Choosing the ideal location for your personal branding photographs might feel like an overwhelming task. I mean, where do you even start? But it really shouldn’t be! I have photographed businesses across a wide range of Kent and London locations and beyond, and would love to help you pick the perfect place for your brand photography shoot. The goal is to pick somewhere which complements your business, your brand and your personality, so keep reading for more.
Office Location
The most obvious location is your office, home office or studio. Your workspace reflects your personality and brand’s style, so this can be the perfect option. If your home/office isn’t the most aesthetic (think bright or tidy) place, because life and orders come in the way, there are easy ways around this. Coworking spaces or spaces for rent are a good option, which can be found on www.airbnb.com, www.scouty.com and www.tagvenue.com. These can capture the spirit of your workspace, while often offering a calm, tidy environment with beautiful natural light.
Coffee Shop Shoots
If you want to reflect more of a laidback personality and brand in your photographs, cafes, coffee shops, and cocktail lounges provide the perfect backdrop. If they are naturally a place you are likely to meet your clients, you could rope in a current client, friend, or supplier to play the client role. If you are not one for posing (and neither am I!), then images of you working at your laptop, phone, with your products or the parts thereof, or just drinking coffee can be the ideal route to go down. You should call beforehand to see if you need to book a space, if not, you may run the risk of it being very busy.
Not Sure Where Your Shoot Should Be?
Choosing the right location is part of the planning process and you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Every brand photography session includes location planning, so we choose somewhere that aligns with your brand, your audience and the kind of story you want your images to tell.
If you’d like to see how the full process works (from planning to final gallery), download the brochure for a clear breakdown of what’s included.
Outdoor photoshoots
I love outdoor locations! Depending on the weather, they can provide perfect natural lighting and are usually free. Depending on the location and time of day you might need to juggle around other members of the public, but photographs taken at a beautiful blooming garden, in front of some wonderful street art, or simply in the city or village where you work are well worth it to set the tone and give context to your brand. If you are looking for some natural light with your branding photos, this is one to consider.
Workshop & Studio photographs
If you are a craftsperson or a creative, there’s no better place to take your photographs than your workshop, studio, or workspace! Detail shots of your tools and action shots of you creating or handling your product are always fantastic and can be used across your website and social media accounts. Showing how and where the magic happens can help sell your branding story and is perfect for those essential product flat lays.
Personal branding considerations
I have previously discussed picking the right outfits for your branding shoot and the importance of feeling comfortable. Keep these in mind when you choose the location(s) for your personal branding session too. It’s also always a good idea to consider at least a couple of locations for your session to get a good variety of photos that you can use for longer and across different media.
If you get nervous about having your photograph taken where people can see you, try not to pick a busy cafe or outdoor location at a busy time. Your branding session should feel supportive, not stressful. Confidence and comfortable ease are what we’re looking to achieve.
Another thing to keep in mind is the season during which you have your photos taken. Different seasons will greatly affect the amount of natural light available and will drastically change any outdoor space and the look and feel of your photos. If you love more than one season, you can always book into one of my seasonal mini branding sessions (like this winter mini session) the next time they come around to add to your image library and add another look and season to your set.
Overall, you want your personal branding photos to visually show you and your business brand at its best. Your brand images should tell the story of you and give people an idea of what to expect when they reach out to you. So, ultimately, the best way to show them who you are is to pick somewhere you love and then just have fun with it!
Bringing It All Together
The perfect location isn’t about trendiness or aesthetics alone, it’s about alignment. When your surroundings reflect your personality and your business values, your images instantly feel more natural and more powerful.
If you’re considering a personal branding session and want help planning the right setting, downloading the brochure is the best place to start.
If you’d prefer to talk through ideas first, you can book a discovery call.
And if you’re still gathering inspiration, you’re welcome to join my newsletter for practical visibility and branding insights.
