How To Plan A Brand Photoshoot

Before we dive into how to plan a brand photoshoot, we have to define what a brand is. A brand is what you are known for. It could be a slogan, a logo, specific colors, and, most important, photos. People should be able to see your work and immediately know that it is you. As a business owner, you are the face of your brand, and this is your ticket to connecting with your ideal clients. If you’re selling a physical product or service, your clients want to know who you are. They want to know who the person is behind the services or products, in other words, who is the face behind the brand. This is why you need photos for your brand.

At the beginning of your business, money might be tight. But to stand out from others in your industry, you want to invest in your business from the start. Brand photos can be one of your most significant investments and if you’re thinking that you can get away with taking great branding photos with your iPhone, think again! What’s so wonderful about having branding photos for your business is that you can use them anywhere-social media, on your website, on business cards, anywhere! How often should you take photos for your business? I suggest at least twice a year in the first year of your business. So what are the steps in planning your brand photoshoot? Keep reading, my friend.

Check out this blog post, How To Elevate Your Brand if you’re having trouble developing your brand.

Be Clear On Your Brand’s Vision

The first step in planning your brand photoshoot is to be clear on your vision. Know who your business serves and what it has to offer. Have a sound idea of your core values, the future of your brand, and the purpose. This phase is the foundation of your business. When you are clear on your vision, you can share this with your photographer so that they can capture the right photos for you.

Create A Mood Board With Your Brand In Mind

As a professional photographer, I create mood boards for my clients often. What is a mood board? A mood board is simply a collection of photos that inspire you or give you ideas. It can be a collection of poses, outfit looks, photo layouts, locations, setups, etc. A mood board is an excellent strategy for planning your brand photoshoot. Because creating a mood board can help you plan your brand photoshoot, you should always keep your brand colors, vision, and aesthetics in mind. Creating a mood board is not taking on someone else’s vision but creating your own. Look for ideas as it relates to your brand’s message. Pinterest is an excellent resource for giving inspiration and ideas. When you have selected your photos for your mood board, you should be able to identify what you like about each photo. Is it an outfit inspiration? The location? The poses?

Choosing The Right Props and Wardrobe For Your Brand Photoshoot

When it comes to props, it’s important to choose the right ones. This could potentially make or break your brand photoshoot. You don’t want to risk the chance of ruining your photoshoot by having too many props, and you don’t want to waste a good shot by not having enough. Balance is key. Props are good ideas for those businesses that:

• have a food-based business,
• offer digital services, and
• sell physical products

The same goes for choosing the right wardrobe. What you wear is just as important, if not more important, than your props. When planning your brand photoshoot, keep in mind the weather the day of and adjust your wardrobe if needed. Because you are being photographed, you want to appear confident in everything you’re wearing. I always ask my clients a couple of days before our session to try on the outfits they will be wearing for our upcoming shoot. If the outfits you have chosen are uncomfortable, choose something else! You want to be as comfortable, confident, relaxed, and on-brand as possible. Remember your photos are there to tell your story. Make sure your hair, nails, makeup, and accessories represent your brand also.

Find The Right Photographer For Your Brand Photoshoot

Researching a photographer should be part of the planning process for your brand photoshoot. Finding the right photographer that will bring your vision to life is not only necessary but essential. Your best friend might be great at taking photos with her iPhone, but that won’t cut it when it comes down to your brand. If you are serious about your business and your brand, you need to hire a professional specializing in brand photoshoots who knows what they are doing. Your photographer should create a visual story to help you attract your ideal clients or customers.

Look at their website to see their work and what they have achieved for other clients. Do the photos that you see represent their client’s brand? Can you instantly identify what the client wanted to achieve? You don’t have to be a brand specialist to notice certain things like emotions in a photo. Choosing the right photographer for your brand shoot can break your business. You can have a simple website, but if you have the right photos on your website, this can easily elevate you as an authority in your business.

Create An Aesthetic For Your Brand Photoshoot

As I mentioned previously, creating a mood board helps with the overall aesthetic of your photoshoot. Here are a few key tips to help:

• Location. Your location is very important when planning your brand photoshoot. Most of my clients are influencers and small business owners that require photos for their blogs and social media outlets. For these types of shoots, shooting outdoors alongside high-rise buildings works because it tells the story of a busy woman on the go in the city. Another example can be if your business offers digital products. You would want to find an indoor location with a clean background with neutral colors. If you’re stuck on locations, ask your photographer. Most photographers have set locations where they shoot their photos.
• Outfits. When it comes to choosing the right outfits, this too must be on brand. Depending on the type of session you book with your photographer, you may be able to get away with multiple outfit changes and locations. Take advantage of this! I can typically shoot about four looks for my clients within an hour. Here is where you can be creative. Pro tip: Instead of changing your outfits completely, bring an extra shirt or pants and only change into. This can save you time and give you a new look.

Create A Brand Photoshoot List

When you have chosen your photographer for your brand photoshoot, it’s a good idea to have a shot list. This list should include a short description, framework, how many shots, and scenes. This should be part of your planning strategy since it gives you an idea of what is needed for your brand. With the help of your shot list, you can share your thoughts and vision with your photographer. Pro tip: Be sure to include landscape and portrait shots; this helps you use more of your photos in multiple places. Go through your shot list and mark off any pictures you’ve taken and the ones that you have remaining. This will help both you and your photographer when it comes to narrowing down your photos.

Pro tip: I write everything in my Erin Condren planner. If you’re looking for a planner that keeps you on task and has enough space for writing, I highly recommend this one.

To ensure that your brand photoshoot runs something, prepare all the items you need the day before. You don’t want to wake up the morning of your brand photoshoot scrambling for props and anything else you might need. Get a good night’s rest, and be ready to tackle your brand photoshoot. Once you have completed your brand photoshoot session, you can sit back and wait to select all of the beautiful photos you have taken.

Well, friends, there you have it! I hope you find value in this post and start planning your brand photoshoot with confidence.