Branding & Headshots
Personal branding and headshots are super important in our image-saturated world. Folks can spot a stock image, or a phone selfie without even realizing it. Branding mini sessions are the perfect way to get a small amount of variety at a great value – regardless of how you plan to use them.
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Home Studio List Location
For these branding and headshot sessions, I used a Home Studio List to scout locations from a distance several states away. It was so easy with tons of photos of each listing. I really wish there were more home studios available in Virginia Beach! I’ve had to borrow a friend’s kitchen for branding sessions before!
I went with a home in West Ashley – y’all this is a real house someone lives in. The homeowner designed it herself! Our session was even featured on their blog! Its dreamy and surf-boho, mostly neutral colors with pops of color here and there.
I went with this home because it had so many neutral spaces. This is really important for branding so that it would work everyone’s colors and brand personas. We were even able to squeeze in more traditional headshots on a white wall.
Check out the feature article of our shoot
Just like other mini sessions we got a group of women together and did shots around the house – the living room, dining room, a blank white wall for a clean headshot, even the fireplace.
The girls brought some of their own props like a color wheel, design samples and devices that rounded out the visual story of what they do, who they serve and how they do it.
People Buy from People
We know, like and trust people. Your face should be everywhere – Don’t make people guess who runs your biz! Your face should be:
- Email Signature
- Newsletters
- Newsletter Sign up form
- Blog posts
- Website (allll over it!)
- Google My Business page
- Linked In
- And so much more!!
Get on the Branding & Headshot Waitlist
Get the next round of mini sessions in your inbox. You’ll get all my tips and tricks for slaying your branding photos! You’ll receive:
- Tips for feeling confident in front of the camera
- Why you should wear a jacket
- Ideas for realtors
- 5 ways to use props
- So much more!
Hey! I’m Alison!
Getting in front of the camera is awkward for me too, and I’ve done it a dozen times!
Whether its a shot of tequila or the right song hitting
juuuuust right, getting branding photos is going to be easy!
I’m an enneagram 7, USMC spouse, South Carolina native, and a recovering homeschool mama of a 4 boy circus.
They’ve taught me the most important facet of photographing people: <mark> KEEP IT FUN! </mark>
How Branding Photos Work
Branding photography is much different than families and weddings. There’s way more planning and strategy involved. With families or weddings, a photographer gets a basic understanding and then shows up. He or she is a fly on the wall for the most part (aside from some specific protraits)
Branding photos are completely engineered with the end goal in mind first.
That end goal is then supported by location choices and props.
Wardrobe is decided by branding visuals for consistency. At the very least you don’t want to wear bright pink if your website is all earth tones.
Branding Photos are Reverse Engineered
Photographers are everywhere but finding professional photographer can take some work. With all photography, start with the end goal in mind. If you’re looking for professional photos, how will they be used?
- Social media?
- Print – programs, business cards, media kits?
- Websites? Yours or someone else’s?
Each one those have different specifications like aspect ratios that must be considered when capturing the photo (not every image can be cropped to a square!)
What about your brand or professional personality? Do these need to be traditional headshots or are you looking for a lifestyle approach that is laidback, fun, vibrant or thoughtful?
Do you want your images to be
- Bright
- Moody
- Traditional
- Lifestyle
- Vibrant
All these play into the end goal of the image – their use and their look and feel. And you need to hire a photographer that can create what you’re looking for.
I’ve been photographing people since 10th grade. I have a photojournalistic background and a fun, vibrant approach. I like to give you something to DO so you’re not feeling awkward about what to do with your hands.
That’s why every branding session comes with a one hour consultation
We spend an hour together planning – and all decision makers are invited! That could be a web designer, marketing agency, stylist, whomever!
I review your current social media and web presence.
We spend the whole time planning with the end goal of the images and reverse engineer a shot list.
- What the client journey?
- What are the knowledge gaps?
- What are their problems? Do they know they have these problems?
Home Studio Headshot Mini Sessions Photos
More About Branding & Headshot Sessions
I'm a USMC spouse, South Carolina native, recovering homeschool mama of a 4 boy circus. They've taught me the most important facet of family photography: KEEP IT FUN!
Alison's Process
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