Ok if you know you already need a brand shoot then you’re probably thinking about what do you need to next?! I’m sharing the exact steps to prepare for your personal brand photoshoot.
The first time I did a shoot for myself I really wasn’t certain everything I needed. Then once I was done I had all the ideas for what else we could do. So many more useful shot ideas that would work for my biz! That’s incredibly frustrating!
Save yourself the trouble and figure out all you need to do to ensure you have the best and most useful brand shoot for your business. This is exactly what I help my clients with as a brand photographer!
Know Your Why
The very first step you need to think about is what you want to get out of this shoot. I recommend getting quarterly shoots so you can get fresh imagery that relates to your business launches and marketing calendar!
Finding your why for your shoot really comes from what do you need the images for? You’re going to need to think about where you’re going to use the photos and how they will help your business. Whether you decide to invest in getting a brand shoot done or doing it yourself you’ll want to make sure you know why you need it. This is especially important because you’re investing your time and money in your business.
Prepare a Plan
Once you know the why for the shoot it gets a whole lot easier to create a plan for your brand shoot! When you create your plan you’re going to incorporate the shots you need, the props, and the locations. You’ll want to have all of this clearly thought out before the shoot. Don’t want to miss anything important!
Another piece of your planning is also making sure that you know your dream customer really well so that your shoot reflects what they’ll want to see!
All the Pretty Places
Scouting for locations is an important step to help make sure that your images reflect your business. For example, if I get brand photos done in a forest preserve, but I never talk about hiking or being in nature or anything like that it’s not going to be relevant for my brand!
The same could be said for choosing a coffee shop! If they don’t light you up, have something to do with your brand, or relate to your ideal customer do not choose that location!
Looking for locations can be really easy if you have a physical location because you’ll probably want to incorporate that in your shoot.
Props Props Props
Do you need props? Definitely plan on using props in your shoot. Even if it’s as simple as a hat and your phone bring props to your shoot. Having different things to work with while you’re being photographed during your shoot can help you add more variety to the photos created for the day.
Create a Timeline
Ok, this one is something that comes from my wedding photo life, but let me tell you it’s so helpful! This will ensure you’re ready to go at the right time and have a good plan for how to use your time. When you’re trying to get a ton done you want to be certain you get what you need.
The YOU in a Personal Brand Shoot
Do’s
Pick out some clothes that represent you brand or your style. If you want to do some shopping that works, but you probably have some great stuff in your closet if you look more closely. You can
Don’ts
This is important! Do Not make major changes right before your shoot! If you know you want to give your whole look a refresh do it well in advance of any shoots you’re going to have! I can’t tell you how sad people get when they get a hair cut they hate and then they’re stuck with a bunch of photos of reminder
Hopefully, this was really helpful! If you’re ready to chat about your own brand shoot head here so we can talk!