capturing success: a realtor's guide to a personal branding photoshoot
A comprehensive guide to a personal branding photoshoot for real estate agents.
If you are a REALTOR, this article will teach you everything you need to know about building a powerful personal brand online. The number one tool we are going to focus here is photography. I am including an in-depth explanation of what headshots are and how they are different from a branding photoshoot. On top of that, I give you a step-by-step guide to your own REALTOR personal branding photoshoot and what to pay attention to. Lastly, I give you some visual ideas of the photos I created for my client who is a real estate agent. I hope that this article serves as inspiration to move you up the success ladder in your business!
headshots vs personal branding photoshoot
Do I need headshots or a personal branding photoshoot as a REALTOR? What’s the difference between the two?
Headshots are elaborate professional portraits usually taken in a studio environment. I have a friend, her name is Annette, and she creates formulaic, perfect portraits in her studio. Annette Meyer is German, so you know the headshots she takes will be exact and perfect.
If you book a headshot session in a studio, you can expect a few headshot portraits and full-body images created in a studio. You can remove the background in these photos and use them as overlays on your Open House announcements, and other social media and email promos.
A personal branding photoshoot is usually done on location: at a listing you’ve secured for that purpose, or a friend’s house, or outdoors. A skilled branding photographer will most likely create headshots for you during your session. These headshots can be as perfect as the ones taken in a studio. You can still remove the background in a these photos using Canva and use them for your marketing.
In addition to that, a personal branding photoshoot is a chance to see you in “staged” action. These can be shots of you:
preparing for an Open House
hosting an Open House
doing a buyer consultation or a listing presentation
working in your home office or on the go.
These types of photos are sometimes called lifestyle photos. They are an idealized representation of reality. The purpose of these photos is to convey what you are about visually. The goal is for people who follow you on social media to get to know you and forever plant a seed in their head that you are a REALTOR.
Now that we’ve cleared away the difference between headshots and a personal branding photography session, let’s map out how to get the most out of it.
How to prepare for your real estate personal branding photoshoot
I always tell my clients, a lot goes into preparation for a personal branding photoshoot, but it pays off. The better you prepare, the more you can get out of your photography investment.
Here are the things to consider before your personal branding session. I will use my client Brooke as an example. This way you can see the process every step of the way and enjoy the final images we created (and see if they would work for your REALTOR brand?)
prepare the outfits that communicate your brand’s aspirational identity
Choose anywhere from 3 to 7 outfits, depending on the length of your session and your photographer’s recommendation. Chances are, you won’t use all of them, but it’s good to have options. It is better to have quality images in different outfits so your photos don’t look like they were all taken on the same day.
Make sure your clothes are wrinkle free and clean before the photoshoot. Trust me, you can’t afford to “remove it in Photoshop later” because you will be charge extra for that. And you don’t want the energy of sloppiness going into your shoot. We are all about excellence and attention to detail, right?
My client Brooke prepared 5 outfits for her branding session, you can see them in these photos we created for her:
Brooke’s desire was to tap more deeply into the luxury market. In order to appeal to her ideal customer, she had to dress the part. Having a exquisite style and lots of options in her wardrobe, she narrowed it down to these five outfits. She had a vision for a red pantsuit and she purchased it for the photoshoot!
When choosing outfits, aim for a good mix of formal/professional and more casual options.
If you don’t have enough options in your closet (that is the story of my life, so I HEAR YOU!), remember, that you can ask a friend to help you choose outfits, go shopping with you, or hire a professional stylist. A stylist is an additional expense but if you are aiming for success, you’ve got to dress for the part. And it is amazing how we FEEL different, and perceive ourselves differently depending on what we are wearing, have you noticed that?
I ALWAYS ask clients to send me photos of their outfits before the photoshoot. It helps me visualize their photos, imagine against which backdrop the outfit will work best, and what personality trait it will help to bring out. Some colors and patterns may work better, that’s why I always want to see what the client chooses so I can help them pick the best outfits that will make them shine.
choose the right location
My client Brooke asked her former clients if they would allow us to use their property. We came in, photographed, and were out of there in one hour. The house was absolutely gorgeous and absolutely PERFECT for Brooke’s brand. And it made my job as a photographer super easy because every corner of the house was picture perfect and I caught such a high photographing there.
In addition to photographing indoors, we took some photos outside, by the pool.
Ideally, I would have loved to photograph my client somewhere in the city in a coffee shop, or doing something that she loves, maybe going for a walk on the beach, or reading a book. These types of photos visually tell your audience what your interests are and help build rapport. In Brooke’s case, we had only one hour to work with, so we only created images portraying her professional side.
Hair and Makeup for the photoshoot
Clients often ask me if they should have their hair and makeup done for the photoshoot. As a matter of fact, I get this question asked so often, that I filmed a video about it.
The bottom line, you don’t have to hire a professional MUA or get your hair done, but you can if you want. to I usually address this topic in detail during a phone consultation with the client.
Brooke had her hair blow dried in a salon, but makeup came free - she asked a friend to do it. If you don’t normally wear wakeup, watch the video to weigh all the pros and cons of professional makeup and decide if it is the right choice for you.
communicate with your photographer
Personal branding photos are more than just pretty pictures (though they totally are, just look at this goddess!) It is important to have a strategy in mind when creating these photos. When you talk with your photographer, address the following:
will you be using these photos to update your website?
what orientation of photos will you need (websites use a lot of horizontal banners, and a good photographer will create a good mix of vertical and horizontal images)
do you need photos for social media?
do you have specific posts in mind for which you can create images during you session?
what kind of photos will best serve your brand?
who is your target audience? a first-time buyer as opposed to an investment property buyer will have a slightly different feel to brand voice and message.
who is your audience and what do they like? can you include any of the items that resonate with them during your photoshoot as props?
will you be offering/promoting anything in the next six months for which you need photos?
real estate branding Photoshoot props
You might want to bring some props to your photoshoot. It is always easier to pose when you are holding something in your hands. Also, props add more interest to your photos and are fun to play with.
I love to have fresh flowers for branding photoshoots. I brought a bouquet of white flowers to Brooke’s session. We hardly needed them because the house was perfect as is, and we ended up gifting the flowers to the house owner.
Here is a list of props you could include in a REALTOR personal branding photoshoot:
for sale sign
sold sign
open house sign
gigantic key prop
laptop, cell phone, book, journal - things you use for work
champagne and glasses (to celebrate a purchase/sale of a new home)
balloons (to celebrate, alternative to alcohol)
house floor plans
You could also invite a couple of close friends to pose as your buyers/sellers. This way you can stage photos of working with clients, so your audience can see what it feels like to work with you.
