BRANDING
All you need to know before your branding shoot
The difference between headshots & branding Photos
A brand session is all about capturing the personality and heart behind your business. With headshots, the focus is simply capturing your portrait, most often on a plain background. With a branding session we'll still grab a few headshots for you to use in your business, but we dive deeper into the story of what you do and why you do it! We capture the details of your business, lifestyle photos, photos of you in action, your products etc. We'll customize your session to the type of business you run and the story you wish to tell about your brand through your photos.
Preperation:
I. Choosing Locations.
The best tip I can give you for choosing locations is to start by deciding what kind of story you want to tell, and then build your selections around that. Choosing the location of your business is an obvious great choice, but if that isn't possible then you can focus on environments where you outwork your passions. This might be where you work behind the scenes, or where you go when you're off the clock and just living normal life. You may even find the perfect location is simply in your own home, a creative space or a cool coffee shop downtown. Ideally if indoors we'll be somewhere with plenty of natural light as these locations will produce the best photos. If you don't have anything specific in mind, studios, coffee shops, hotels, or co-working spaces are often great places to start.
II. Using Props.
You'll also want to think about what props you can incorporate to bring your location to life and add depth to the story. Props can be anything you interact with to do your work or that you use day-to-day life.
A few things you can do with props:
- Incorporate your brand colors.
- Show unique things about you that customers might not know.
- Create connections with potential clients, by showcasing items you both resonate with.
- Add a few items that show your passions and values outside the workplace (passport, camera, mountain bike – The sky is the limit!).
III. What to wear.
Of all the factors in your shoot, nothing affects the mood & character you give off more than your choice of outfit. That's why its important to choose outfits that suit your personality and your brand. The better your clothing fits to your body, the better you will look and feel in your photos. In general aim for simple patterns and more muted colors. Take a few selfies in your outfits to get a feel for how you look. I'm also happy to provide some feedback if you need help choosing!
Hair & Makeup – If you really want to maximize your photos, I'd highly suggest working with a professional hairstylist and or makeup artist to ensure you look your very best.
IV. Inspirations & Shot lists.
At this point you and I will have already had done your brand discovery, and now are in the planning stages of your shoot. This means that you will have been sent a Pinterest board for us to pin images we love and think will work well with your brand story. This is such a critical step in our planning process, as it gives me an idea of what you are looking for and ensures we are on the same page before you step in front of my camera. About a week before our shoot, I will create a custom mood board and shot list based on the information and inspirations you have provided for me.
What to wear Continued
I find that the #1 thing people stress about before their shoot is what to wear! Every time I have my own photos taken, I struggle with this too, so I get it! Over the years of photographing fellow women in business, I’ve gathered some guidelines to help my clients choose outfits that not only look great in photos but also make them feel amazing.
Before you explore the examples I’ve collected in this post, here are a couple of my essential guidelines to keep in mind when deciding what to wear for your branding photo shoot!
- My most important tip: wear what you’re comfortable in and LOVE wearing! Don’t buy a new outfit the night before your shoot and expect to feel amazing in it. Wear your outfit options around, take iPhone photos, and test them out!
- Bring options! For a 1-hour shoot, I encourage clients to bring at least 2 options, one casual and one more formal. For a 2-hour shoot, we can shoot 2-4 looks. Peruse the examples below to see what I’m talking about!
More likely than not (especially if you’re an entrepreneur!) you’re not wearing a blazer and trousers to work every day. You might be in your yoga pants and a cozy sweater! Or you might wear comfy jeans and a blouse. Think about what you truly wear in your day-to-day. You can always dress it up or down for a variety of looks!
If part or all of your business has you wearing formal clothing, bring that as an option! You can always throw a blazer over a top or wear your fanciest dress. Consider what feels like the correct tone for your business. Do you often meet with clients in a blazer? Awesome! Bring one along. Are you running from event to event in a dress? Put on your favourite one. You might as well take advantage of this whole photoshoot thing and put on your favourite fancy look!
