If you are a small business owner a personal Branding photo shoot is one of the best investments you can make to help move your business forward.
They will show potential clients, what it would look like to work with you, it will give them an insight to both you and your business, creating trust and building relationships.
But for this to happen, you need to have a successful Branding shoot.
Here are a few things NOT to do in your brand shoot:
1 – Be Someone else!
A personal branding shoot is just that – PERSONAL.
Everything we want to show in your photos is based on who you are and what you do. You are unique, so dont try and copy what others are doing.
Yes it’s fine using others as inspiration, but they should have your spin on them.
Got naturally curly Hair? Will straightening it for your photoshoot actually be showing your authentic self? Nope!
2 – Dress up!
If, like me, you work from home, you might be sitting at your desk in yoga pants and a baggy jumper.
Im not saying that you have to get all glammed, especially if that not you. The last thing you want is you wearing a suite and stilettos if this is something you never wear.
But we need to up the game just a bit for your photos. So think about what you would wear to meet an important client or to give a presentation.
3 – Full on war paint!
I encourage clients to get their make up done professionally for a photo shoot, as this can help give you a boost in confidence while being in front of the camera.
However, if you are someone who wears very little make up day to day, dont be tempted to go for a full on look, with big fake lashes and bright red lips, otherwise you wouldn’t look like yourself.
4- Put in the work
A great professional Branding photographer will work with you to get all the information they need to get the photos you are wanting and this requires you to put in some work.
If you think you can just turn up to your shoot, without having put in all the planning, you are running the risk to missing a load of photos you actually need.
5- No outfit changes.
Depending on which Branding package you have with me, you’re gonna need more than one outfit.
Having a few different outfit choices will give you a variety of images and will avoid your photos looking like you wear the same clothes every day.
Just make sure your outfits complement each other and are relevant to your brand colours. Dont wear red if your branding hasn’t got any red in it.
6- Wrinkled clothes
Wrinkles will show on camera, so make sure your chosen outfits have all been ironed before your shoot.
They are bloody hard to fix in photoshop too and will incur and extra charge if they need fixing.
So dont go and pack your clothes the night before, keep them on hangers and use a garment bag to transport.
7 – Professional or Not?
Dont be tempted to skimp on your branding photos by using a standard photographer or even a student.
A Professional Personal Branding Photographer will come with a wealth of experience to make sure your shoot runs smoothly and you get the images you actually need (as well as some you didn’t know you needed).
Ive had a few clients saying to me that they used a normal photographer before and whilst the photos are really god, there were so many they couldn’t use in their business.
8 – Stick to the boring shots
Your photos are unique to you. They show your personality, so get thinking outside the box and have a little fun. These photos will allow your clients to get to know you.
Believe me when I say, dont try to look serious in your photos, you want to look approachable and not making people think they need to cross the street to avoid you.
Want help with your next personal branding session? lets have a chat
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