Things to bring with you to the photoshoot
outfits
shoes and accessories for each outfit
props
hair brush
makeup to retouch if needed
what to expect the day of the photoshoot
On the day of the photoshoot, you will meet with the photographer at the designated location and work your plan. Your skilled photographer will tell you where you will pose in each outfit and will guide you through the posing process. It is normal to feel slightly intimidated at first, but after about 10 minutes or so, you will get used to the camera pointing at you, most people do. The only advice for this part of the process is to to have fun! It will be over before you know, and it will be so worth it.
what NOT to do with the final photos.
Once you receive your photos from your photographer, you will experience one of two things:
You will be super excited about your photos and will want to share ALL OF THEM on social media right away. Don’t do that!
You will go into a shock from how awesome you are. At this time you realize that it is time to to get vulnerable and start posting. As a result, you freeze and do nothing with your photos. Don’t do that either!
Just like you don’t want to dump all the photos in one post, you don’t want to put them away until your hair color/length/etc changes. Use them! But use them wisely. Remember the strategy we talked about when we prepared for the branding photoshoot?
Use your new photos to:
update your website
update your social media avatars
update your email signature
create social media content
My client Brooke updated her website. She used her new gorgeous photos to completely revamp her website and it makes my heart sing when I see the photos we created on the pages of her website.
Professional photography or phone camera? what’s more relatable, what’s better?
Do you notice how sometimes super polished photos of a friend who always posts perfect photos annoy you? (or is it just me?)
There is an argument that quick photos snapped with your cell phone are better. Some say they are more relatable, tell a better story, help people connect with you better. It may be true.
I have a counter-question for you, however. How often are you HAPPY with the photos your cell phone produces for you? Even if I look in the mirror and think I look good, my cell phone camera somehow fails to capture that. Then the question of better cell phone pictures goes out the window, simply because there are no photos to show!
Having professional photos of yourself taken doesn’t mean your Instagram feed needs to become a perfectly curated photography portfolio. Many of my clients use the photos from their branding session for some posts, while reels, stories and some posts they snap with their phone camera. If you are like me and have a hard time getting a perfect selfie with a cell phone, having professional photos will give you at least a handful of photos you LOVE. That, in turn, means you will be more likely to share them, and thus attract attention to yourself and your brand.
why is it worth investing in professional photos for your real estate business?
Here are 3 reasons to invest into professional brand photography for your real estate business:
First, it is IMPERATIVE to have a few professional images of yourself that you feel proud of. It may be a handful of images you will be using everywhere - on your social media avatar, business card, open house promos, and much more. You are projecting an image of yourself with these photos, and we all know how important first impressions are.
The second reason you want to have PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS of yourself taken because expensive cameras and talented photographers work MAGIC. My camera is magical in that the photos it creates show the soul of the person I photograph. If you add to that my skill in seeing what poses work well for each body type and what images convey powerful emotion, you get double magic.
The third reason you want to have branding photos of yourself done is because SEEING is BELIEVING. It is about you stepping into your IDENTITY of a SUCCESSFUL real estate agent. Many of my clients told me that SEEING themselves as professionals in these photos gave them a huge confidence boost. I know this is something so intangible, but it is the energy, the vibe, the subconscious belief you EMBODY that your clients feel and that helps you sell.
Brooke had an article published about her in the local Atlantic Ave magazine. Do you think she would have had the confidence to have her photo printed on glossy pages that everyone around town would see if she was not proud of how she looked? I doubt it. Does she feel like a total badass because her name, photos and business info is printed in a local publication? You betcha.
Here are a few more images from Brooke’s personal branding photoshoot. It is safe to say that I am obsessed with these photos!
I hope you found this article helpful! I love helping entrepreneurs create a powerful presence online and I would love to work together.
If you would like to learn more about your own personal branding photoshoot, please get in touch and let’s create some magic together!
personal branding photoshoot for an integrative health practitioner Tracy
I sneaked out from the house to the car to have a few minutes of quiet time to prepare for a phone consultation with Tracy before her personal branding photoshoot. As I read her detailed story in the personal branding questionnaire that she sent over, I started crying. Her story is so powerful, that I decided to share it in this article.
You know how many hard-hustling women find themselves exhausted, overwhelmed, with stubborn pounds clung to their mid-section while wondering what happened to the fit warrior that crushed deadlines, to-do lists and let nothing stand in their way? Well, I help women find and correct the underlying root cause imbalances so that they lose that stubborn weight, look and feel amazing and reconnect with their lost mojo.
I am unique because I have walked an integrative wellness journey at the most profound level. Many highly respected neurologists told me that I would not live, yet here I am, very much alive. I left a promising corporate career to practice Integrative Health because I do not want one more person to share my journey.
My story is long and circuitous, like most people in the natural health and wellness space.
Here is the Cliff Notes version:
My last “traditional job” was as the Global Vice President of Consumer Research and Product Development for a multi-billion-dollar consumer durables brand. You would likely know the brand if I told you. I WAS the hard-driving female.
It kills me to say this, but I am now 52 years old. Ugh. I was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s Disease when I was 32 years old, just 14 months after my twin daughters were born. Parkinson’s is what dismantled my paternal grandmother, so I knew very well what lay ahead for me when the diagnosis was given, and then confirmed three times by increasingly highly credentialed specialists.
The words “Progressive, degenerative, there is no cure” were burned into my brain because I heard them repeated so many times.
They told me my marriage would fail. Check; it failed wildly.
They told me I would be institutionalized within ten years.
They told me I would be dead in 20 years.
I was unwilling to accept these answers.
I will admit that at first I did the completely normal thing and fell into a gross heap of despair. The illness progressed rapidly during my self-pity party, which terrified me. Then one day, my sweet little girls crawled into my lap, and one of them asked me, “Mommy, who is going to takecare of us when you die?” Oh, my goodness. The question took my breath away. I told them that I was not going to die; I was obviously too mean to die, and smiled. I made a mental note: no more Disney Princess movies! At that time, the princesses all had deceased mothers and evil stepmothers.
some of the branding photos we created:
These events occurred more than 20 years ago, so there were no “done for you detoxes”, and Dr. Google was not a resource. I went to the library, researched everything I could about the known contributing factors to Parkinson’s disease, and found a huge correlation to pesticide exposure.
I also learned that movement was a great way to keep the condition at bay, which was not what I had been told. So, I began a mad campaign of walking, detoxing in every manner I could research, and praying the rosary.
The rest is a very, very long story, but I can tell you that I was at one point a very heavily medicated person with visible tremors that frequently froze and fell down the stairs.
