Personal Branding Photography is the new way to market yourself. For businesses small and large, it’s a great way to get your name out there in a natural way. Branding photography is much more than the old headshots. There’s way more creativity and collaboration behind it between you and the photographer, at least that’s the case when you shoot with me. I want our time together shooting your personal branding photos to feel like a creative date out with a friend. I love to listen about what your business is working on and incorporate that positive energy into the shoot. Ok, let’s get into the guide where I hope to give you lots of personal branding photoshoot ideas.

Set Your Intention for the Shoot

As a personal branding photographer, my main goal is to make your branding photos feel like your most authentic self. After all, your business is a direct reflection of who you are and what you are most passionate about. I like to take a little time before the branding photoshoot to hear what you’d like to accomplish with the photos. Are you using them for a business website? Do you need personal branding content for social media? Are you running marketing advertisements with them? Whatever the case may be, I want us both to be crystal clear on what we need to accomplish. For these photos, Shandi is a permanent jewelry artist and esthetician. She was very specific in wanting candid photography for both social media and website content. She wanted people to really get a feel for who she is. And well, this is Shandi. Smoking cowgirl, bareback horse riding, adobe loving gem of a human. You can feel her passion in the photos and you know that passion directly translates to her work.

Pick the Location

To me, this is one of the most fun aspects of being a branding photographer. We get to bop around to all these awesome locations. This location with Shandi is hands down one of my most favorites yet. This is her Dad’s adobe home and the love of adobe runs deep in my veins. My Dad worked with Shandi’s Dad for many years building some of the most gorgeous adobe homes you’ll ever see throughout the Phoenix Valley. My Dad is from New Mexico and wanted to bring genuine adobe to Arizona, which he most certainly did. He wrote the building codes for adobe throughout most major cities in Arizona and has been featured in several magazines. He’d feel very sheepish if he knew I was putting that out to the world, but I’m a proud daughter, what can I say. So, we pick a location that is relevant and meaningful and when that happens, it’s easy to immerse yourself and get lost- resulting in the most dreamy, natural personal branding photoshoot.

How to Prepare

As your branding photographer, it’s my job to make sure you show up with confidence. This pertains to outfit ideas, any props we may want to include and backdrops, just to name a few. I love talking all things outfit inspo and am happy to allow time for outfit changes during the photoshoot. I’m also happy to look through suggestions you may have to offer my opinion of what would photography best. I can even refer you to some of my favorite rentals and online shops if you’re having trouble nailing down your look. Ultimately, it’s your shoot, so unlike my newborn and family sessions where I like to stick with neutrals only, I encourage you to wear what best represents you as a person.

Anyone Can Do It

Personal branding photography isn’t just for businesses. This next series was taken with my friend Brighton Peachey, who started as an outdoor enthusiast. Now she has 3 boys and she takes them on the most epic adventures. I don’t think she’d label herself as an influencer, but she influences me in all the best ways. Her stories give me the push I need to get outside with my kids. She’s also certified in wildlife safety and gives really great tips. If you haven’t seen her page, you can look here. I’ll let you discover her most inspiring story when you check out her page because she tells it better than I ever could and it makes me cry every time. Taking branding photos with Brighton feels like hanging out with your buddy. She’s an absolute delight. Being a personal branding photographer allows me to follow along and capture your everyday adventures in a format that then lets you share those adventures in a professional, beautiful way.

Don’t Wait

If you’re thinking about it, my advice would be to go for it. You’ll never regret having the photos. When you’re looking for a personal branding photographer to work with, first, make sure the aesthetic of their photos matches what you love. You need to really LOVE their photos. And not just one gallery, look through several. Second, make sure there’s open communication and collaboration. This is the biggest missing link for most people, I believe. Personal branding photos need to be a collaboration that inspires you. Third, if you want reoccuring content, establish a package with your photographer that works around your schedule. Most photographers a willing to price a schedule around what’s best for you! Feel free to email me from my contact page if you have any more questions.

I’ll post below some personal branding photos of various shoots and professions so you can get an idea of how endless the possibilities are!

As always, thanks for being here and reading along. I hope to meet you soon for your next (or first) personal branding photoshoot. Happy Wednesday everyone.