How to Plan a Branding Photo Shoot | Boston Branding Photographer
For every creative entrepreneur, there comes a moment where you just know you need to up-level your image.
It usually sneaks up on you slowly—you realize that spur-of-the-moment phone images just aren’t going to hack it for your social media and website. Perhaps you’ve been asked for photos from magazines or big websites. Whatever the case may be, it’s time.
Does that sound familiar?
If you’re in the process of getting ready for a personal branding photo shoot, whether with me or with another photographer, here are my top tips to making sure it’s a success, featuring photos from a wildly successful shoot with happiness coach Angela Reiner of The Flourishing Co.
Understand Your Ideal Client
I’m a huge marketing nerd (I worked in marketing for years before going full-time with photography!), and one of the first rules of the industry is this: know who you’re serving. Create a client avatar so that you know exactly who you’re speaking to.
This is something that I work on with my personal branding clients up front so that we can gather inspiration and create the kind of images that their audience will eat right up!
With Angela, we know that her ideal client is a woman who owns and embraces her femininity and strength, and who is looking for balance in her life. Understanding that, we took inspiration from brands that are speaking to the same ideal client and created Pinterest-worthy images geared toward her.
Incorporate Your Brand Colors
Do you know your brand colors? If not, it might be time to choose some so that your brand is instantly visually recognizable.
Angela worked with the branding agency Infinite Reach Media, and together they identified a palette that feels organic and elegant. We were then able to choose outfits and spaces that incorporated those colors. We were also on the lookout for things within the environment that clashed with Angela’s brand colors.
The result: photos that feel cohesive and on-brand even though they’re spread out across multiple locations.
Think Ahead
What will these photos be used for? Yes, you’ll want to fill up those little squares with beauty on Instagram, but what else? Here are some things that you might need imagery for:
Your website
Email newsletters
Pop up boxes
TV/magazine/newspaper media opportunities
Printed materials (brochures, business cards, etc.)
Blog posts
With these things in mind, your photographer will be able to create images that are appropriate for each of these purposes.
For example, I created some images for Angela that include a lot of negative space, in case she needs to have text in that area for a magazine interview or workshop offering. We also brainstormed blog post and newsletter topics so that she could gather props and items that might align with those themes.
Are you interested in planning a branding photo shoot? I would love to work with you to take your brand to the next level! From ideation to wardrobe to execution, I consider myself a part of my clients’ dream team.
P.S. Branding mini sessions will be held on September 22, 2019 at Orange Door Kitchen in Acton, Massachusetts! Only six spots are available and they’re already half full, so please get in touch ASAP if you’d like a spot.