My Neurologist told me that he had no idea how I did it, but if I walked into his office, he would say that I DO NOT have Parkinson’s Disease. It took ten years, but I am and remain 100% symptom-free. I am now a runner, an equestrian, and a thrilled Mom who loves to be here for the twin girls she raised alone.
I am appalled at what Big Food and Big Pharma do to the people of the United States. It galls me to think that so many mothers are doing things for their families, truly believing that they are taking the very best care of them when they are slowly poisoning them. This is true of the food they feed them, the personal care products, the products used to launder their clothes and clean their homes, and even the water they bathe in is often filled with chlorine and pharmaceuticals that goes straight into the bloodstream through the skin. I believe that by educating and helping the women of the world, I will have a ripple effect, impacting families and the next generation.
The thing that I am most proud of is that I learned the body’s power to heal itself, and I know this not from a book, lecture, or certification.
I have checked many educational boxes and continue to learn, but I know it because I have lived it.
When someone tells me that they feel like they are dying, I know the feeling. I fell at the base of my driveway, taking out the trash on a wintery Chicago morning before work one day. I lay there and cried because I was literally dying. I was dying a slow, protracted, miserable death, and I felt helpless.
Until I found hope, that is my unique gift. I do not know how or why, but I am able to see the bright light in others that they often cannot see themselves. If you can get someone to see that bright light, to find that, then there is hope for them.
People cannot heal without hope.
This story changed my life and gave me new purpose. I was told I was going to die, and I said, “Death, not today.” I replaced deficiencies, removed toxicities, and let my body return to its equilibrium and voila! I now absolutely MUST take this and share. I help others find the courage to heal, and I use functional medicine labs and protocols combined with transformational coaching technique to help reset the subconscious behaviors that “keep them stuck” to guide them to wellness. This is my greatest accomplishment.
How’s that for a story? I cried when I read it. It is so powerful that I decided to share it in its entirety (with Tracy’s permission, of course).
I feel so special that this strong woman chose to do her branding photoshoot with me. She was very nervous about the photoshoot because she remembered from her corporate days stiff headshots that looked nothing like her. When she saw photos on my website, she says she regained hope that she can have photos of herself that she would not be embarrassed to post online.
Tracy had her makeup done by Savannah of https://www.jusssavvybeauty.com/
I brought some irises which symbolize hope, and Tracy had a coupe other bouquets around the house (fresh flowers always add such a nice touch to photos!). She always has tons of fresh fruits and veggies in her pantry and we used them for photos as well. Tracy’s dogs gladly posed for photos too, and the entire photoshoot flowed smoothly as we changed outfits and rooms where we photographed.
If you would like to work with Tracy or get to know her, follow her on Instagram: @tracyweskamp
other personal branding stories:
LET’S CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM:
personal branding photoshoot for an interior designer
It was a perfect house for our photoshoot, but there was one problem with it, and there was A LOT OF IT! Be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes video at the end of the story.
Anastasia needed to create photos for a new franchise business she purchased. She would be doing interior design and the franchise gave her a useful PDF guide of the kinds of photos that would work best for the new website.
Finding the right location for a branding photoshoot is key. Anastasia’s target audience was upscale and the place where we would photograph had to express that. From experience I know that luxury hotels don’t allow photography in the lobby (unless you have a manager friend who can get you a media pass ;)) and the rooms are usually too small to be able to photograph in them.
6 location choices for a branding photoshoot
Depending on your brand, budget and situation, you can choose to photograph at one of the following locations:
photograph in your home
rent an AirBnB for a night
use Peerspace to find the perfect location. This website lets you find a space near you that you can rent out for a few hours
photograph in a studio that can build out a set for you
ask around to see if any of your friends have a suitable place and who would let you use their space
photograph outdoors, somewhere in the city
We were not able to find a Peerspace or AirBnB location that fit our vision and I do not own a studio. Three days before the photoshoot Anastasia texted me saying that we would be able to use her friend’s house for our photoshoot.
When I walked into the house, I was greeted by a Greek grandma who was visiting her daughter, the owner of the house. The house was perfect for the vision we had for our photos - it was filled with natural light, had high ceilings, beautiful modern furniture, and high ceilings. There was one little problem, but it was A LOT of it!
There were Christmas decorations everywhere! White and silver snowmen and reindeer, snowflakes and nutcrackers, were on the dining table, on the coffee table, on the side table by the mirror, it seemed they FLOODED the house.
And since you want branding photos to be relevant all year round, you don’t want them to be tied to a specific holiday (a few photos for social media posts around the holiday are fine, but not all of them).
The powerful Goddesses that we are, we remove obstacles that stand in our way :)
Section by section, depending on where we would photograph, we would remove Christmas decorations, wipe glitter off the table and start photographing there. By the end of the photoshoot the Greek grandma had the job of putting the house together again, because the only thing that was still intact was the Christmas tree.
I laughed through most of the photoshoot. Anastasia would go with every posing idea that I offered. That usually makes creative play productive and fun. Her accent and sense of humor made me laugh so much my jaw hurt. She is so lighthearted and easy-going, honest and simple, and I really loved that about her.
In addition to traditional portraits of Anastasia, I felt it was important to capture that playful part of her. So we created this image and a close up of her shoes to portray her passion for fashion.
But it wasn’t only her sense of humor that inspired me in this Greek Goddess.
What I loved about her was this.
When I first got to the house and got over the overwhelm of winter wonderland, we went to the bedroom to pick the outfits for the photoshoot. Anastasia did her homework and brought several outfits. When I saw what she brought my eyes widened. There was a black off the shoulder top with feathers, and a white t-shirt with the word “fearless” on it. From the boots and the shoes to the iPad case and her jewelry, I loved her taste and her zest for wanting and BEING dressy, stylish, flashy. This desire to look good, to be attractive, to be fashionable signals to me her zest for life, and I loved that. I believe surrounding yourself with things that spark DELIGHT is part of the vibe you create for your mood and for your life.
BRANDING PHOTOS FOR AN INTERIOR DESIGNER IN BOCA RATON, FL:
That’s a wrap! It was an amazing experience working with Anastasia and I wish her good luck on her entrepreneurial journey! ♥
Need personal branding photos to grow YOUR business? I have a Personal Branding Questionnaire that I have my clients complete before we photograph. It helps both of us get clear on what we want to communicate with our images so the client has an entire library of them to use for at least six months. I will be happy to send you the questionnaire for free, just send me an email!
more on personal branding:
Let’s connect on Instagram!
branding photoshoot for OZO2 eco dry cleaners in palm beach
“We want people to think of us as a SPA for CLOTHES, not as dry cleaners” says Irina with a smile about their business, OZO2 eco dry cleaner.
“We want people to think of us as a SPA for CLOTHES, not as dry cleaners” says Irina with a smile about their business, OZO2 eco dry cleaner.
