I'm Val! Coach for creatives
like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
How To Prep for your Branding Photoshoot
a guest post by personal stylist,
Camille Vlahos of Aiken Styling
(make sure to follow her on Insta!!)
Branding. An 8 letter word holds so much power. While it means something different to each business owner, the fundamentals are always the same. As a creative entrepreneur, personal branding and branding for the business you have built start to merge. As the face of your venture, people care about seeing you, the person behind it all. Today, our social-media-driven world desires a personal connection to businesses and brands, and you are that personal connection.
Budgeting for a branding photoshoot might not be at the top of your never-ending to do list when launching a new business, rebranding or introducing a new product, but I’m here to convince you otherwise. It’s time to reconfigure your to do list because having strong brand photography is priceless.
While sources for great stock photos seem endless, these can only get you so far when you’re working to build and expand your brand. Not only can the photos from your branding photoshoot be used throughout your website, but your social media content creation will be a breeze. Working with a few hundred of your own photos with your branding is a game changer!
Now that I’ve made the case for brand photography, let’s talk prepping for a photoshoot of your own.
As a personal stylist, I knew that finding the right outfits and branding props would be essential. Finding a photographer that has a passion for photo styling and brand photography is also so important. After lots of research, I knew that Lauren Carnes was the perfect fit for me and my brand.
For Aiken Styling, I decided to start by focusing on brand identity. As a business owner, you have worked so hard to build your brand and find its voice, now’s the time to let it shine!
Choosing your outfits and accessories is by far my favorite part of prepping for a brand photoshoot! It really comes down to making sure you’re choosing outfits and accessories that are cohesive to your brand. Don’t stress over trying to pull together an outfit with every color in your logo though!
On-brand outfitting can be as easy as layering a necklace in one of your brand’s key colors over a great fitting black dress, pairing a pop-of-color blazer with denim and a neutral top or keeping it simple with dark skinnies, a white or off-white top and fun accessories and shoes in your brand’s signature color!
So whether you’re a calligrapher with a boho edge and you feel your best in a blousy top or you’re a restaurant owner in your element wearing dark denim and a tailored shirt, always stay true to your personal style and keep your brand’s voice in mind when putting together an outfit.
Just like when it comes down to choosing outfits and accessories for your photoshoot, props don’t necessarily have to be matchy-matchy to your branding for things to work. Instead, find pieces that you actually use in your day-to-day work to create authenticity. Choose props that contain your branding (like a PDF you created), use items that incorporate your colors or complementary colors like flowers, coasters, books or pens and pencils, and include some neutrals to balance the color.
The overall look of the images should complement the already established look of your brand.
As a personal stylist, I knew that I wanted a refined, styled and feminine feel to my brand imagery. Try to nail down some adjectives that are inline with your business and brand. Once you have those to work with, see what kind of vision comes to mind. Pinterest is always a great place to start gathering inspiration!
Ready to book your branding photoshoot, but not sure where to start when it comes to choosing your wardrobe? I’ve created an à la carte service for special event styling to help with just that! Together, we can go through your closet, go shopping, or we can do a combination of the two to find the right line up of outfits for your photoshoot!
Preparing for your branding photoshoot will be worth the time it takes to pick out the perfect outfit and organize all of your props. Investing in brand photography is investing in your business, investing in you. A whole new kind of pride will arise in the brand you’ve created as you scroll through the edited images after your photoshoot.
-Camille
I'm Val! Coach for creatives
like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
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