diff --git a/backend/participants/migrations/0011_alter_participant_photo.py b/backend/participants/migrations/0011_alter_participant_photo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c7072226a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/participants/migrations/0011_alter_participant_photo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 5.1.1 on 2024-10-06 23:03
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('participants', '0010_alter_participant_photo_file'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='participant',
+            name='photo',
+            field=models.TextField(blank=True, null=True, verbose_name='photo'),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/backend/participants/models.py b/backend/participants/models.py
index 01b4f0d361..31a68a03f6 100644
--- a/backend/participants/models.py
+++ b/backend/participants/models.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class SpeakerLevels(models.TextChoices):
     )
 
     public_profile = models.BooleanField(_("public profile"), default=False)
-    photo = models.TextField(_("photo"))
+    photo = models.TextField(_("photo"), null=True, blank=True)
     photo_file = models.ForeignKey(
         "files_upload.File",
         on_delete=models.PROTECT,