Earlier this week I wrote about why I love to photograph personal brand photoshoots. They are so much fun, and help entrepreneurs SO much with their branding and marketing! Today I’m sharing tips on how to prepare for your personal brand photoshoot. Whether you’re just launching your business or have been around for a few years, these tips and tricks will help you curate your brand, connect with your audience, and share your story!
About a Personal Brand Photoshoot
My personal brand photoshoots have three aspects to them that are vitally important to your brand and marketing. These are Portrait, Lifestyle, and Product.
The first aspect, portrait, is important because it personalizes your brand! Sharing your face and your story is perhaps the most important element in connecting with your audience. The portrait allows people to get to know you and connect with you!
The second aspect, lifestyle, is important because it shares the what, how, and why of your business. Lifestyle images tell the story behind you and your business. They show more of your personality, and enhances the portraits because they show more of who you are, and what your business is about. They can also show behind the scenes of how the product is made, and what work goes on behind the curtains.
The third aspect, product, is important because in today’s digital age, pictures are what sell the products. The importance of having professional product photos can’t be understated! They highlight the best aspects of your product, how that product can help your ideal customer, and show them in the best light. Professional photos of your product will build trust and credibility behind your brand.
Typically, my personal brand photoshoots include a one hour portrait/lifestyle session – usually at a studio or location of your choice. I have plenty of good suggestions to help guide you in choosing a location, though! After the session, I will bring your products home with me to photograph them. You can expect to have your photos back within two weeks!
Now that you know what a personal brand photoshoot entails, let’s get into the nitty gritty of preparing for it!
Tips for Preparing your Personal Brand Photoshoot
Research & Gather Inspiration
The first thing thing you need to know is what style you want for your brand! Put together a Pinterest board of inspirational photos you can share with your photographer, to help them get an idea of what kind of look you are going for. The style of your brand will determine the location, wardrobe, props, and the details of your photoshoot – so this is the most important thing to start with!
Plan the Details
After determining the style & look your going for, put together the details! Plan out which location you think would be best, what wardrobe you’re going to wear, and what props you’re going to need. What outfits do you want to use for your headshots, and for your lifestyle portraits? Do you want to show some of the behind the scenes of your business? What props do you need to bring for that? What details will help you tell your brand story? Remember, talking with your photographer can help you decide which locations & outfits & props would be best!
Download this free printable checklist here!
Create Your Wardrobe
For personal brand shoots, I recommend bringing three outfits to use during your shoot. This will help you have variety in your photos to use on your website and in social media marketing! Also think about what outfits you would like to wear in which shots. For example, if you’re a painter, you can wear professional business attire in your headshots, but your painting clothes or apron in your behind the scenes.
Practice
Before the day of the shoot, go through your gathered props and wardrobe to make sure you have everything you need. Another helpful thing to do is make a list of essential shots you need for your marketing! For example, do you need a large horizontal image for your home page on your website? Do you need instagram squares? Do you need a nice vertical portrait for your about page? Thinking of these details of what you need will help you get the most out of your session!
The Big Day
The day of the photoshoot is so important! Give yourself plenty of time to get ready and arrive to the location on time. Get yourself pumped and ready to do this. Listen to your favorite music, get your hair or nails done, and enjoy the session!
Free Guide
To help you get the most out of your personal branding session, I created a free guide for you to read and follow. This guide gives you a step by step plan, and gives more in-depth advice.
