If you're looking to create a customized LinkedIn banner, many design tools have templates available, so all you need to do is edit the text with your own info. To avoid having the same image that a zillion other people have, use more specific, descriptive words when searching, such as 'minimalistic green desk' or 'black and white NYC skyline.' If you go the stock image route, I'd recommend sourcing from free stock image websites to be sure you're allowed to use the photo you choose. If you're using a photo taken from an iPhone, tap the icon that looks like a lowercase 'i' in a circle to check the resolution and pixel size.
Just be sure it's decent quality and doesn't appear blurry when you upload it. Using a photo you've taken is probably the easiest (and most personal) way to get something up on your profile-and you don't need to be a photographer or graphic designer to do it.
Where should you go about finding these images? Here are a few options.
Where to source images for your LinkedIn banner