And their Palm Beach store has exactly that luxury vibe! It is not a place where you just run in to drop off your stuff to be cleaned. It is a place where you bring clothing you love, perhaps designer pieces, or items you have curated and collected over the years, to be cleaned and cared for. OZO2 cleaners Palm Beach location looks and feels like a boutique, and its owners are Irina and Jurate, two fashionistas with a sense of humor.
When the ladies approached me for a branding photoshoot, we talked about ideas for images, and most of the visualizing had already been done by the very creative Irina. Having worked in a marketing and modeling industry before, Irina knew exactly what kind of images would convey the message of their brand.
To demonstrate that an item of clothing receives personalized attention, and to illustrate the idea of laundering and what kind of clothing they can take care of, Irina suggested we pin a blouse or another fashionable piece of clothing to a rope/clothesline and Jurate and Irina would both hold it. Whimsical exaggeration at its best, I immediately loved the idea (and to this day wonder if I would have ever thought of it myself!) We recreated that image in several variations to make sure we got the winning shot which would then be published in this edition of Modern Luxury Palm Beach magazine.
While we were at it, we also captured some images of Jurate and Irina working side by side, choosing the best detergents and cleaning products for their clients and the environment:
The company offers pick-up and delivery services so we grabbed one quick image with their van, which can often be seen on luxurious Worth Avenue and streets of Palm Beach:
Irina had another brilliant idea of a photo with the van, but we ended up not executing it simply because we did not have time. We did create other images of them working in the store:
Individual photo of each wonder woman during our branding photoshoot was a must:
And a few more images of the two women together:
To create variety in the photos that we created, not only did we use different backgrounds for the photos, but Irina and Jurate changed their outfits several times. And being true fashionistas they are, their outfits ranged from simple and tasteful to dazzling and glamorous.
To illustrate individual attention to very delicate items we shot this image of Irina talking an employee while looking at a lace blouse:
Going along with the brand image of being fashionable yet tongue in cheek, we created these parody of high fashion photos image. It was lots of fun to create these!
We also took a couple of shots of owners outside of their store, with the sign in the background, set against gorgeous Florida blue sky.
For the last part of our shoot we headed to a Palm Beach boutique to recreate the image of a blouse hanging on a clothes line. Since that image would be used for a publication, we wanted to make sure we got our bases covered, so we re-created the same shot in another boutique.
Which image won? Well, the image that got printed in Modern Luxury Palm Beach in an article called Dynamic Women was this one:
This branding photoshoot with two powerful women was lots of fun and very inspiring. It was good to be around women who see dressing up as art, in a way, women who value beautiful pieces of clothing. Because what we wear is an expression of our inner world, it is a form of art, and the fact that they have built an empire around that is even more inspiring. Serving other fashionistas like themselves and other affluent clients who value quality and personalized attention, while using eco-friendly products, these dynamic women are surely changing the world. For more information about OZO2 cleaners, please visit their website and follow them on Instagram. And here are a few more images from our branding photoshoot in fashionable Palm Beach:
Have a small business and would love images that translate your company spirit, values, services or products into powerful photos? I would love to work with you! Send me a text or an email and let’s talk!
personal branding photoshoot for a Men's Sexual Health and Wellness Educator
Olga came down from New Jersey for her personal branding photoshoot and we got lucky because we got to photograph in a location that perfectly suits her brand!
“This woman knows what she is doing and she means business!” I thought to myself when I got her email. Olga, who was coming to Boca Raton from New Jersey and who was referred to me by another client, emailed me a document that in great detail explained her brand, services, and ideal client which made my job of preparing for her shoot so much easier! Of course, we spoke on the phone first and it was clear that we were a good fit, so we proceeded with preparations for the shoot.
With a branding photoshoot, there a so many different possibilities of how you, the business owner, the face of the brand, can be depicted to visually communicate your process and what it is like to work with you. I suggested several ideas for Olga of what I thought could work for her brand. She preferred to focus mostly on headshots and lifestyle photos of her so we did exactly that. I also knew that many of the photos we were creating would be used for Olga’s website, which was under construction at that time, so I was mindful of that and created many horizontal photos which usually work well for wide banner images on a website.
Because of who Olga’s ideal client is, it was important for us to find an upscale, luxurious looking backdrop for her lifestyle photos. We got very lucky and were able to do our photoshoot in the gorgeous Boca Raton Resort. (Honestly, we were so discreet and almost invisible, that it is almost as if it didn’t happen. :))
Olga brought six or seven outfits with her, as well as jewelry to match it, and once we met, we chose which outfits would go best with each scene. We ended up not using all of the outfits, but I definitely think it is better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. I did a beach photoshoot for a yoga teacher once and the only pair of shorts she brought got splashed by the sunrise waves and she had to wear wet shorts for the rest of her shoot (so I photographer her mostly from the waist up). You don’t want that. Bring more than you may need, you never know how the photoshoot unfolds, you may even use all of the outfits and create a great variety of images!
“Oh my, I look so good!” she exclaims when I show her one of the images on the back of my camera. This makes her more comfortable, she relaxes more into her natural state and starts being more confident in front of the camera. I love it. For me personally, it is like an explosion of visual orgasms when I look on my camera screen. I have this wise goddess in this gorgeous setting and she looks amazing, I just want to scream (and I normally would, when I photograph in nature, but we were trying to be invisible, so I kept quiet and just grinned from ear to ear :))
“Can you imagine that we got to photograph in this beautiful place?” she laughs in disbelief.
“I know” I reply. And like two giddy little girls we go from one section of the hotel to another to see where we can play.
I create several images like the one above where Olga’s graphic designer can add text off to the side. If a client who hires me has a graphic designer who is very specific about the types of images they need for the website, a client will provide me with a list of shots they need. Oftentimes, however, it doesn’t work like that. People come to me because they know they will need photos for a website, and we create a variety of images. Having created several websites and marketing materials (even though I am not a graphic designer) myself I know what kind of photos work well and I always create them for a client.
Olga received 30 images from her personal branding photoshoot and the ones presented here are my personal favorites. In my opinion, Olga looks classy, elegant, refined, knowledgeable and projects an image of wisdom, trustworthiness, and warmth.
Need to create brand photos for your business? I would love to work with you! If you are just in the beginning stages of starting a business, or if you are rebranding an existing one, I have the experience, talent, intuition, gear and desire to create great images for you :) Please reach out and let’s see if we are a good fit.
branding photoshoot for a holistic healer and yoga teacher + behind the scenes
Amy needed photos for her new business, Inner Bloom Wellness, so she reached out to me. Here is the process we went through to arrive at the photos that we created together.
