreneur headshot for a launch announcement
• A podcast guest or speaker bio photo
• A profile picture with cool morning light
• A framed print in jade and limestone
• A gift for a friend starting a company

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.