How to Prepare for Your Next Brand Photoshoot

How to prepare for your next brand photoshoot to ensure it’s wildly successful

You’ve got your next brand photoshoot on the calendar - or, perhaps, you’re testing the waters and thinking about booking one. First of all, exciting!

For those who are newcomers to the concept, let’s start here 👇

What actually is a brand photoshoot?

It’s a photoshoot dedicated to capturing images that tell your brand story. These may feature:

• You in your element! For example, are you a hairstylist? Some of your images may be action shots, showcasing cutting, styling, coloring, and all other steps of your process.

• Candid moments. Use these to show off your personality - the woman behind the business, the blog, the product, the service, the anything.

• Styled images. If you’re a stationery designer, these might be photos of your work in flatlay setups or behind held, handled, and interacted with.

• Headshots. Think lifestyle, natural headshots. Photographs that capture your personality for you to use on your website (hello, about page!), as your social media profile photos, and anywhere else you need a great headshot - like when you’re featured elsewhere!

What comes first?

Where to start, right? First up: Find a brand photographer to guide you through the process. They should:

• Be in touch with you before your shoot to find an ideal location and work with you to understand what you’ll be using the images for. It’s okay if you don’t know! A great brand photographer will help you figure it out.

• Have an accessible gallery so that you can ensure their style aligns with yours. We feature our gallery right on our website so that our current and prospective clients can see examples of our work. If you’re scoping out a brand photographer and they don’t have their gallery on their website, check their social media or send them a message to see if they have any images they can share!

• Help you find comfort in front of the camera because I get it, not everyone likes to be in front of the camera! I still struggle with it (which is why I’m usually behind it, ha!). A great photographer will help you find some comfort while you’re in front of the camera. They should be good at helping you feel good.

Getting ready for your session

Now that you’ve got your photographer booked, it’s time to prepare for the actual session! Here are a few things to think about:

• What to wear. This is the most commonly asked question. And, here’s my response every time: Wear what you’re comfortable in. You’ll be the best you in clothing that you love. Have a go-to summer top? Wear it! Or maybe you’re most comfortable in a flowy maxi? It’s completely up to you. We highly recommend not wearing something new - wear what makes you feel good.

• Type of location. Ask yourself a few questions before nailing down a location. (1) What vibe do I want these images to have? (2) What brand colors do I want to shine through? (3) Where do I want to use these images? (4) How will these images help my work? This will help you start to figure out what you’d like in terms of a location. When we work with our clients, we ask a few questions like do you prefer greenery, cityscape, or a simple backdrop? Then we’re able to make strategic recommendations for the location.

• Props. What do you interact with on a regular basis? Do you have a planner? Do you spend hours working at your computer? Do you have a lucky pen? How about a book you’re currently reading? Do you carry a particular bag with you at all times? Or, perhaps you have an actual product that you sell. Bring those things to the shoot!

• Usage. Are these images primarily for your social media? Make sure that if you do know where you want to use these to communicate that with your brand photographer. This helps them understand which orientation they should primarily be shooting in (landscape vs. portrait) and an overall vibe for the image. Corporate headshots look a lot different than social media images for a small business.

Whew, you should be ready to go for your next brand photoshoot now! What do you think, are you excited!?

- Gabriella