Preparing for a Brand Shoot

Autumn is a time for hunkering down in front of the fire with a blanket and a cup or glasss of something nice and warming. As the daylight begins to get shorter and the darker evenings draw in, what better time to start thinking about really improving your business by planning a professional brand photoshoot. Maybe, you are planning a new website, want to captivate your online audiences or your subscribers with some really well-thought-through, stylish images that capture you at your very best and tell the story of your business beautifully.

Planning and preparing in advance will help you to maximise this opportunity and get the most out of the time you have with me. Focusing on your business now and what you have in mind for your future is a great place to start.

Here are some useful tips to help you prepare well for your shoot that I hope you will find really beneficial.

Step One: Define what’s important

Every shoot has a priority and it’s critical to identify exactly what this is.

Maybe you need the final polish on the website you’ve worked so hard on.

Maybe, your online course really needs the refinement of beautiful imagery so you can command your prices and give yourself the best chance of success.

Maybe you need too illustrate your book perfectly or really need to up your game where your personal brand image is concerned.

The images you had taken of yourself two years ago, are really not going to be relevant now as you have grown and flourished along with your business. Do you need more professional, authoritative headshots or updated images to show you being creative, doing what you do best and enjoying life?

Once you’ve defined your priority and ‘must-haves’ you’ll have a much clearer idea of where to begin. If you end up with 100 must haves, try to categorise them to break them down into groups perhaps around half a dozen.

I like to have a one-to-one chat before the photoshoot (once your Workbook has been completed and returned to me and I’ve had a chance to look and study your online brand mood board). We will plan the ‘flow’ of the shoot together to ensure we get all the images you want as well a having some fun together! Preparing in advance really does help especially if you get nervous at the thought of someone pointing a camera at you and even if we do get a little spontaneous, it will only enhance capturing your energy and your passion for your business!

Think about your brand story

Why do you do what you do? What makes your service or product unique? What are your ‘zones of genius’. Why should any potential client want to work with you?

Your brand imagery needs to convey your unique story. Your images need to be distinctive enough to reflect your expertise, your energy and inspire your audiences.

For example, as a yoga teacher, you want to show your pupils how you start your day and how your practice plays a part in this important ritual. A morning meditation to set your intentions for the day and to be mindful, a slow flow practice to stretch and prepare for the day… morning tea as you work at your desk…greeting your students, carefully supporting and guiding them through the session.

Create your Unique Vision

I love to work closely with my clients and encourage them to discover their own unique brand vision. If you Google ‘Personal Brand Photography’ a million images of happy smiling faces in snappy suits will appear but working with me is not about copying what everyone else does. Why would you want to look and act like everyone else does in their brand shoots and then expect your images to stand out? Let’s work creatively to uncover your own distinctive style that compliments your unique business and really sets you apart from the crowd!

As you think and create the brand stories you want to convey with me, also consider the ‘feeling’ of this particular experience and how colour and texture can influence your images. High energy, sharp and fast businesses such as a gym may use bold colours and slick, strong materials such as leather, metal or rubber. A Reiki healer may use a softer, pastel colour palette and incorporate soft furnishings with green plants, candles or crystals. A light and airy overall aesthetic or a darker, high contrast look will also influence the ‘feel’ of a shoot and considering all these details will really help to give your images the impact you are aiming for.

If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, don’t worry! My clients are always given a comprehensive Brand Workbook that guides you through the steps to uncover the essence of your brand, your values and helps to identify exactly who your ideal client is so you can communicate effectively with them.

Prepare your foundation

Planning where the shoot will take place is also so important. Gather all of the props you want to use in the right colours and think carefully about what you’ll wear so that the whole aesthetic is seamlessly pulled together beautifully.

Do this well before so that on the day, you don’t waste valuable time with your photographer setting the scene or being undecided on whether you should wear your yellow jumper or your red one! Being relaxed is really super important and by being prepared, you’ll also feel more relaxed and in control. It’s best to de-clutter and think about tidying up before the shoot takes place (and also, to think about what’s potentially in the background of your images that could be a distraction).

Once we get started, I promise we will have so much fun together! We will have prepared the flow of the shoot thoroughly and you will enjoy the process of creating some amazing images that are totally unique to you and your business that you’ll be so proud to share!

book your brand shoot!