It can feel daunting when you plan a photoshoot for yourself and your brand or business.
Getting it right so that it accurately represents you can be tough. Here I have provided some tips on things you can do to ensure you get the best value for your money.
1. 3 Words to Describe Your Brand
Get clear on your brand, and how you want it to be represented. To do this, I ask my clients to give me 3-4 words to describe their brand. That way I can get an idea on how we want the photos to feel, and how we want to represent the brand with what is created.
For example, the words to describe a gym might be power, strong & health, whereas the words to describe a coach, may be empowered, kindness, love.
2. Pick the Right Photographer
Choose a photographer that matches your style. All photographers are different, and have different styles and ways of doing shoots & editing. Make sure you pick a photographer that you have either followed for a while, or researched. Make sure their work is consistent, always quality, and is edited in a way that you not only love, but fits with the style and representation of your brand.
3. Location, Location, Location.
Choosing a location for your branding shoot is also important. It all comes back to point #1, and how you want your brand to be represented. Do you want your photos to be done on the beach, feeling natural, airy and fun. Or perhaps you want to be done in a styled location, such as hiring an Air BNB that matches your style. Discuss this with your photographer to work out what location will suit you best.
4. What to look like.
What to wear and how you look (eg. hair and make up). Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in, that you feel represent 'you' as a person. After all, you and your Brand are essentially the same. If you can, work some of your branding colours into either your clothing, or into some props for your shoot as well. Whether you decide to get your hair & make up professionally done before your shoot is entirely up to you. My advice would be, is to keep it fairly natural. After all, the goal for your photoshoot is to represent YOU, and unless your brand is something that requires heavy 'glam' make up (maybe ballroom dancing or similar), than you want to make sure that when clients do meet you in person, that you are the same as you show up online (within reason).
5. How to Get Comfortable.
Feeling nervous in front of the camera is completely natural. Whether it is your first shoot or your tenth, there is always an element of feeling uncomfortable and nervous in front of the camera. Unfortunately, this isn't something that there is a 'magic fix' for. It is one of those situations where you have to 'fake it until you make it'. The more you show up in front of the camera, the more comfortable you get with it. Hopefully your photographer will have some tricks up their sleeve to help you get comfortable, relax and get the most out of your shoot. To get the photos that best represent you and your brand.