Why invest in branding photography in the first place?

Branding photography is a necessary investment if you want your business to be successful in today’s online world. Branding photography builds your brand’s reputation, helps you connect with customers, and is integral in launching successful online marketing campaigns. It’s been proven time and time again that people respond to images far more often than printed words, so you need to be putting quality images in front of your potential customers. After all, we do live in a visual age where we need to be ever-present on social media platforms like Instagram to be seen as relevant, recognizable brands to our ideal customers.

As a business owner, I’m very intentional and cautious about where I allocate my marketing spend, and I know what a big investment branding photography can be. That’s why I’m here to make sure your branding photography session is well planned so that your hard earned dollars are put to good use.

If you’re ready to get the most out of your branding photography, check out these 5 things you should do to plan for your branding session.

1) Pinpoint your brand identity

Your logo, colors, voice, values, and ideal client all are part of your brand identity. All these factors are important in preparing for your branding session, and I cannot stress enough: know your brand before you invest in branding photography. You need to have a strong, cohesive vision of what your brand is or you’re honestly wasting money on a branding session. Take the time to fully flesh out your brand identity.

If you’re looking for a good place to start, I expanded on the 4 focuses of building a brand in this branding post.

2) Get a clear idea of what your goal is

It’s important to get specific on the purpose of this particular branding shoot. If this is your first branding session for the launch of a new business, we’ll be sure to cover all the basics during our planning conversation. But, if you already have some of your basic branding content needs covered, then what is the purpose of this shoot?

Are you capturing content for a targeted ad campaign? Have you rebranded your business and need photos to reflect the new look and feel? Are you highlight new products? Has your core team changed and you need new headshots and team photos to keep things up to date? Do you need new product photography or show how customers will use your products? Is your restaurant launching a new seasonal menu?

After you’ve decided the purpose of your branding session, I’d advise creating a vision board to represent your ideas visually. This will help you identify the colors/textures/mood that speak to you and also help you figure out which types of photos/angles/looks you might like to replicate for your branding campaign.

From there, we will identify the themes, narrow down our focus, and build out a shot list that encompasses your ideas.

3) Plan on what props you want to feature in your shoot

This one goes right along with #3 on the list, but I’m making a point to separate it out on its own for emphasis. You already know that preparation is key to getting the most out of your branding shoot, so you’ll want to take the time to identify props that will help make your session more visually interesting. If your business sells products, and you’re using this session for a promotional campaign to push them for the holidays, then products as props are a no-brainer. But, for personal branding sessions (bloggers, real estate agents, life coaches, etc), props may be leaving you stumped. A few examples of props I like to suggest are your favorite book, glasses, coffee, and items you use on a daily basis such as a laptop, notebook, or camera.

Props are so important because they help add a sense of relatability, create an opportunity for more interesting poses and provide filler imagery (banner image content, contact page photos, newsletter content, Instagram posts, etc.), especially when the business doesn’t sell physical products of its own.

4) Plan your outfit around your brand identity

Sometimes choosing the outfits for your branding session can be the hardest part. An easy way to keep your look on-brand is to coordinate with your established brand colors. Wearing colors from your branding palette, neutrals that don’t distract from it, or complimentary colors are all good choices.

Your outfit will be a direct reflection of your personality and your brand, so if your brand is casual, raw, organic, etc. – think about wearing clothing, accessories, and a hairstyle that match. Or, if your business is more traditional and clean-cut like a contract lawyer for example, a classy suit and sleek hairstyle could provide a polished look that matches your brand and fits your industry.

I say this one all the time, but please be sure to wear something that you feel comfortable in. Comfortable doesn’t have to be baggy or too casual- it’s something that you feel confident in. I advise to stay away from anything that makes you feel like you have to adjust frequently such as a shoulder strap that’s too big or a skirt that rides up. (Trust me on this one- you’ll look more uncomfortable if you’re worried about your clothing).

5) Pick a location That’s on-brand

What the heck is an on-brand location, you ask? It can be any of the following:

1. Your brick and mortar location (i.e. a beauty studio, storefront, gym, a bridal boutique, an office space, etc.)
2. The general area in which you serve your clients. What city do you work in? Where are your clients located? What part of town do you serve? (These are good questions to ask if you are a real estate agent, insurance company, florist, jewelry designer, dog trainer, etc.)
3. A recognizable location that will resonate with your ideal client (i.e. local bakery on a town common, city skyline backdrop, notable street, etc.)
4. A visually appealing backdrop that fits your brand (i.e. industrial backdrop, natural landscape, neutral walls, in-home session, etc.)

 

 

I hope that these tips were helpful in preparing for your own branding session! Remember, the photographer can always help you assist in your vision so don’t be afraid to ask! 

Interested in booking a session? Send me an email here. I’d love to work with you!