Trying to prepare for your first personal branding session? It can feel overwhelming! Here are 4 simple steps to make sure you’re ready to clearly communicate your brand and your business in your content photoshoot.
It’s really important that you thoroughly prepare for your personal branding session so you make sure to get the most out of the shoot!
If you’ve never had a content photoshoot before, I’ve put together four ways to make sure you’re totally prepared to have the best personal branding session ever! Keep scrolling to learn exactly how to get ready for every aspect of the photoshoot.
Note: the pictures used for this blog post were from my branding session with Daughters on Fire Podcast.
My best advice? Hire a personal stylist!
I know that sounds bougie and expensive, but stylists are much more affordable than you may think. You should also think of a content photoshoot as an investment for your brand. Choosing the right clothes – color, texture, silhouette, etc – goes a long way in elevating your brand and making sure your photos communicate your brand’s personality and vibe.
A professional stylist can also help save you money by putting together outfits from the clothes you already have! They’ll show you which outfit will look best in each location (if you’re having a multiple location shoot) and will help you keep all of your looks cohesive and on-brand.
There’s often a misconception that your branding session photographer will serve as your stylist. While I’ve created a super helpful style guide that I send to all my personal brand photoshoot clients, my job is to take beautiful photos that capture the vibe and personality of your business. Hiring a stylist will help you express yourself best in flattering, well-fitted outfits that bring your brand and business to life.
I even wrote an entire blog post about the power of hiring a personal stylist, and you can read about it here.
If you don’t love the way you do your own hair and makeup on a regular day, you’re really not going to like it in your branding images. Just like a stylist can help you feel your most confident and choose the best outfits for your brand, a professional hair and makeup artist can help you look and feel your best.
Having a professional handle your hair and makeup will help you relax instead of stressing out about getting ready before your content photoshoot. They will ask specific questions to help understand the look you’re going for and ensure your look is flawless. There’s an art to applying makeup that will photograph well, so going with a pro is always a good idea!
I include the option to add a hair and makeup team when you work with me, so you can confidently prepare for your personal branding session.
If finding the perfect spot is on your list of things to do to prepare for your personal branding session, you’ll want to consider booking an Airbnb. You can find some really unique and chic homes that will give you the perfect vibe and backdrops.
If you choose a public location, make sure you research whether you need a permit to shoot there. Nothing ruins a content photoshoot quicker than getting kicked out of a specific venue!
You should always talk to your photographer about the type of location you’re looking for. They can usually give you good suggestions for nearby places that match your needs.
And if you decide to photograph at your home, be sure to add personal elements of your brand to your shoot so that you can use those images as stock images for your social media!
Don’t wait until the last minute to talk to your photographer about your goals and expectations for the shoot. As you prepare for your personal branding session, make sure to let your photographer know how you plan to use the photos and what look you’re going for.
I send a pretty extensive questionnaire to all of my personal branding clients, but make sure you over-communicate everything with your photographer so there are no disappointments or last-minute surprises.
It’s super important that you make sure you choose to work with a photographer whose style matches the look and vibe of your brand. If you have a moody brand, you’re not going to want to work with a light & airy photographer (and vis versa). Overall, you will feel #winning when you get to clearly communicate your brand through your photos (and the first step is by communicating your expectations with your photographer).
If you’re not sure whether it’s the right time to invest in your branding photography, consider your upcoming goals. My previous clients have used their business photo sessions to launch new services, update their websites, have more content for social media, and more!
Branding photography is also essential if you’re looking to uplevel your business this year. Professional photos of you will lend more credibility and personality–helping you stand out! With a library of photos to choose from, you can also make sure your marketing is more consistent and cohesive.
If you know you are ready for your own branding photography session, you own your own business, then I’d love to work on your branding photography!
My photography package starts with a conversation about you and your business so I can better understand the story we can tell with your photos. From there, I’ll work with you to strategically map out how your session will go, including all the types of photos I’ll be sure to capture.
When the photo session is coming up, I’ll provide you with a list of everything you should bring so that you’re prepared. I’ll also send a reminder to schedule your beauty appointments beforehand. On the day of, all you need to do is be yourself! I’ll capture all of the photos you need and make sure you’re as comfortable as possible so we can let you and your business shine.
If you’re ready to get started, contact me today!
A well-styled, well shot and well-planned shoot has the power to raise or change your brand profile, draw in new leads, and increase your profit. In short, you are investing in the future success of your business by having a strategically planned out photo session.
Dolly DeLong is a Nashville-based family & branding photographer AND a creative business owner who educates other creative business owners on systems, marketing, workflows, and launching. Dolly loves serving families with her bold, elevated, and radiant photography. She also loves educating other creative business owners on how to set up systems and workflows to help them save time in their businesses. Dolly produces weekly blog posts, podcast episodes on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast, and weekly YouTube Episodes.
She has a heart for serving the larger business community. Dolly shares her knowledge of launching, Email Marketing, and Business Systems with new creative business owners and family photographers in an encouraging and supportive way because she believes anyone can find joy in systems, workflows, and intentional SOPS! Plus, BONUS: Systems are where the magic happens! You can streamline and automate the backend of your creative business with ease!
Dolly’s faith and love for her family motivate her to help other business owners find the joy and freedom she’s seen in running a successful small business.
Whenever she has a spare moment, she enjoys watching TV (i.e., Survivor), loves eating way too many sweets, and listens to podcasts while running or walking. Fill out her contact form to work with Dolly DeLong Photography for a family photography session.
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