Have you heard the expression “the more you give, the more you get”? This is entirely true when planning a personal branding photography shoot.

Preparation is key to a successful branding shoot. By the end of this post, you’ll understand why I spend so much time helping my clients prepare for their personal branding sessions and why planning is so important.

Planning is Crucial for Personal Branding Photography

A personal brand is more than a set of logos, brand colors, and typefaces. It encompasses your marketing efforts, including headshots, online presence, website, and social media feed.

Perfect photos don’t just happen; they are created.

We’ve all seen personal brands that we recognize when scrolling through social media. These brands have consistent colors, great headshots, and show up consistently. That’s all part of strategic brand marketing and recognition.

The more time spent preparing for your photoshoot, the better the outcome will be, and the more “on brand” marketing photos you’ll have to use.

Headshots and branding photos convey messages about your business or service. When someone sees your headshot, they consider:

  • Are these people trustworthy and competent?
  • Do they look friendly and approachable?
  • Will they listen to my needs?
  • Are they professional?

All of this is conveyed through your expression, body language, and attire. If you want great branding portraits, you have to put in the time to plan them. And I’m here to help you every step of the way!

I consider all of your brand colors, positioning, and values, and I help you choose the best wardrobe pieces to complement your brand. I do all of this so that you can start showing up with even more confidence and attracting your dream clients!

After a personal branding photography session with me, you’ll have a library of images to choose from! Never again will you scroll back through your phone, hoping to find a “usable image” to post!

Go ahead—be the scroll stopper you are!

Wardrobe Selection for Personal Branding Photography

We’ve established the importance of planning for a personal branding photography session, and wardrobe is crucial to the planning process.

You may need to go shopping for that one perfect piece. But it’s always a good idea to take inventory of what you own and plan your wardrobe selections in advance. Waiting until the last minute to choose your wardrobe pieces will only make your experience stressful—and we don’t want that!

Before you worry that you have nothing to wear, trust me, you have usable pieces, and I can help you find them! I include a complimentary wardrobe consult with your session—don’t skip this process!

We can meet over Zoom during your wardrobe consultation, and you can walk me through your closet. Or I can come to your home in person and help you select pieces that will be flattering on camera while providing variety for your marketing.

During your wardrobe consultation, I also learn about your branding needs and colors, and I will walk you through my process so you know what to expect on your shoot day!

Variety is the spice of life—and you guessed it, personal branding photography!

I offer each client the opportunity to have up to five different outfit changes. If you look through some of my past sessions, you’ll see how each outfit changes their entire look. Each wardrobe change is an opportunity to elevate their brand awareness.

Some people say they don’t need to be photographed in five outfits. But here’s the thing—the client becomes more confident and comfortable in front of the camera. This is why I don’t suggest wearing your favorite look first!

When my client is comfortable in front of the camera, that’s when the magic happens! It truly feels like each client has their own warm-up process that has to happen, and then boom—we’re best friends having a great time in the studio.

Trust me; you’ll want to bring five outfits along. If you choose not to use them for some reason, that’s completely fine. But by bringing the wardrobe pieces along, you’ll at least have the option to use them.

A little-known fact I’ve realized over the years is that an outfit the client thought they would love the most ends up being the one they like the least on camera. So, again, having a variety of wardrobe is helpful to make sure I can capture exactly what you’re looking for!

Personal Branding Photography Sessions are an Experience!

Photoshoots with me are a full-day experience! I take the time to plan with each client and generally get to know them before they ever step foot into the studio. I love what I do, and I love the people I get to work with.

Each branding photography session is a full-day experience that starts with professional hair and makeup. I also offer complimentary champagne if you’d like to kick back and enjoy some bubbly while being pampered.

After hair and makeup, we’ll start with your first look. I’ll guide you through posing and help you feel comfortable in front of the camera. We’ll continue through your outfit changes, capturing a variety of looks that represent your brand.

By the end of the day, you’ll have a suite of images that you can use across all your marketing platforms. You’ll leave the studio feeling confident and excited to share your new photos with the world!

If you’re ready to elevate your personal brand and attract your dream clients, let’s schedule your personal branding photography session!

For more inspiration and to see examples of my work, take a look here.