How to plan a personal brand photo shoot.
Having a brand photo shoot is an incredibly positive investment for both your business and yourself. Professional imagery on your website and social media that show you off in an authentic way can build trust and engagement. I wrote an entire blog post about what brand photography is and why it’s important which you can read HERE!
But today I would love to share with you some insights into planning a brand photo shoot. I always spend time with my clients before a shoot to plan their sessions so they can make the most of our time together but I thought I would share some insights on the blog today on the planning process.
A good place to start is to think about how you want to use your brand photos.
Do you need the photos for a wide range of spaces? Website, blog, social media, LinkedIn? Or do you just need a few for your website. Knowing how and where you want to use the photos can help you decide what package you want for your brand photography and brand photographers will have a range of packages to suit most needs from mini sessions to full day sessions.
This question is also about the type of content you want to create. Do you need images that show you at work? So you can create content that shows and talks about what you do and how you help people. Or do you just need some amazing portraiture?
ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT TO SHOW UP.
It’s up to you how you want to be seen in your photos. I would always recommend keeping this authentic to yourself and your personality. Brand photography is a bit like online dating, if there is a disconnect between you and your photos your clients will notice and it could break down trust. This is something you should absolutely communicate to your photographer.
If you are a smiley, bubbly human then make sure they know that, if you don’t want to be laughing too much and maybe want a moodier feel also let them know this. It’s also ok to not follow the trends, don’t drink coffee? Then don’t have that typical coffee shop shot, same with the laptop photo.
It’s perfectly ok to not do what everyone else is doing, it will make you stand out. And your photographer should know all of this so they can help guide you both during the planning process and during the shoot.
This is a collaboration.
LOCATIONS.
Next you need to be thinking about where you want to do your brand photos. I am always for keeping things as authentic as possible so if you feel like your home or workspace is going to work for your brand then we should absolutely do that.
You might be thinking do I need an indoor location? And the answer is YES if you want business lifestyle images. These are the photos that show you at work, also indoor portraits are a great way of diversifying your images. Some people always think that we can just go into a cafe for these images but that just isn’t practical. Firstly we might not get a good spot, it might be really busy, it’s limiting in terms of angles and we might get kicked out.
Having an indoor location for brand shoots where we are doing more than portraits is really important.
If your home or office isn’t suitable then there are plenty of options for hire. Peerspace is an incredible resource and is basically the AirBnB for photoshoot locations that suit all kinds of budgets. There also a ton of photography studios in London that also offer lifestyle spaces. I always share my list of location options with my clients when we start the planning process and help them choose the right place.
HAIR & MAKEUP
This is super personal to you. I am going to say it: You don’t need to be someone who your not for your brand photo shoot. If you don’t usually wear makeup there is a chance that if you suddenly decide to wear a lot of makeup for a photo shoot that when you look at the photos you will feel a disconnect with yourself.
It’s perfectly ok to do your own makeup (I do for my photos) or even go barefaced if you prefer.
Same with hair. I personally love to get my hair done for my photos as it just gives me a little bit of confidence boost while still feeling like myself. But I would say to not get a haircut right before your shoot. I would give a few weeks space for that just incase you don’t like the cut. I know that when I get my fringe trimmed I don’t like it for about two weeks after so always bear that in mind if I know I am going to be photographed.
Your photographer will definitely be able to recommend some great people they have previously worked with for hair and makeup.
CLOTHING
So I am a big believer in having as many outfits as possible for your brand shoot. For my half day sessions I suggest 3-4 outfits and full day sessions 5-6 outfits. Your clothing is what makes the images diverse after your locations so it’s good to mix it up.
In terms of what to wear again I am just going to drive home authenticity. Pick clothing that feels like the best version of you and how you might show up for your clients. If you don’t wear dresses, don’t wear a dress. Feeling comfortable is also really important because if you feel awkward about what you are wearing that will show in the images and when you look at them you will feel a disconnect.
That being said, if you feel like it, it can be a lot of fun to finish the shoot on something a bit extra. Maybe that outfit you bought because you loved it but haven’t had anywhere to wear it. Now is the perfect excuse.
START WORKING ON YOUR SELF LOVE.
This probably the most IMPORTANT thing. Having your photo taken like this can be a very vulnerable experience. Most of us have issues with the way we look. Years of capitalist and patriarchal conditioning telling us that we aren’t enough. Well I can tell you right now that you are enough and you deserve to take up space but I also know that you might have a strong reaction to this process.
Because I have the same reactions when it comes to my own photos.
Ways to mitigate any negativity is to start empowering yourself. Explore body neutrality, try to talk to yourself more kindly or at least stop talking to or about yourself badly. You can also read more about this on a blog post I wrote recently about what I have learned from photographing over 500 women HERE.
If you are someone who has a uterus and menstruates then definitely think about planning to have your photo shoot when you are ovulating. I know that I feel a lot more confident about myself during this stage of my cycle than just before I bleed or while I am bleeding. This can definitely impact the results of photo shoots.
I hope you found all of this helpful!
If you haven’t found a brand photographer yet and would like to know more about working with me then you can find out more about how I work and my packages on the button below.