Do you know that you need new brand photography photos but don’t know exactly what kind? I hear this ALL the time! It’s very important that we figure out what type of photos you need and want for your professional brand photography session before the day of the shoot. There must be an actual purpose in mind to get the most of your investment. Whether that be to showcase your skills and work, personality, the unique experience you offer… or all of the above.
The Pretty Unfiltered Podcast Brand Session
Sarah from “The Pretty Unfiltered Podcast” reached out to me knowing she wanted sophisticated headshot images to use for her social media and podcast cover. All with aesthetically pleasing neutral colors of ivory and beige.
Before her brand photography session during our planning consultation call, I asked her a few different questions to get more insight into what her vision was. I wanted to make sure that her images had the look and feel she was wanting.
I asked her where she was going to use these images so I could determine the best composition and orientation for the images. As well as the topics she would be covering on her podcast to determine what type of mood the images needed to be, having fun and joy-filled images would not be suitable if she was going to be talking about serious or intense topics, and lastly, we talked about her brand colors to determine the best studio location and her outfits.
Sarah mentioned to me that she was going to be using these images to create her podcast cover and market her podcast on Instagram. This told me immediately that I would be primarily taking portrait-oriented images as well as some with negative space off to one side so she could add a text or logo overlay. We also discussed that her podcasts were going to be about breaking free from societal norms, gender roles, and beauty ideals so she wanted images that portrayed her sophistication but also her approachable and down-to-earth personality so a mix of moods would be necessary but nothing over the top happy.
Now I knew Sarah wasn’t going to have any issue with picking out outfits to fit her brand and the location as I’ve done family portraits for Sarah a few times and I knew this was one area she always kills it. She (and her husband) have the gift of choosing the best outfits for any given setting. Sarah’s brand colors for her podcast would be neutrals with ivory and beige. As you can see she once again chose perfectly with just enough contrast to pop while still maintaining a neutral overall tone.
As you may have noticed, having a brand photographer who asks these questions is very important as it helps envision the type of brand photography photos you want to represent your business. Not only do you want to be asking the right questions, but you should also think about a couple of other important topics that will help you showcase your brand as best as possible!
Here are my top tips to help you do just that!
Target Market & Ideal Client
Make sure you understand your target market and ideal client! By narrowing down and identifying your dream client you’ll be able to speak directly to them through your photos by visually capturing your personality and the message you want them to hear.
Photo Usage
Know where and how you’ll be using your photos! Are you going to use your photos for your social media, website, or ads? Knowing how you’ll be using your brand photos will help your photographer know the best compositions based on where you will be using them!
Save Inspiring Photos
Before you have a professional branding session, start collecting photos you see that inspire you. Whether it’s the poses, location, vibe, or props … save those photos to help convey the types of images you like!
Whether you have already done all of these steps or none at all, if you are looking for a brand photographer that will help and guide you every step of the way, contact me through my website!
And check out my blog on 3 Must-Know Things Before You Book a Branding Photoshoot to prepare you even more before booking your branding photoshoot.
