I love being a business owner. It gives me the ability to work with people I love working with, do what I adore, and have special time with my family around my business commitments. Something I have discovered over the years of running my own business is the importance of photography.
People buy from people, so having photos of myself is something I have invested in regularly, particularly as I am a sole trader, to help people connect with me and find out more about me in a matter of seconds.
Something that truly worried me at the beginning of my business journey was how to show myself in the right way to my potential contacts, clients, and colleagues. As a personal stylist, I knew I had the edge in terms of knowing the right colours and shapes to feel my best, but it took time to understand the key elements I needed to get these branding photos just right. I discovered some really important tips, and use these with my clients that I now help solely for their business branding photoshoots.
If you are planning your own business photoshoot, but are feeling overwhelmed by the feeling of what to do to get it right, you’re not alone. So, I wanted to share with you a few of the top tips I share with my clients, to help you feel more confident.
Choose the venue carefully
Your photographer may be able to help you with this, as the venue can transform the way your photos look. If they are not from the area that you want to have your photos, then it’s time to do some research! Think about what you want your photos to portray – if you want it to be fun and relaxed this will mean the venue will be completely different to a professional and corporate style of branding images.
If you are having a multi-venue shoot, you will want to make sure the journeys between the venues are easy and well planned so you aren’t going back and forth with your team and your photographer!
There are also some important things to consider when it comes to photographing at venues, such as being permitted to do so without a fee; what the lighting will be like; how many people there will be, if it is a public place; and do you need to pay for a private room? Venues can have a huge array of legal requirements for photographs that will be used for marketing, so before you book your photographer, you’ll want to speak with the venue/s to make sure you are legally permitted to have photos there.
If you are planning to have some photos outside, speak with your photographer to understand the best time of day to do this, and so they can bring the right equipment. This is also important when it comes to your outfit choices as during the heat of the summer you won’t want to be overheating, and on the opposite side of the scale, you won’t want to be incredibly cold if you’re outside in the winter!
This leads me perfectly onto the photographer choice!
The photographer is so important
We all know that we get what we pay for, so one area to always invest in when it comes to your business photos is a great photographer. Not only do they need to be of great quality, but I find, they need to be in alignment with you.
You’ll want to feel comfortable and confident with your photographer, so get to know them before the photoshoot, and do some research before booking them. A few things to ask yourself during your photographer search are:
· Do you like their style of photography?
· Do you align with their story?
· Can they share some examples of similar photoshoots, perhaps within your industry, to help inspire you?
· What will the journey look like up to and during the photo session?
One great way to know you can find the perfect photographer, is to ask people who have had photos done that you like. Word of mouth is fabulous in this case – because you know they do a great job!
Plan your outfits attentively
I can’t share branding photoshoot preparation tips without talking about the outfits, I am a personal stylist after all! I find it’s really important to prepare in advance to help you know if you need to get any extra items to make the outfits pop, and to make sure your garments feel and look right for what you want to achieve. Here are my tips for planning your branding photoshoot outfits:
1. Select the clothes you want to wear and put them out on the bed (or on your door).
2. Create potential combinations to elevate your looks – and create the opportunities for multiple photos that can be used across social media and marketing.
3. Don’t forget your accessories! Jewellery, scarves, shoes, and bags can transform a look – so add them to your outfits that are hanging up or on the bed and see how they can work together.
4. Now take a photo of every combination and save them into a folder that you can access quickly, like Pinterest, or a camera roll folder in your phone!
5. On the day of the shoot, steam/iron your garments to make sure they look their best.
6. Pack your garments by outfit, to help you quickly change into what you had originally planned for.
These are the steps that I follow for myself and for my clients when helping them organise their outfits for a branding photoshoot, and it really helps save time on the day and be more efficient. If you would like support to make sure your branding photoshoot is a breeze, please get in touch.
