Tips for Your Most Successful Brand Photos Ever

apple laptop, on a brown woven rug with a phone and pair of glasses sitting on it next to a bowl of popcorn

Running a business, however small, can be really overwhelming. Marketing, sales, accounting, customer service, and let’s not forget creating the actual product or service you’re selling. Add the need for photos onto that, and it’s a recipe for an all night Netflix binge with a pint of ice cream. 😅 Ok, deep breath. Sorry for taking us all to such a dark place. lol We all know that we need brand photos to market our businesses, and if you’re really with the times, you know those pictures need to include you as well. So let me give you a few tips to make sure your hard earned dollars, and even more precious time, aren’t wasted when it’s time to book your personal brand photography session.

Tip # 1: Give Yourself Time

Alright. I’m going to spill it. The biggest secret to awesome brand photos is TIME. Time to think over your marketing, time to plan, time to take photos without feeling rushed. Though we all want our beautiful websites, and marketing done RIGHT NOW, giving yourself time to think through your goals and plan will help you get the most out of your brand photos.

If you book a session and take photos a week later, you’re not going to have time to make sure your photographer understands you and your business. And you definitely won’t have time to choose the perfect outfits and locations. That’s not to say quick can never work, but the secret sauce to a great personal branding session is planning.

woman in white shirt and jeans sitting on the floor and tucking her hair behind her ear with pots and plants around her

woman with brown shoulder length hair in green shirt and jeans smiling at the camera in a houseplant store

Tip #2: Choose Multiple Outfits

A lot of people are used to just getting one headshot and so they only bring one outfit to their session. But by using 2 or 3 outfits, you can add a lot of variety to your photos which, in turn, will give you more use out of them. You can only post images of you in the exact same outfit so many times on your Instagram before people start to notice. 😏

And this doesn’t mean you have to wear 3 different corporate suits. Depending on your brand and how you want to come across to your clients, you could wear a dressy outfit, an outfit you would go to work or meet a client in, and something more casual that you would wear to hang out with friends. As a creative photographer, if I took all my brand photos in a gray corporate outfit, that wouldn’t convey friendliness or creativity, which are two cornerstones of my brand. So choose clothes that illustrate what you want your clients to know about you.

Tip #3: Don’t Experiment (much)

Most people are excited, and a little nervous, to have their photos taken. That combination can lead them to try out exciting new outfits, makeup, props, etc. When we don’t feel confident, it’s natural to think we need to change things up to fix the problem. But the thing is, you’re probably already aware of the colors and style of clothing and aesthetics you’re drawn too. If you suddenly try copying someone else you saw on Pinterest, it won’t come across as genuine or confident. And you will definitely regret it later and then hate your photos.

I’ll give you an example from my past. I was trying to find my way as a photographer and had booked brand photos. I saw a woman on Instagram wearing this amazing multi colored fringed jacket. She looked GORGEOUS and so fun and fashionable. So I hopped on ASOS, bought the same jacket and wore it to my session. As soon as I got the pictures back, I saw my mistake. What I really wanted was the confidence I felt from the woman in the picture. I didn’t stop to consider if this is something I would feel good wearing, if the colors and style worked on me, or if it fit the brand image I wanted to convey. And I never used the photos. What a waste!

So learn from my mistake and stick with outfits, hairstyles and makeup that you already know you like and look flattering on you. You can add in one experimental outfit if it makes sense for your brand but if these are your first professional brand photos or you aren’t getting them updated regularly, I suggest sticking with what works.

person in white sweater writing in a notebook next to a laptop on a gray marble table next to a bright window

woman with long blonde curly hair in a white sweater sitting at a small table by a big windowi n a Toronto high rise and smiling down at her laptop

Tip #4: Let Your Location Set the Mood

A good photographer knows that lighting is THE most important element in a session. And location is a close second because it impacts not only the lighting but the entire feel of a photo. If a freelancer wants their brand photos to feel bright with lots of neutral colors but chooses a to have their session in their basement, brick walled, home office, it just won’t work. If an architect wants photos with a moody, industrial feel but takes photos in a white studio with a filigree fireplace and floral installation, it’s the same problem.

As you’re finding inspiration photos, pay attention to the type of light, the colors and locations. There are SO many different types of studios and locations you can choose from. I even had mine outdoors at (and in) Lake Ontario, so think about your brand and what locations could be good fit. This is also something that any good brand photographer should be guiding you through, as they will know so many local options, so don’t worry if you’re unsure.

Tip #5: Choose a Specialist

As someone who has pivoted from being a wedding and portrait photographer into commercial photography, I can tell you that there is a HUGE difference between the two fields. Yes, someone can take great photos aesthetically but the goals between portrait photography and brand photos are totally different. Portraits are supposed to evoke emotion and be very personal, but brand photos are about connecting with your clients, marketing products and services, and presenting a professional image that fits your goals. It requires a very different type of preparation and planning than a golden hour session playing with your kids at a park (But I can tell you BOTH types of sessions are challenging).

If you want to have a great return on your investment of time and money, then find a photographer who specializes in working with businesses, rather than the person who did your wedding photos. They’ll be prepared to help you strategize in so many ways, so you’ll come out of your session with way more than just a nice headshot.

Like I said earlier, the secret sauce to great brand photos is planning so make sure to choose a photographer who is genuinely curious about you and your business and doesn’t steam roll you with their plans. Even if someone has photographed HUNDREDS of businesses, they’ve never photographed yours. So beware the photographer who doesn’t ask questions or discuss the shoot with you ahead of time.