Amy needed photos for her new business, Inner Bloom Wellness, so she reached out to me. Here is the process we went through to arrive at the photos that we created together.
This is a screenshot from Amy’s website with a photo we created during her branding photoshoot. Read on to understand how we arrived at creating these images and check out the behind-the-scenes magic of these images at the end of the article!
UNDERSTANDING THE BRAND
First, I needed to understand what Amy does and what words she uses to describe her brand. During our initial phone consultation, Amy explained that she is a a clinical social worker, a teacher of ecstatic dance and yoga nidra, and a holistic healer. She uses the following words to describe her brand: wellness, grounding, healing, therapeutic, connection, growth, inner bloom.
BRAND COLORS
Amy’s website draft was under way when we started preparing for the shoot, I was able to see Amy’s logo and colors that she will be associating with the brand: earthy tones, greens, golden hues, peachy and rose feminine hues.
INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK
In order to understand which storylines to focus on, I also need to have a better idea of Amy as a person. In addition to shots of her working at a laptop, pulling cards, or meditating in her home yoga studio, we wanted to give Amy’s audience a glimpse of her outside of her work. Naturally, she loves nature, dancing, enjoys cooking, gardening, spending time with her husband and her fur babies (a cat and a dog).
Amy’s dog Yogi is a big part of her life. It is possible that her potential customers who have dogs will be drawn to her precisely for this common love that they share with Amy.
SHOOTING LOCATION and TIME
Coming up with the storylines in the previous step enabled us to pinpoint the locations where we would photograph. We decided to photograph on the beach at sunrise (a magical time of the day that both Amy and I love!), in the green area next to the beach, and then at Amy’s home and garden.
This is one of my most favorite images from Amy’s branding photoshoot!
INSPIRATION BOARD
I asked Amy to prepare an inspiration board for our photoshoot. Even though I started forming a vision for Amy’s photos, it was important for me to understand how SHE sees them. When she sent me the link to the Pinterest board she created, a glimpse of which you can see here, I kept scrolling and scrolling and was amazing at how thorough this goddess was! She included images/inspiration for every storyline that we identified during our phone consultation/brainstorming session! (Sometimes clients give me a perfunctory board of visual ideas so I didn’t expect to see an in-depth view of it, but this girl doesn’t mess around! I admire her for that!)
PROPS AND OUTFITS
Amy chose a flowy dress that matched the colors of the beach at sunrise, a pair of flowy pants and a simple white tank top for the beach part of the shoot. When we returned home, Amy had two more outfits for when she was working on her computer and another one for the gardening and hanging out with loved ones part.
Props: singing bowl, sage, oracle cards, laptop, a heart-shaped rock (Amy “collects” all heart-shaped things that she sees!)
STORYLINES
We decided to focus on the following storylines for Amy’s brand:
healer
ecstatic dancer
gardening, spending time in nature
spending time with the fam
cooking
yoga teacher
Do you want to know how the photoshoot ended? It ended with THIS SHOT! This beautiful monarch butterfly just flew into Amy’s garden as if signaling to us that it was ok to be complete at that moment. It was a beautiful conclusion to a magical morning of creative labor ♥
FINAL IMAGES ON THE WEBSITE
We created such a great variety of images, that Amy was able to use the images we created on ALL of the pages of her website! Here are a few screenshots and I invite you to visit her website www.innerbloomwellness.com to learn more about Amy’s gifts.
SOCIAL MEDIA
In addition to website, Amy was also able to use a lot of photos on her social media. Here is a snapshot of her Instagram feed. Out of these 9 images, 6 were created during our branding photoshoot! And follow Amy @amyogilife - she is very wise and I love reading the insights she shares.
AMY’S TESTIMONIAL
And of course, I would be withholding from you if I didn’t show you the text Amy sent me after I showed her a few unedited images from our photoshoot —>
FINAL IMAGES GALLERY
BEHIND THE SCENES MAGIC
I saved the best for the last - check out this video to see what a magical morning it was. Enjoy!
Branding photoshoot for a therapist and healer in Boynton Beach, FL.
Can your brand benefit from photos similar to Amy’s?
If the answer yes, please reach out to me and get the conversation started. Delaying getting personal branding photos done will only delay your coming into your greatness, and the world must hear your message now.
8 tips for a successful personal branding photoshoot
Great things don’t happen by accident. Personal branding photoshoots are no exceptions. Check out these 8 tips to make sure your next (or first) personal branding photoshoot is a great success.
how to get the most out of apersonal branding photoshoot:
MAKE A LIST OF MUST-HAVE SHOTS.
Think of campaigns or posts you want to create in the next four to six weeks. Do you need photos for your website, if yes, make a list of photos for which pages will need photos and their orientation (vertical, horizontal, extra wide and narrow banners for pages). What kind of social media posts do you have in mind? What kind of photos will go best with them? Write it all out and then share with your photographer.
To help my clients prepare, I use a Personal Branding Questionnaire that I created.
COMMUNICATE YOUR VISION.
It is important for your photographer to understand what kind of photos you set out to create and perhaps the best way to do it is to show photos of others that inspire you, that appeal to you in terms of color, posing, overall mood. Share with your photographer the list of must-have shots and all your other wishes pertaining to photos and be prepared for the magic to unfold.
PREPARE OUTFITS, ACCESSORIES, AND PROPS.
Choose several outfits, make sure they are clean and ironed. Choose matching accessories. Props will show your audience which tools of trade you use and will make posing so much easier. Some examples of props could be a journal and a pen, a laptop, favorite books, a coffee mug, crystals, sage, candles, etc.
PRACTICE IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR.
Your photographer will guide you through the posing process but it is good to be prepared. “Try on” the poses that you found in photos of other people, see if you feel comfortable, if they are “you”, and play in front of the mirror to see what looks and feels right. This will give you the extra confidence when facing the stare of the lens on the day of the photoshoot.
DECIDE ON HAIR AND MAKEUP.
Decide whether you will do your hair and makeup yourself or if you will hire someone to do it for you. A word of caution with makeup: some makeup artists who are not very skilled sometimes apply so much makeup that it looks cakey, or is just simply too much. You don’t want to look like a clown in the final photos, you want to make sure you look like YOU, so if you have a chance, do a trial makeup session with that artist first or trust a professional with whom you have worked before.
I’ve put together this video for women who can’t decide whether they should have professional makeup done before a photoshoot, check it out:
DON’T FACE THE CAMERA HUNGRY.
Be sure to be well fed before your photoshoot! Modeling is demanding work, but you will surely ace it if you follow the suggested steps above and if you chose the right photographer, of course? How can you know if you chose the right photographer? I will share that in the article I will post this month, so stay tuned!
