There are tons of apps and websites that will take your money and give you minimal control or choices when creating AI-generated professional photos. Most charge $20-50+ for a handful of generic portraits that might not even look like you.

I like to use FAL.AI to access all of their models and the ease of their APIs. But there are many different services (like Hugging Face) that you could use as well. What is very interesting is you could download and use many of these models locally on a gaming computer. So you could build your own custom models and render images completely free with a little time. However, since these models update and get better so fast, I found that it takes more time than I want to spend than just paying a few pennies to let them do it. Time is everything.

Here's how to do it for $2.43 with complete creative control over your results.

The Secret: Train Your Own LORA

The biggest initial cost is $2.40 for training your own LORA (Low-Rank Adaptation). A LORA is a compiled trained model based specifically on your face. You upload 5-7 images of yourself, give it about 10 minutes to process, and what you get in return is a SafeTensor file that's completely trained on the details of your unique features.

LORA training interface showing uploaded photos

You can train your LORA at: https://fal.ai/models/fal-ai/flux-lora-fast-training

Add a Trigger Word

One additional thing to add during training is a trigger word. Keep it one unique word - I use "JoeyJanisheck" for mine. When this word is presented with your LORA in a prompt, it makes sure to make you the feature of the image. It ties your LORA directly to your prompt, ensuring the AI knows exactly who to generate.

One-Time Investment

The SafeTensor file gets stored in the cloud and you'll receive a direct link to it. You can download it and save it locally, or just keep track of the URL so you can use it for custom portrait creation. This $2.40 investment is a one-time cost - you only need to do this once.

Generate Unlimited Professional Portraits

Now it's time to generate images of yourself in whatever style you want. The real power is in the prompt. The more descriptive you are, the better results you get. All you need to do is include your LORA URL in your request along with your trigger word and a detailed description of the camera, lighting, location, and style you want.

Generate portraits at: https://fal.ai/models/fal-ai/flux-lora

Professional portrait example - moody Dan Winters style

Sample Prompts That Work

Here are three different styles I've tested with excellent results:

Classic Timeless Style

JoeyJanisheck slightly smiling and wearing black sunglasses and an Armani black 3 piece suit in Classic portrait in the style of Irving Penn, subject placed in a tight corner of a textured paper backdrop, soft overhead lighting, timeless and sculptural look, camera slightly below eye level, neutral color palette, 85mm lens, f/5.6, still and composed pose

Moody Professional Style

JoeyJanisheck slightly smiling and wearing black sunglasses and an Armani black 3 piece suit in Moody and introspective portrait in the style of Dan Winters, subject seated, face partially in shadow, deep textures in background, Rembrandt lighting with strong falloff, subdued color grading, camera close-up at eye level, 70mm lens, f/4, quiet intensity

Vibrant surreal portrait with neon lighting

Vibrant Magazine Style

JoeyJanisheck slightly smiling and wearing black sunglasses and an Armani black 3 piece suit in Vibrant, surreal portrait with saturated neon lighting and pop-culture elements, high gloss set design, exaggerated pose, bold fashion, subject framed mid-action, camera slightly tilted or low angle, 35mm lens, f/1.4, glossy magazine aesthetic, hyperreal detail

Urban Mural

JoeyJanisheck slightly smiling and wearing sunglass and an Armani black 3 piece suit in Outdoor portrait with urban mural or colorful architecture as background, subject relaxed, walking or candid pose, backlit with lens flare, light color grading, natural bounce fill, camera slightly tilted for energy, 28mm lens, f/2.2, wide angle bokeh

Why This Approach Wins

Unlike those expensive portrait services that give you 10-20 pre-generated options, this method gives you:

Complete Creative Control: You write the prompts, you choose the style, lighting, and mood
Unlimited Generations: Each additional portrait costs just $0.03
Professional Quality: Results rival expensive photography sessions
Instant Results: No waiting days for a photographer's schedule
Consistent Quality: Your LORA ensures every portrait actually looks like you

The Technical Advantage

The key difference is that you own your LORA model. Other services use generic models that approximate faces - your LORA is trained specifically on your unique features. This means better accuracy, more consistent results, and the ability to generate portraits that actually capture your likeness.

The SafeTensor file contains all the learned patterns about your face, expressions, and features. It's like having a personal AI photographer who knows exactly how to capture your best angles.

Cost Breakdown

LORA Training: $2.40 (one-time cost)
Each Portrait Generation: $0.03
Total for First Portrait: $2.43
Additional Portraits: $0.03 each

Compare this to services charging $30-100 for a handful of generic portraits with no customization options.

Adding Credits to Your Account

Before you start generating portraits, you'll need to add some credits to your fal.ai account. I typically keep $10 loaded up in my account, which gives me plenty of runway for experimentation.

Add credits at: https://fal.ai/dashboard/billing

At $0.03 per image, $10 in credits allows you to generate over 330 portraits. That's more than enough to:

Test different prompt variations and styles
Generate multiple options for each look you want
Experiment with different photography styles and lighting
Create portraits for various professional contexts (LinkedIn, company website, speaking engagements)
Have plenty left over for future portrait needs

The beauty of this approach is that you're not locked into a subscription or package deal. You only pay for what you generate, and with credits loaded in your account, you can iterate quickly to get exactly the results you want.

Pro Tips for Better Results

Training Photos: Use 5-7 high-quality photos with good lighting and different angles
Unique Trigger Word: Make it memorable and unique to avoid conflicts
Detailed Prompts: Include camera settings, lighting style, and mood descriptors
Reference Photographers: Mention specific photography styles (Dan Winters, Irving Penn, etc.)
Iterate: Generate multiple versions and refine your prompts based on results

This approach puts professional-quality portrait generation directly in your hands. No more settling for generic results or paying premium prices for limited options. Train once, generate unlimited professional portraits for LinkedIn, social media, or any professional use case.

The future of professional photography is here, and it costs $2.43 to get started.

Monteiro Time

Monteiro Time

JULY 24, 2020

My Summer at Steve Jackson Games

A Gen X Night with Douglas Coupland in Austin, 1993

Generate Professional LinkedIn Portraits for $2.43 Using AI

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