The Must-Have Brand Photography Shotlist
Your brand photography shotlist needs are diverse, whether you know it or not!
Your clients not only need professional images for social media content, but also for their websites, promo packets, and marketing materials. These photos must be timeless AND stand out to attract.
Boring corporate professional headshots are OUT, and personality-driven photos that tell your client's brand story and build trust with their target audience is the way forward.
To get the most out of a personal brand photoshoot, include these types of images in your shotlist so your client's gallery comes back absolutely BURSTING with unique brand images to grow and celebrate their business. You may even want to include some of the bonus ideas!
fun & relaxed headshots
Your clients need to show off who they are. I’m not just talking about a smile-at-the-camera headshot, oh nonono my friends! Brand photos these days are all about embracing an anti-stuffy approach! Of course, a traditional headshot shows your client's face but it tells no story about who they are and what they do. They have absolutely zero brand personality! We want your clients to be able to show that they are trustworthy and relatable, whether you're shooting their work, hobbies, or hangouts! Have them laugh and build trust with photos of them looking at the camera. Remember, brand photography is about their brand, and ultimately...they are their brand!
If getting photos taken makes your clients anxious, they are not alone.
Feel free to send them my tips on how to quell pre-shoot anxiety.
behind the scenes
Peel back that curtain, create intrigue, and gain trust with photos showcasing what happens in the background of your client's successful business! People LOVE this stuff. They'll eat it up. Capturing images of them hard at work not only gives their followers a peek into their process but it also shows their dedication to making a kick-ass product or service. Many consumers have no idea what the day-to-day life is like for a busy solopreneur. Even if your clients think their daily routines are not photo-worthy, I’m sure a ton of people will relate to them!
with a client
Allow your client to invite a friend to their shoot to play the role of their client so people can see what it could be like to work with them. This works especially well for professionals in the coaching and therapy industries. Do they take clients primarily over zoom? Have them set up a call with their friend to add realism to their shoot. Or bring along documents or tools They would use throughout the meeting to give people an idea of how they run their sessions.
lifestyle images
Show your client's fans what their downtime looks like. Whether it's them getting ready for the day with their morning routine, a look at how they spend their Sundays, or even just how they take a quick break between clients throughout their workday. These types of images are great for seeing what they have in common with their audience.
the playful side
Laughing and being playful is a really useful way to show how approachable and human your clients are. Images like the one on the left are great to share when talking about feeling a little crazy, busy, or if they made a silly error. And laughing photos accompany fun captions and help remind their fans not to take work and life so seriously all the time. How will you show off your client's playful side?
hobbies
What do they like to do when their not working? What brings your clients joy and gives them that necessary dose of escapism? Remind them that their brand is not just about the work they do, but it's also about them as a person. Encourage them to share what feeds their soul, whether that's jewelry making, painting, paddle boarding, yoga... you get the idea. This is an incredible way to help your clients connect with people and maybe even find them new buddies to hobby with!
workspace
Remind your clients to show their fans the space where they get it done! They can use these photos to speak about their services, location, productivity hacks, hours of operation, how to contact them, and more! This is a great way to tie into another brand if they decorate their space with products from other small businesses. Give them a shoutout to spread the love!
tools of the trade
Maybe all your clients need is their phone and a laptop to get through their daily to-do list, or perhaps they need something more. Whatever it is they use to deliver their service or create their products, share these types of images. Suggest they pair it with a caption that explains how they use the item, where others can purchase it if they'd like, or to explain the benefits of one tool vs. the other.
filler shots
Remember to capture the ambiance! Your clients don't need to be in every photo throughout their brand photography shoot. Well-styled detail shots make for great photos to fill out their website and social media. Don't underestimate their power to tell a story! They can throw text over a simple photo that encompasses the essence of their brand and have their next post. These can be photos of the fresh flowers in the corner of their office, the steam coming off a hot cuppa in their favorite mug, samples they've ordered from manufacturers, their deskscape – so many ways to tell the story of their brand.
zoomed in details
Get up close and personal with your clients so you can tell different stories. For instance, a yoga pose zoomed out can explain the benefits of the pose overall, but a zoomed in version allows your client to go deeper and explain the exact benefits of specific body placement. Same pose -> different conversation.
