Your personal branding photography shoot is the chance for you to show who you are, what your brand stands for and communicate your personality.
Crucial questions to ask yourself to determine whether you’re ready for a personal branding shoot first are:
Who is my core target audience?
What are my brand’s key attributes?
What messaging do I want to communicate with my audience?
…and ensure that your photographer discusses all of this before your branding shoot, alongside your brand colours and the environments in which the imagery will be used: website, social media, printed materials etc.
A good photographer will talk to you about outfits and location and offer some tips for preparation for your personal branding shoot. A GREAT photographer will discuss how your 3 key pieces of information outlined above impact on choices of outfit, location, styling, backdrop colours, editing style and posing to ensure you communicate exactly what you need to communicate in your branding imagery.
OTHER KEY CONSIDERATIONS
What formats do I need my personal branding imagery to be in - e.g different for Instagram Vs LinkedIn Vs printed material Vs website?
Can my photographer talk to me about how to communicate my key messaging to my core target audience and have they discussed the different formats that I need across a range of environments the imagery will appear in?
CLOTHING: WHAT TO DO
Consider plain colours that contrast well with the background discussed
Consider clothing that communicates your key messaging; e.g professional; approachable; quirky; expert, fun, serious etc
Choose colours that complement your hair colour
Tops with small pattern work well, when it contrasts with a plain background colour
Well ironed clothing is a must
Formal shirts and tailored dresses / jackets work well if appropriate to your line of work
Think about jewellery that complements
Choose well fitting, not baggy clothes
CLOTHING: WHAT NOT TO DO
Tops with spaghetti straps
T-shirts with big logos / sports wear (unless you’re a PT)
Neon or extremely bright clothes
Clothes you aren’t comfortable wearing
MAKE UP AND HAIR
Style your hair in your usual style, taming flyaways
Consider wearing a little more make up than usual
NIGHT BEFORE ESSENTIALS
Sleep!
Good hydration
I always propose a video call a week or so before our shoot to run through all of this and go through any questions you might have. Be sure to get in touch if I can help.
For examples of my personal branding work, please click on the Headshots and Personal Branding Gallery page.
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