When we heard the words ‘picture day’ when we were in school, we likely all groaned and stressed out about looking and posing the best. (Damn those popular kids!) As business owners, getting photos can feel like this, especially when we are busy. Before I hear you say reluctantly “Okay, fine, I will get headshots for LinkedIn”, let me help you understand why you need more than that to help market your business.
What the Heck is Brand Photography?
Brand photography gives you curated photos showcasing you in your business and what makes you unique compared to your competition. This can work in many ways depending on your type of work. If you sell products, share how to use your product so potential customers can see themselves with it. For example, with a skincare business, we can shoot photos demonstrating how to best apply your products, how they look on different skin tones, the ideal situations to use them, and the list goes on. And it’s the same thing with service-based businesses. If you have a naturopath business, for instance, we can show people how you apply acupuncture and calmly set someone up for a test, just like I did with my client Dr. Meghan Dougan.
It’s also great to mix it up by showing a personal side to you, like what you do when you aren’t working (after all you aren’t a workaholic robot). This is the perfect excuse to pose with your dog or show off your one-of-a-kind style with your favourite outfits.
Can you see why this is so fun?
Why Should I Bother with Brand Photography?
Branded visuals give you the ability to connect with your audience and share who you are and what your business represents. Especially nowadays in a post-COVID world, everyone spends a lot of time (and money!) online and tends to make decisions based on what they find through your website and social media. My clients are always amazed that their photos of them bring the highest engagement on social media. I’m not surprised, because people want to know the person behind all the business and see if they can connect with them. People don’t buy from a faceless business; they buy from someone that they have gotten to know and feel connected with. With brand photography, you are giving people more ways to trust and get to know you.
Working with Me
For each of my branding clients, I take the time to send them a pre-session questionnaire to help situate them in the mind frame for a photoshoot. After that, I follow up with a discovery call to discuss their answers and explain any further steps in the process. We cover everything from ideal locations, logistics, props, outfits, poses, general feel and look of the photos, as well as their intended use.
Many people feel nervous and anxious about taking photos. I soothe those nerves by providing a pre-session checklist of helpful steps to take to ensure my clients are fully ready for a shoot. Some tips include limiting your alcohol consumption for a week prior to the shoot to avoid having a puffy face (no wine faces allowed!), getting a full night’s sleep, and loads more.
During the photoshoot, I guide the client through poses with clear communication, ensuring that we are capturing the essence of their business. Here is where we have the most fun! No two business owners are the same and I love bringing forward that individuality and any quirky traits into the photos. I pride myself on my ability to bring out the best in people through my light-hearted, fun-loving, quick-to-laugh approach to life. No boring or stale photos here!
If I’ve gotten you excited to get photos for your business (I don’t blame you!), reach out and let’s chat about you and what unique photos we can create!