ARRIVE TO YOUR PHOTOSHOOT ON TIME.
Arriving on time shows respect, builds trust and sets a good tone to the interaction you will have with your photographer. It might be a no-brainer for many, but I wanted to stress the importance of this aspect because I have had a couple cases where the model was 40 minutes late. Needless to say, my attitude toward the person I was about to photograph changed and it affected the energy of the photoshoot.
TRUST THE PROCESS.
I know that facing the camera is scary. I have been in your shoes a few times (and even wrote an article about it - check it out!) so I understand that you might be a little apprehensive about the process. The last piece of advice for a successful photoshoot is to just trust the process and surrender to the creative flow. You have prepared well for this photoshoot, you chose the perfect spot for your shoot, your photographer will guide you through the posing process, and you will create beautiful photos together.
I hope these tips above have been helpful ♥
If you would like to see some samples of personal branding photos I created together with a fitness coach Ingrid, check out the video below.
Looking to grow YOUR BRAND? I can help! I have been helping entrepreneurs to promote and grow their businesses and my track record is excellent. I offer different packages to suit everyone’s budget and will be happy to work with you. Please feel free to reach out to talk about what kind of photos might work best for your brand.
more personal branding photography client stories
personal branding for a chef, health coach, and green goddess Rachel
Photos from the photoshoot of Rachel Shapiro, a South Florida personal chef, nutritionist, gardener, and green goddess.
“I was so nervous, I wanted to cry and call you to cancel the photoshoot” Rachel confessed to me when we met at the location of her photoshoot - her friend’s gorgeous AirBnB where we got a permission to photograph.
Facing the camera is a very vulnerable and scary process. Even though I am mostly on the other side of the lens, I can relate, because sometimes I need to have my photos taken too. I talk about it in more detail in this story.
I was able to convince Rachel that it will be ok as she showed me around the gorgeous space that we had at our disposal.
portraying different aspects of herrself and her business
Rachel prepared four different outfits to show the different facets of who she is and what she does.
Chef. For her role as a chef, we photographed in the kitchen, Rachel wearing her chef coat. I brought fresh veggies and fruit and some kitchenware that matched Rachel’s brand. I also brought flowers that my husband had gifted me the day before (he rarely gives me flowers so it was a big deal. And perfect timing too! :))
Health coach, nutritionist. In this role Rachel wore a brown dress and we decided to photograph with a basket of veggies outside. There are a few shots of Rachel next to a grill and some headshots near a tree to show Rachel’s connection to Mother Earth and all things natural.
Mindfulness coach. Rachel wore yoga pants and a sports tank the color of her logo and we photographed next to the pool.
Conscious dancer, Goddess. Rachel wore a flowy silky dress and I photographed her with a bouquet of fallen yellow leaves against the backdrop of bamboo, dancing.
Chef branding photos
“I forgot my pants!” she exclaimed as she was changing into her chef outfit. The good thing was, she was standing behind the counter and it is not visible in the final photos that she is not wearing pants :)
These kitchen shots took the longest time to prepare for. Rachel set up the fruits and veggies in a basket and I laid out other things on the counter. The important thing with branding photos is that you don’t want clutter. Since we were photographing in a real kitchen, there were notes and magnets on the fridge, a toaster oven and black kettle on the counter. We were going for a clean and classy feel, so we removed all unnecessary objects from the shot. I am very happy with how these chef photos turned out!
We created a variety of images for Rachel to use in her social media marketing and for her website and we were both very pleased with the results of our work. To learn more about Rachel Shapiro and what she does, visit her website www.integroushealthsolutions.com
You are so much more than just your business! Research shows that we choose to do business with those people we see as similar to ourselves and those we like. Give your audience a chance to get to know you and thus better relate to you and LIKE YOU! Show them the many facets of your personality - what do you like to do in your free time, what is your family life like, how you contribute to your community - through visual story-telling of personal branding photography. Together we will select which stories to choose for your personal branding shoot, I will guide you through picking outfits (or we can employ help of a professional stylist who can help revamp your wardrobe and take your branding and confidence to a whole new level!) and together we will come up with the best locations for your photos. Then, after a few hours of photographing, you will have two, or even three, months’ worth of visual content for your social media platforms and for your website and online marketing. Contact me today for a no-obligation free consultation about what photos will be most beneficial for your business, or browse my personal branding photography gallery. I look forward to helping you elevate your business!
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personal branding photoshoot for a sex educator and mompreneur
“I will be honest, I feel a little anxious about our photoshoot today.”
That is the text message I receive a few hours before I head out to photograph Mary-Reid’s personal branding photoshoot.
Personal branding photoshoot for a mompreneur and sex educator Mary-Reid.
“I will be honest, I feel a little anxious about our photoshoot today.”
That is the text message I receive a few hours before I head out to photograph Mary-Reid’s personal branding photoshoot.
Phew. I am glad she said that. We were able to talk about it, put that anxiety to rest, and once I got to her house, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work - creating several sets for her personal branding photoshoot right there in her house.
Mary-Reid is a somatic sex educator, mom entrepreneur, who offers online and in-person classes for women, children and families. To get to know her and how she can help you, please visit her website https://www.theeroticalchemist.com
Somatic sex education is the practice of being in deep presence with clients and in body, mind and spirit. Using touch, breath, and movement clients are supported to access and inhabit their erotic selves, voice their desires, exercise choice and voice, and experience pleasure. Somatic sex education is a powerful tool for anyone, whether the goal is to rewire trauma response or simply experience new sensations. For more info on somatic sex education or find a somatic sex educator in your area, visit somaticsexeducators.com
After the initial phone consultation, to better understand Mary-Reid’s brand, I asked her to complete a personal branding photoshoot questionnaire. Answering a series of questions about her brand, colors associated with it, and what message she wanted to convey to her ideal client was a good starting point for us in preparing for her shoot.
Tip: When brainstorming ideas for visual stories when preparing for a personal branding shoot, think of all the different roles that you play on a regular basis. In Mary-Reid’s case it was:
self
mother
wife
sex educator
spiritual teacher
Then look at each relationship and think of how you could portray each of those roles in photos, there can be more than one way to do that for each role.
Based on Mary-Reid’s roles, we decided to focus her visual stories on the following areas:
Mary-Reid’s ideal clients are moms with kids of any age, most likely kids under the age of 12. Being a mom herself, Mary-Reid wanted to show this major role of her life in her photos, so one of the stories we wanted to focus on was her life as a mom - photos with husband and kids.
As someone whose goal is to teach women to get in touch with their sensual selves, discover or re-discover what feels good, and give themselves the permission to experience pleasure, to learn self-love, Mary-Reid’s next story focused on sensual photos of herself. As a main prop for these photos we used a lush red rose and she wore a cobalt blue baby doll.
