Essential Prep Tips for Your Personal Branding Photoshoot
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or not know where to start when it’s time to prep for your Personal Branding Photoshoot. Ideally you want to have a lead time of 4 to 6 weeks – you can definitely do a shorter timeframe, but this gives you the time to get all of your ducks in a row with the least amount of stress
What is your Brand’s Essence?
Reflect on your brand's core values and messages: Take some time to write down what your brand stands for. Think about how you want your ideal client to feel when they see your branding and headshot images. This could include qualities like professionalism, creativity, warmth, or innovation.
Define the vibe you want to convey in your photos: Think about the overall mood you want your images to evoke. Are you aiming for a casual, approachable feel or something more polished and formal? Look at inspiration from other brands to help clarify your vision. Some vibe words to get you started are: modern, light-hearted, casual, bold, organic, original, caring, authoritative, or even empowering.
What Should you Wear?
Choose outfits that align with your brand personality: For example, if your brand is down-to-earth you’ll probably be gathering jeans and some casual tops; if it's luxury-oriented, you’ll want to go for elegant, high-quality fabrics. The idea is to be relatable to the clients that you are trying to attract.
Select pieces that feel like the “real you” that make you feel confident and comfortable. Ask yourself what would I wear if I were to be meeting or working with a client? And though I did mention comfortable – if you gravitate towards flowy clothes you’ll actually want to opt for more fitted clothing for a photo shoot. A photo grabs a moment in time and flowy clothes can look shapeless.
Unless it has something to do with your brand, avoid overly bright, unique, or memorable clothing if you want to get a lot of use out of your images. Neutrals will pull attention to you – and that’s what we’re going for – a connection with your audience.
Your session length time will usually dictate how many outfits you will need to bring. I recommend bringing one extra just in case and to also not bring two outfits in the same color – this will give you more variety in your branding images. And last tip – avoid clothing that is hard to change in and out of with your finished hair and makeup – like a turtleneck!
Location, Location, Location!
Decide on a location that resonates with your brand identity: Choose a setting that aligns with your brand story, whether it's a modern urban environment, a work environment, or a versatile studio. You can look for spaces through Peerspace and Home Studio List as well – these are like the air-bnbs of photo shoot rentals for small business branding photography. Your location should enhance the message you want to convey.
A professional Personal Brand Photographer will have some location ideas and sites that they can recommend. You and your photographer can brainstorm various settings that could work well. One important factor is to find a location (or more than one) that offer variety for different shots: Look for places that provide multiple angles and scenes, such as a kitchen, living room, and office area. This variety will give you more images to choose from.
Props with Purpose
You’ll want to select meaningful props that enhance your brand story: Choose items that relate to your brand, such as tools of your trade, favorite books, or other personal items that tell your story. These props should add context to your photos.
Honestly, I do like to include props because they also give you something to do with your hands in a natural way – think holding a drink or your laptop. When my clients fill out their questionnaires and we hold our shoot plan calls, we always discuss story ideas and that helps to develop a prop list to tell those stories.
Hair and Makeup
Schedule appointments for hair, makeup, and nails in advance. Anything you can do ahead of your brand session day should be done early. Don’t be trying to paint your nails while you through clothes and props into your car! Also, on the day of the shoot if you’re having your makeup professionally done off-site plan to be out of that appointment at least an hour and a half before the shoot start time.
I do believe that professional makeup is worth the investment and I have makeup artists that I refer to my clients. The best way to describe what you need for branding photos is “natural glam” with eyelashes. And for photography purposes let your artist know this is for a photoshoot rather than an event. Ask for a matte finish – now dewy!
I find that a lot of my clients like to do their own hair and have a certain way of doing it themselves, but many certainly do opt for professional hair and makeup on the day of.
Hydrate your skin and get plenty of rest before the shoot: Taking care of your skin by drinking water and getting enough sleep will help you look fresh and relaxed on the day of the shoot. Avoiding stress by following this checklist and planning ahead!
Communicate with Your Brand Photographer
If you’re working with a Professional Branding Photographer they should walk you through a set of questions or give you a questionnaire at the beginning of the process to get to know your business and goals when planning your shoot. You’ll want to share your inspiration, mood board, and any specific ideas you have for the shoot so your photographer can understand your expectations.
You photographer will have valuable insights based on their experience and help make planning easy for you.
Be Confident – You’ve Got This!
Embrace your uniqueness – that’s what will attract your dream clients. Remember that authenticity is attractive. Your photographer should guide you through easy and flattering poses while they keep your mind off of the fact that you are in the middle of a photoshoot! You won’t have time to get inside your head because you will be having so much fun.
For any pre-shoot nerves: Consider techniques like deep breathing, visualization, or even a short meditation to calm your nerves. Feeling relaxed will help you connect with the camera and get those photos that you want and need for your business!
Final Prep
This tip is not to be missed: Finalize the packing of your outfits and props the day before!! Do not skip this step – you’ll thank me later! Organize everything you’ll need in advance to avoid any last-minute stress. Iron and place your outfits in garment bags on hangers, place the accessories and shoes for each outfit in their own bag, and ensure all props are packed and ready to go. It’s a really good idea to go ahead and put your clothes, accessories, and props into your car the night before.
Confirm the shoot time and location with your photographer: Double-check all details to ensure everyone is on the same page. Have the address already input into your phone – and leave early. Nothing is more stressful than running late and getting caught up in traffic.
Get a good night's sleep before the big day: Prioritize rest to ensure you feel energetic and focused. A good night’s sleep will help you approach the shoot ready to go
I hope that you found these tips useful. When working with clients, I supply a shoot plan guide full of information, a checklist, and a packing list customized to their photoshoot and they find it soooo helpful. Prepping in advance and being organized for your shoot will go a long way towards making your shoot day stress free. With proper preparation you’ll get to your shoot relaxed with time to grab a coffee or treat on the way in because your hair and makeup will be done early - and your clothes and props will be organized and packed in your car.
If you have any questions or are looking for a Phoenix Branding Photographer click here so we can discuss ideas!
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