Today’s post is all about planning your personal branding photography session! After MONTHS of putting it off, I finally had some new branding photos taken. I had a million reasons why it needed to wait. First, I was too busy. Second, I really wanted to lose 10 pounds.
At the end of the day, my own excuses and insecurities were holding me back from growing my business and connecting more with my online audience… Because YES, branding photos really DO help with those things!
If you want to see more engagement on social media, try posting a photo of yourself
Seriously. Photos with me or Ireland in them almost always outperform the client work that I post. It blows my mind but it’s a fact that I’m definitely not going to ignore! I encourage you to do the same. Your clients and followers want to connect with YOU. Letting them see you is such a great way to build that bond.
So, put aside your fears and get yo’ self on the other side of the camera!
If I’ve got you on board with the idea, let me help you out with a few tips. Here are 4 things that I recommend for planning your personal branding photography. These are all things that I implemented into my own recent shoot.
#1 Plan Ahead
Months and weeks before the actual shoot, I start brainstorming about the images I hoped to get from my personal branding photography. I think of the different kinds of shots I need for my website and other places I am going to be using photos. This gives me time to gather any props I need, choose the right outfits, and communicate my vision with my photographer. I planned this right down the lipstick that I was going to wear with each outfit! I organized all of my plans into a printed schedule and shot list, which you can see below.
#2 Showcase Your Personality and Style
This is actually a new one for me! My previous personal branding photography sessions were more over-the-top and stylized to match the fairytale style of my brand. This looked KILLER on my website. But eventually, I started to feel like something was missing.
I was getting tons of engagement on my Instagram stories, where I was showing up as the “real me”… but none of the photos on my site or in my feed showcased that version of myself. I decided to show more of my authentic self in this shoot but keep it really whimsical with the venue that I chose. I wore outfits that I love, rocked my fun lipstick colors, and even wore my glasses in some of them.
#3 Do Your Own Edits
This one might be a bit controversial. Asking for the RAWs… I know, I know. *Cue the eye-rolls*. But this is super important to me, so hear me out. For personal shoots (like our own family photos), I enjoy getting the full experience from the photographer that I hire. However, for branding photos, it’s a big priority for me that the photos match seamlessly in my feed and throughout my brand.
When choosing a photographer for this, I always make sure that they are okay with me editing the images myself. Not because I don’t love their style, but because the images need to match my own work. For this session, I was photographed by my amazing friend Sadi from Whimsie Studios. I absolutely love her work, check her out! She nailed my vision and was receptive to the arrangement.
#3 Relax
I tend to be a perfectionist and a bit of a stress-er sometimes. But when it comes time to be photographed, it’s best to just let it all go. If you want to look fun and carefree in your branding photos then you need to feel that way! I know it’s unnatural for us to be on the other side of the camera but try to make the most out of it and enjoy yourself! :)
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