The other part of her role as a sex educator involves various tools - sex toys, yoni eggs, etc. It was a really fun to photograph this segment because Mary-Reid allowed her playful and silly self shine through in these images.
Also, as an educator, someone who reads about and studies sexuality, we created some photos with books and of her journaling.
Life as a wife - a few photos with her husband, who brings out her playful, spontaneous, silly self, as well as a few sensual shots with him. As you can see, many of these photos are so alive and so real because Mary-Reid didn’t have to pose - one look at her husband and she dissolved into her natural self, just reacting to his admiring eyes, goofy jokes, and his touch. It was also thanks to her husband Tom that we had such beautiful props for our shoot - majestic big red and pink roses that he had given her for Valentine’s Day the day before.
As a goddess advocate, Mary-Reid does goddess card readings and energy work, so it was imperative for us to include some photos of her meditating, playing with her goddess deck, and with her spiritual props and symbols. We set up this shot in front of the fire place, Mary-Reid adorned the place with crystals, a gigantic pink shell, pink roses, saged the place and did a card spread. As I was trying to lie down on the floor to get a lower angle, which was quite a challenge because of my eight-months pregnant belly at the time, I started laughing and said that I would give birth right there. “It’s a good thing I’m a doula, too”, she laughed.
Just as the advice she gives to other busy moms to take the time for self-care and restoring one’s inner balance, through her photos Mary-Reid wanted to show how SHE does it. We were thinking of photos in a nearby park where she would be walking or perhaps journaling in nature. However, we did not get to that part because we spent quite a bit of time setting up the sets and then shooting inside the house , but we did take some beautiful photos outdoors right in her front yard. Those photos turned out to be very close to the images we had envisioned. We created some images of Mary-Reid hugging a tree and playing with a bouquet of red roses - the nature connection that almost every goddess yearns for. The portraits with the vibrant red roses that she had gotten for Valentine’s Day from her hubby were a perfect prop! The images with them just highlight Mary-Reid’s own juicy, vibrant, blossoming personality and stepping into her divine feminine power to unfold her business and take it to the next level. These images show how she embodies the Goddess.
Another part of the shoot that we skipped was photos of Mary-Reid in a place that she likes. She mentioned a small French cafe that she likes to visit from time to time. Mary-Reid showed me the most beautiful black leather crop jacket embroidered with red roses and I am dreaming of photographing her in a lace dress paired with that jacket sipping on a cup or glass of something.
Overall, we created a variety of images for Mary-Reid to use in her social media. And we managed to do all of that in just one location: her house and front-yard, in a matter of few hours. Mary-Reid did her homework well and before I arrived at her place, she’d had all her clothes picked out and hanging on a rack, and all her props and goddess books spread all over the dining room table.
It was lots of fun photographing Mary-Reid and as a huge fan of her work, I sincerely wish her well and hope her empire gains strength rapidly and empowers many women.
You are so much more than just your business! Research shows that we choose to do business with those people we see as similar to ourselves and those we like. Give your audience a chance to get to know you and thus better relate to you and LIKE YOU! Show them the many facets of your personality - what do you like to do in your free time, what is your family life like, how you contribute to your community - through visual story-telling of personal branding photography. Together we will select which stories to choose for your personal branding shoot, I will guide you through picking outfits (or we can employ help of a professional stylist who can help revamp your wardrobe and take your branding and confidence to a whole new level!) and together we will come up with the best locations for your photos. Then, after a few hours of photographing, you will have two, or even three, months’ worth of visual content for your social media platforms and for your website and online marketing. Contact me today for a no-obligation free consultation about what photos will be most beneficial for your business, or browse my personal branding photography gallery. I look forward to helping you elevate your business!
redhead power - a personal branding photoshoot for a store/cafe owner in boca raton
The truth is, I have been DREAMING about photographing this girl for a while. One look at her and you will understand why: a cascade of fiery red curls, super-long lashes and a beaming smile. But the one time that I actually got my lucky chance to work with her was when she NEEDED photos.
The truth is, I have been DREAMING about photographing this girl for a while. One look at her and you will understand why: a cascade of fiery red curls, super-long lashes and a beaming smile. But the one time that I actually got my lucky chance to work with her was when she NEEDED photos. I guess sometimes we think that having our photos taken for the sake of pleasure of it is a guilty one and should not be indulged… I don’t know what Olga’s case was and won’t speculate - I am just SO THANKFUL for the opportunity to photograph her, period. : )
“I needed to have some photos done and the first person I thought of was you,” was like music to my ears when Olga called me. When she explained that she was looking for some images of her working as well as a few shots of her on the beach, her favorite place for relaxing and recharging her batteries, we decided to classify her photoshoot as a mini-personal branding shoot with two locations and scheduled it as a sunrise session on the beach, followed by a session at her workplace.
Olga is a manager and partner of a Russian & International Market and Lublu Bakery & Cafe in Boca Raton. In case you have never visited those place, I suggest you do. From a full assortment of Russian foods to delicious prepared hot and cold items and sweet treats in the cafe, this is my favorite meeting place with friends and clients because I can have a double enjoyment from it! In the beginning of this pregnancy I would make special trips to the Russian store to indulge in a bowl of hot borscht. It would save me from constant morning sickness and make me feel so much better! Me being Russian and all, I LOVE their prepared foods, so if you are adventurous enough to try new ethnic cuisines, definitely visit the Russian store.
Here are the photos we created for Olga, and I am thrilled with them! I am starting with the work photos first, even though they were created last.
A few images of Olga walking from the car to the store and finding a minute to enjoy a coffee with croissant before the day begins.
Personal branding photography is not only about work - it is about showing you from different angles, including how you relax and what you like to do you in your free time, as well as images showing your personality. Because of that, Olga wanted some photos on the beach, a place she frequents on weekends and where she likes to relax with her husband. In the photos below you get to see the playful side of this serious store and cafe manager.
Showing your human, non-professional-life-side, can help create important connections with your existing and potential audiences.
Olga and I are both very pleased with the photos we created and I am so happy to have had a chance to finally photograph this goddess at work and at play.
Explore other images in the personal branding photography gallery and reach out to me if you would like to brainstorm some ideas for your personal branding session. I would love to help you create engaging images that will help you connect with your audience ♥
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personal branding for a goddess
“Do you want to end this year with a bang?” I ask Lina having December 31 at 4 pm in mind as a date and time for her personal branding photoshoot. “Sure”, she says, and I have a feeling it will be a memorable one.
“Do you want to end this year with a bang?” I ask Lina having December 31 at 4 pm in mind as a date and time for her personal branding photoshoot. “Sure”, she says, and I have a feeling it will be a memorable one.
