How to Plan an Effective Brand Photo Shoot
When was the last time you got in front of the camera? I’m guessing it’s been awhile.
And I get it! You probably hate getting in front of the camera. (You’re not alone! Most people do.)
But it’s super important to have brand photos, especially if you’re a solopreneur. Not only do you build connection with your potential clients, having an arsenal of professional, on-brand photos to choose from makes marketing more efficient- and effective!
For the past few years, I’ve been having Shelby take my brand photos. Shelby is not a photographer. He doesn’t know how to pose, and most of his photos are out of focus. Ugh.
After upgrading a few areas of my business - including hiring an accountant - I decided it was time to hire a photographer too.
Having a photography background, I approached my branding photo shoot with a plan. And because of my plan, we were able to capture over 350 photos in less than two and a half hours! WITH outfit changes.
Here’s how to plan your own effective brand photo shoot.
Know what you’re going to market where you’re going to use the photos
Are you looking to refresh specific photos on your website or are you planning a big promotion on social media?
Website banner photos need to be taken horizontally and have plenty of space for screens to crop the image. And if you plan on having overlay text, your photographer needs to leave space either to the left or right of the subject (you!).
Social media photos should be delivered as a smaller file size than photos that are going to print, but the orientation of social media photos isn’t as rigid.
When I was planning the shot list for my brand photos, I knew I wanted to refresh the banner photos on all of my online courses. Because of this, I chose props related to Facebook, Canva, and Instagram. Which brings us to…
Add props
If you make a product, your product and the tools you use to make the product are your props. But think beyond the obvious! What ingredients or elements goes into the making of your product? If you’re a service provider, what tools do you need to get the job done? For example a hair stylist could use scissors, hairdryers, and other tools of the trade for props (and even a volunteer whose hair you can “work on” during the shoot).
Because I sell online marketing courses, my props were my laptop and iPhone.
It’s also fun to think of props that may not be related to your industry but are related to your brand. For example, I used vintage typewriters and rotary phones because vintage is part of my brand. Each of these props also has a special meaning. And by using quirky props beyond my laptop, I had more fun writing social media captions and connecting with my audience.
Your business called! It wants you to raise your prices.
Not sure what to charge? Check out my online Business 101 course. It’s free. ;)
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Oh, and of course I brought some diecast VW Beetles. ;)
Choose the locale
If you have a place of business, definitely include shots there. My entire brand shoot took place in my studio, so I divided the locations by area, such as my couch, desk, and wooden wall.
It’s also good to incorporate some outdoor shots, just make sure the locale is reflective of your brand. For example, if your brand is more sophisticated a cityscape may be a better choice than a country road.
Pick your (outfit) palette.
A brand photo shoot is meant to reflect your brand, of course, so make sure you choose outfits that include your brand’s color palette. My brand has pastel blues, greens, and oranges, so I made sure to choose outfits with those colors.
And pick your season! One of the top reasons I wanted to update the photos on my website was because they were taken in February when I was wearing a sweater. I don’t want my website to feature winter vibes in the middle of summer, and not all of my website visitors live in an area that has winter snow to begin with.
Spring and summer tend to be the best season, as they’re relative all year and to most areas in the world. (So avoid bulky sweaters!)
Once that’s set…
Scheme a Shot List
This is the secret to capturing the most amount of photos in the least amount of time. I planned my shots based on outfit, but you can also plan based on location.
Click here to check out my shot list.
Once you’ve created your shot list, be sure to send it to your photographer ahead of time so they can plan what equipment they’ll need, and so you both can reference it during the shoot. This is essential for making sure you get all the shots you need, and that you fit the most in the least amount of time.
Thank you to Caroleanne Marie Photography for capturing my brand photo shoot!
Ready to put your brand photos to use? Enroll in my Marketing 101 online course! You’ll go from feeling overwhelmed at alllll the marketing things to being able to promote your business effectively and efficiently. With a deeper understanding of online and traditional marketing channels, you’ll be able to create a marketing plan that gets your business results. Did I mention most everything is free to do?
