How a Personal Branding Session is Different than a Headshot Session
Personal branding photography is a relatively new aspect of visual branding, with savvy business owners jumping on board to take their branding to the next level. A personal branding photography session differs from a typical headshot/portrait session in several ways. With headshots, the focus is simply on you, usually shot from the waist up. Headshots are incorporated into personal branding sessions, but we don’t stop there. We delve deep into not just who you are visually, but telling the story of what you do and why you do it via detail shots, lifestyle shots, photos of you in action, you with your products.
Is a personal branding session right for you? How do you know if you need a personal branding session?
- Career Advancement Goals
- Lack of Professional Presence
- Desire for Authentic Representation
- Need for Strategic Direction
- Increased Visibility
Personal Branding: How We Work
BOOKING YOUR PHOTO SESSION:
It’s always best to book your photo session in advance, especially if you are working toward a specific deadline. It’s also important to take the time required for photo selection and editing into account when booking your personal branding session.
1st Step: The Brainstorming Session
Once you’ve set a date for your photo session, we can begin brainstorming ideas. The photos from your personal branding session are very multi-purpose. They can be used for your website, promotional materials, blogs, ads, social media, headers, banners, and more. That’s why planning and analysis are so important. Knowing where and how you want to use your images will help us understand whether you’ll require vertical, horizontal, or square images for Instagram. If you want to use text across any of your images, please let us know so that we can plan the image backgrounds accordingly.
2nd Step: Your Brand Description
Please provide a brief but detailed description of your brand and its values so we can incorporate them into your images. If there are specific colors that you would like to incorporate, please let us know.
Our goal is to paint the perfect picture of what it is you do and what sets you apart from your competition. These images will provide an important glimpse into what it would be like to work with you.
3rd Step: The Day of the Session
Now it’s all about relaxing and enjoying the experience. We will direct you on how to pose and ensure that you get the best possible shots. We’ll use a mix of lifestyle images and headshots to give your audience a better view of what you do daily. We’ll also take some behind-the-scenes shots for a more personal view of what it’s like to work with you.
4th Step: Editing
After the shoot, I will spend time sorting through all of the photos, deleting any that didn’t work out. Once I’ve done this, I will get rid of any small imperfections and ensure that the color looks amazing. If you have any specific editing requests, please let us know.
5th Step: Selecting Your Images
While our packages do come with a specific number of images, there is always the option to purchase additional shots if you would like to use extra photos. It’s best to choose a good mix of images so that you have a little bit of everything available to you. We are always happy to assist you with this process if need be.
BEFORE YOUR SESSION
Confirm any hair and makeup appointments and confirm the address one week before your session. If you will be coloring your hair, this is the time to do it. The day before your session, we ask that you prepare your outfits, ensuring that they’re steamed, pressed, and on hangers. If you want to look great in your photos, make sure you are well-hydrated the day prior, and be sure to go to bed early so you will look and feel well-rested.
THE DAY OF THE SESSION
Now it’s all about relaxing and enjoying the experience. We will direct you on how to pose and ensure that you get the best possible shots. We’ll use a mix of lifestyle images and headshots to give your audience a better view of what you do on a daily basis. We’ll also take some behind-the-scenes shots for a more personal view of what it’s like to work with you.
Personal Branding: Choosing a Location for Your Session
Before you start considering locations for your session, take the time to think about what your average day looks like. Remember that you want to give potential clients and audience a look at a day in your life so your photos need to tell that story. You may even find that you don’t need to look very hard or far for the perfect location either as your office or backyard might be all you need. Using props to bring your workspace to life is a simple way to create a great setting for your shoot. Consider some of the coffee shops, hotels, studios or co-working spaces in your area for ideas. Always opt for a location with as much natural light as possible as this makes for the best shots.
Who Can Benefit From a Personal Branding Session
As Forbes puts it, “Whether you know it or not, you have a personal brand.” In this highly digital, competitive day and age, how you come across to people matters. Building a personal brand is all about controlling the conversation—intentionally crafting a persona that’s true to you and puts you in the very best light. So, here’s who can benefit from a personal brand photoshoot:
Any professional
Having a thoughtful, solidified brand is valuable to any working professional. Your personal brand is what sets you apart from the competition. Having professional yet approachable personal brand photos on your website, social media, and business cards will help other people remember you and get to know you.
Small business owners and freelancers
If you own your own business or are self-employed, having a distinct personal brand is everything. It’ll help potential clients connect with you instantly. After all, people don’t want to work with faceless companies; they want to work with friendly, trustworthy, real people.
Influencers/bloggers
A personal branding photoshoot is a great way to build a bank of like-worthy new content for your social media feed, blog, or email newsletters. It’ll also help you connect with your audience on a more personal level.