What Small Business Owners Need for a Brand Photoshoot
Branding Photoshoot Must Haves
In December, I had my first brand photoshoot for Traditionally Trivison! I have tagged along for brand shoots in the past with my mentor and friend Kathryn, but I’ve never taken professional photos for my own business. Thank goodness I finally did so; it was such a fun experience and it’s made my website and brand much more cohesive because of it. If you are headed to your first brand shoot or you need some inspiration for your next one, keep on reading and see what I brought!
Pack Your Business Essentials
I brought my laptop and cell phone, two essentials for a social media marketer!
Whenever you are preparing for a brand photoshoot, be sure to pack your business must haves! In my case, I brought my laptop and my cell phone. Working in social media marketing, I need my computer and phone to do pretty much everything. These little props give my potential customers a glimpse into what I do and you’ll feel more natural when you are taking pictures with items you use every day in your business. Whether you are a creative or a tradesperson, product specific photos are always going to elevate your personal brand!
Research Photo Ideas/Concepts
I was inspired by some seated, casual images to go with all my professional photos!
Prior to going on any photoshoot, it’s always wise to research some photoshoot ideas ahead of time. I enjoyed having a mixture of standing and sitting pictures, it gave me a good variety and helped me come up with some poses. I also tried to have some very professional, posed pictures alongside more casual pictures focused on my day to day work. With the photo above, I wanted to show my audience what my job tends to look like and I was inspired by some images on Pinterest for this particular concept!
Take some Headshots
One of my favorite Head Shots
There is nothing better than a new headshot for social media and personal branding overall! As business owners in the digital age, our appearance is a huge aspect of our brand. Whether you are using the headshots for your website or LinkedIn, there is inherent value in presenting yourself professionally and truly in your best light.
Remember your Personality
I find myself to be a bit goofy at times and I think this picture perfectly captures that!
Now in this realm, I am lucky because I have done some modeling in the past and of course take photos of myself for a living! Still, it’s easy to feel shy before a shoot and want to portray a particular version of yourself. While yes there is great value to being serious and a legitimate business owner, I think having some fun pictures showcasing your personality is also important! These images do great on social and provide your audience with a glimpse into who you actually are as a person. In todays social media climate, consumers want to know business owners for their personalities. This more humanistic approach to media and content will connect you better with your audience and in turn lead to greater sales generation!
Showcase your Digital Footprint
Gotta love some self promotion
Finally in a branding photoshoot you will want to showcase your brand and your digital footprint! As a social media content creator, I made a huge point to share my profile in certain photos. It’s another way to self promote and makes for some unique pictures. Again with branding photoshoots you need to remember your value as the business owner and you want to set your business up for as much success as possible. Remember, a great photoshoot and strategy will take your business far!
Happy Creating
I hope these tips help your next professional photoshoot~ I absolutely love getting my picture taken and as a new business owner myself, I find it to be incredibly impactful to get great content for myself and my brand. Of course all businesses are different and in my case since my brand and myself are so intimately intertwined, I was truly the focus on what I was making. For other business owners, focus more on your craft and taking stock images to share with your audience. No matter how you take the photos, remember to have fun and be yourself. Thats your greatest marketing tool!
Best,
Lauren