on-the-nose attention grabbers
I ask my clients a lot of questions in prep for their personal branding shoot, and from their answers, I pull out specific phrases that can be easily translated into an attention-grabbing image to attract new clients. For instance, on the left, a psychologist wanted to allude to overwhelm and the balancing of work, study, and motherhood; and on the right a hypnotherapist mentioned wanting to help women who feel like they've lost their spark. Have a chat with your clients about what they want to share in social media posts and who their ideal client is. Transforming those thoughts into literal images may be "on-the-nose," or even feel a tad cheesy when styling them, but if they capture the attention of the right people, who cares?
with the team
Your client may have a team, coworker, or a cute doggo they want to include in their shoot. Make sure to allow them the option to include the team members that help their business thrive.
mock-ups
Have your clients bring something from their house - a frame, an ipad, or even just cardstock - to show the camera and use as a way to share a message about an upcoming offer or launch, seasonal availability, or a quote that inspires.
negative space
Add some negative space to your brand photography shot list, whether that's in nature or against a plain wall. They make for wonderful opportunities for your clients to add text and grab attention.
wide angle
In addition to plenty of shots showing us your client's face and personality, they will need zoomed out horizontal shots as well. These are great for website banners!
a celebration moment
Talk to your clients about what they would want to post when they have something fun and exciting to announce - launch, client win, special feature, holiday, etc. Is it popping bubbles? Tossing confetti? Popping balloons? Jumping? Throwing paint powder? These shots are super fun!
brand photography bonus shots:
The following shotlist ideas may not suit your client's brand on the surface, but have a think as to whether some shots like these would have a positive impact on their marketing. And feel free to share this blog with your clients.
products
Product-based businesses need product shots to sell, but there's not just one way to photograph them.
First, as a consumer, I want to see the product in its packaging. This is particularly important if your clients pride themselves on the value of reducing waste or being plastic-free. It shows their branding and helps give customers an idea of what to look out for, especially if they are stocked in a store.
I also want to see a product in use. If it’s food, show it plated beautifully for fans to picture themselves enjoying it. Your clients may even inspire them to try something new with the way they plate it. They’ll be remembered as the people who introduced whatever unique plating or food pairing idea the photos inspired.
For accessories and clothing, I want to see how it hangs on another person. I don’t want to buy a beautiful piece that gives me no context as to how it sits on the body. Get a model or two (or have your client jump into the role themselves) and share some gorgeous context!
Pretty flatlays against a styled background - I think these are actually the most used, but in a way the least useful. Of course, they’re gorgeous, and I totally support them in the mix with the rest of the images, but if they're standalone images, as a consumer, they leave me very little to go off. They are great for traffic in platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, but you'll definitely want to have your clients include a variety of options for the conversion.
events and retreats
Whether your clients are attendees or hosts, sharing these photos is great for their marketing. What a fun way to connect and encourage wellness!
If they're participating in a retreat, share that with their fans. They’ll be interested to hear more. Plus, it can help the retreat hosts as well – win-win for everyone!
If your clients are hosting an event or retreat, they'll have a much larger shotlist (photos of the team, participants, activities, gift bags, downtime mingling, etc.)! These incredible images, plastered across their site and social media will have your fans and followers feeling the FOMO, visualizing themselves there, and lining up to get a spot at the next one!
wild & free
Shots that invoke feelings may not work for every brand, but if your clients are in fields that involve emotions and healing, introducing movement, a little blur, or even light flares, create really unique, one-of-a-kind images. They're also ridiculously fun to shoot! Especially as the sun starts to dip into that juicy golden hour goodness.
show some skin
Are your clients on a body acceptance journey? Are they leading others through one? If they or their brand are going through a rebirth of any kind, they may find that shedding the layers speaks well to their story and captures the eyes of people who need to see their message and offer. They don't have to truly take it all off - you can easily elude to being nude with clever angles (however, they may find it an important part of their journey to go all out with it).
Are you looking to elevate your confidence & boost your brand?
I'm here to guide compassionate entrepreneurs like you through fun and relaxed personal branding photoshoots that boost your confidence and save you time with loads of gorgeous content. Together we plan your shoot around your story and passions in order to build trust and connect you to other beautiful souls by showcasing the authentic you.
Check out what's involved in Personal Brand Photoshoots and reach out when you're ready to learn more!
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