5 steps to a stress-free branding photoshoot
Have you booked your personal branding shoot and don’t know what to do next? The following 5 easy steps will help you figure out exactly what you want to achieve in your photography session and how to have a stress-free branding photoshoot.
Know your personal brand
The first and most important step in preparing for your brand shoot is to know your brand. Sounds simple, right?!
If you take some time to think about it, you may realise that despite knowing your brand intimately, you might find it harder to vocalise it. To get the best pictures, you need to explain your personal brand and how you want it presented. Use some of the below questions as a starting point to knowing your brand:
- Who is your ideal customer?
- How do you want your customers to feel when they see your photographs?
- What makes you unique?
- What is your brand’s personality? Think is it formal, informal, approachable, warm, elegant, rustic, etc.
Create a Brand Vision board
Once you have taken some time to think it through, it’s time to create a visual inspiration board or vision board, which can be made either digitally or physically. If you’re working with a branding agency to create a new brand for you, this is usually part of the process. You can share it with your photographer to help keep the look and feel that you’re going for for your brand in mind.
Alternatively, Pinterest is always your friend! Create a shared board and pin loads of pictures you like, both from businesses and general aesthetics, such as colours, textures, shapes and details. This will help you, your photographer and your stylist if you choose to have one, know what style you want to achieve for your personal branding.
With the help of your vision board, you’ll also be able to shape the look and feel of your session, by picking the right outfits, details, products to bring, and locations too.
Are you looking for a Brand Photographer who can help you create impactful images that feel like you?
I can help. I love working with entrepreneurs from all walks of life to help them be more visible and grow in a strategic and collaborative way. My working style is relaxed, warm and fun while we work together to create images that show you and your brand off at their best. Click the button to find out more, or schedule a discovery call if you’d like to have a chat.
Plan where you will use your photographs
Work out what and where you need photographs for. If you need a lot of images for your website and headers, you will need a good mixture of landscape and portrait photographs. Do you need a panoramic for a website banner? Do you need images that will work great on social media squares? Are you looking for professional headshots for linkedin? Would you like flatlays of your products, or lifestyle portraits of you interacting with your clients? Are you putting together a brochure, flyer or a prospectus? The more information you can provide, the better you and your photographer will be prepared, and the smoother your day will run!
Location, location, location
You probably started thinking about a location when you created your brand board. Do you need a visually pleasing location? A small charming café? If so, will you need someone to sit with chatting over a coffee? Your workshop, office, or home? Would you like a combination of indoor and outdoor locations?
The possibilities are endless, but only some of these will be perfect for your personal brand. Here’s 4 location picking tips to help you decide which would be best for your business.
Also, consider if you need specific props, or will the background do the talking?
Props & Outfits
Head over to my blog post on how to choose your outfit for your photoshoot to read it all in detail, but in short, your outfit, hair and makeup can make such a difference to how comfortable and happy with your look you are on the day of your brand photo session.
There’s nothing worse than turning up on the day and feeling uncomfortable in your skin. How many outfits do you need? There’s no set number, but they should work together with the other elements of your brand to tell your story, show your personality and convince your clients that they have to work with you.
The same goes for your props. Do you have branded items, tools of your trade, stationery or any other on-brand props that would be great to show in flatlays or lifestyle working images?
I hope this quick guide has helped you work out your brand and expectations for your branding shoot. Knowing these details will mean you can relax and have fun on the day, letting your confidence and personality shine!
Let’s chat if you want to learn more about branding shoots, or if you’d like to talk through your ideas.
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