A branding session is WAY more than just the standard headshot you may be thinking. A branding session is your chance to showcase YOU! It allows you to dig deep into who you are, what your business is, what your hobbies are, what you love, and more! This is what makes a branding session so unique.
Taking advantage of all FIVE of these types of branding photos will give you the most content to use in all your marketing efforts. But what if you’re not totally sure what types of photos you even need?
MODERN HEADSHOT
While we think of a headshot being very blazer on - gray background - life touch school photo like, it certainly does not have to be. The most important thing about the headshot is that YOU are looking AND smiling at the camera. Your people want to connect with you and it is very hard for them to do that when they can’t see your eyes.
Remember the classic headshot poses (shown above) don’t have to be blah. Use things like your clothing, or accessories to spice it up. Boring headshots OUT fun headshots IN.
LIFESTYLE
Q. What are your hobbies? What do you love? Where can we find you on the weekends? A. The answers are what you showcase in lifestyle branding photos. Grab a cup of your favorite coffee, browse your cell phone, bring your fur babies, wear the worlds coziest pjs, and be YOU. This is also a great time to incorporate other people! If you are a mama - show off you doing your mom thang with the kiddos; if you are a farm wife - show off you doing that with your hubs in a tractor or bringing meals to the field. You get the picture!
With lifestyle photos, it is important to mix up looking at the camera and looking away, and snag some details too (like a close up of your coffee, or the bowl of popcorn and m&m you snack on).
BEHIND THE SCENES
Humans are extremely visual. That being said, we, as humans, want to see exactly what you do and how you do it before they work with you. Photos of you in action at work accomplish just that, and builds that trust factor. If you’re a dentist, I want to see you cleaning teeth or taking x rays; if you sell and educate about essential oils, I want to see you leading a class or showing how to use the products. Behind-the-scenes photos of you working at your computer can be just as important to show what you do all day!
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
What tools are in your toolbox that simply make your job or life easier? A easy button? This is where you get to show them off! If you’re a fitness instructor, let’s see some stretches that help or equipment to use. If you are a painter, let’s see the brushes you use or the canvas. If you are a hair and makeup artist, show off your eye makeup palettes. The options are limitless.
FLATLAYS AND VIGNETTES
Flat lays are a great way to break up your usual marketing images and show items that make your business what it is. These are typically taken from above (looking down), which can be a different perspective from the straight-on shots we usually incorporate into our websites and social media feeds.
Flat lays work best when your eye has an obvious path to follow through the frame. If that completely overwhelms you, start with small, basic flat lays. A painter might use paints and brushes like above for example.
This to me, is what makes these sessions so fun — they are all so different as they all show case someone news personality!