We meet at the South Inlet Park in Boca Raton, where I know we will have trees and vegetation as well as the ocean and huge rocks as beautiful backdrops for her photos. (What I do not know is that we will get carried away and will “play” in the woods until it gets dark…. I get carried away every time!)
Lina is a tantra healer and she needed photos for her new website and social media. Our personal branding for this spiritual entrepreneur focused on only one story including several different outfits. Her entire photoshoot experience is summarized in the video below.
And here are a few of my most favorite photos from Lina’s session:
To get to know this goddess and her business, please visit her website https://www.aluravida.com/
If you are a spiritual or creative entrepreneur, I would love to work with you! Please reach out to me if you need professional photography for your website or social media - let’s create magic together!
personal branding photography for a real estate broker
Claire Collins has dedicated her entire life to the real estate industry - she is a real estate broker and also offers white glove concierge services to her clients when it comes to managing estates and condominiums. Claire came to me to because she needed to update her headshots, but after talking on the phone for a while, Claire understood the importance of showing her current and potential clients a little more than just a business headshot. In order to connect with her audience and show them a little more of …
Claire Collins has dedicated her entire life to the real estate industry - she is a real estate broker and also offers white glove concierge services to her clients when it comes to managing estates and condominiums. Claire contacted me to because she needed to update her headshots. After a telephone consultation with me she understood the importance of showing her current and potential clients a little more than just a business headshot of herself. In order to connect with her audience and show them a little more of what she is about as a person, Claire decided to do a personal branding photoshoot, which would include lifestyle portraits of her, photos of her working, as well as photos that are closer to traditional headshots.
The colors of Claire’s brand are white, black and red and she chose her outfits accordingly. The adjectives that Claire associates with her brand are high-end, classy, personalized, sophisticated, and we wanted her images to communicate that, while at the same time making sure she looked approachable and friendly in photos. Claire loves hats so we incorporated one into her shoot, to show off her playful side and her sense of style, as well as a pair of white gloves, to literally portray white glove service she offers her clients.
Claire is based in Boca Raton so we chose to photograph in the Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Plaza. In addition to a few photos outdoors in the courtyards of the plaza, we photographed in the exquisite French cafe because having lived and worked in Monte Carlo Claire speaks French fluently and because she naturally visits that place quite often.
These are our most favorite images that Claire and I created. The photos have an editorial feel for them, meaning they could be published in a magazine to accompany a story, and many of them are lifestyle portraits. When choosing the best final images, Claire would say, “I love this photo because it truly shows how I see myself, it really reflects who I am”.
In addition to this woman’s business talents and utmost customer service she provides to her clients, she is also a mom to three grown up children and a bunch of furry children - several old dogs and fluffy cats. We decided to create a story of THAT side of Claire on another occasion - at a different location, more casual outfits and hoping that the “furry models” will co-operate and do just what is expected of them. Many of Claire’s clients might also have pets and, therefore, might relate to that side of her and that is why we thought it would be important to create a visual story about that.
Another thing that is in the works for Claire and I is a video for her website and social media and we are planning on accomplishing that as soon as I bounce from the birth of my third baby, which will give Claire the time to prepare the outfits and script for her video.
For more information about Claire’s company, please visit her website https://www.collinsandcompanyfl.com/ and follow Claire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collinsandcompanyfl/ - she has amazing tips for homeowners on how to remodel, organize, prepare for vacations, and lots of other useful tips.
You are so much more than just your business. Research shows that we choose to do business with those people we see as similar to ourselves and those we like. Give your audience a chance to get to know you and thus better relate to you and LIKE YOU! Show them the many facets of your personality - what do you like to do in your free time, what is your family life like, how you contribute to your community - through visual story-telling of personal branding photography. Together we will select which stories to choose for your personal branding shoot, I will guide you through picking outfits (or we can employ help of a professional stylist who can help revamp your wardrobe and take your branding and confidence to a whole new level!) and together we will come up with the best locations for your photos. Then, after a few hours of photographing, you will have two, or even three, months’ worth of visual content for your social media platforms and for your website and online marketing. Contact me today for a no-obligation free consultation about what photos will be most beneficial for your business, or browse my personal branding photography gallery. I look forward to helping you elevate your business!
personal branding photography - tantra healer's photoshoot on the beach
If you are an entrepreneur, a solopreneur, you are your own brand. The tone of your messages, the clothes you wear, the images you put out on social media all communicate to the world about your brand.
Personal branding photography is images that market YOU and show to your potential clients what it feels like to work with you. A consistent personal brand image that speaks to your ideal customer builds trust and is a foundation of a successful online marketing campaign. Personal branding photogrpahy is more than just a headshot, it goes beyond that, and shows off the various facets of your personality in different settings, not just traditional “work” environment.
If you are an entrepreneur, a solopreneur, you are your own brand. The tone of your messages, the clothes you wear, the images you put out on social media all communicate to the world about your brand.
Personal branding photography is images that market YOU and show to your potential clients what it feels like to work with you. A consistent personal brand image that speaks to your ideal customer builds trust and is a foundation of a successful online marketing campaign. Personal branding photogrpahy is more than just a headshot, it goes beyond that, and shows off the various facets of your personality in different settings, not just traditional “work” environment.
If you have not yet explored personal branding, there are a lot of resources out there to help you get started. I have put together a questionnaire/worksheet that helps my clients and me to hammer out the details of what would be the most important images before we even start photographing. A personal branding photoshoot requires a lot of preparation, but once it is done, the images your create together with your photographer will serve you and your brand for months and give your marketing strategy a clear direction.
Here are some things to take into consideration before and during your personal branding photoshoot. I will use the example of personal branding photoshoot for Lourdes Starshower, a South Florida tantra practitioner.
“I desperately need to update my headshots”, Lourdes texted me and we scheduled her personal branding photoshoot for a Friday golden-hour, a couple of hours before the sunset.
Here are a few things to consider when preparing for a personal branding photoshoot.
Choose a perfect location for your shoot. Lourdes wanted to be photographed on the beach. Though the beach provides a non-distracting background, I used to find it boring, but when I saw how the elements interact with each other at the location that Lourdes suggested - Boynton Beach inlet - I think I now have a new favorite ocean-front shooting location. When choosing on the location of your personal branding photoshoot, think about not only in which environment you work, but also where you like to spend time when you are not working, where you meet clients. Lourdes feels most alive, in her element, when she is connected to nature, sunlight, on the beach. In order to diversify the types of images you create, it is good to have a variety of backdrops within walking distance. In our case, we had the ocean and the rocks on one side, and then intracoastal and tall vegetation on the other, which produced two distinctly different feels of images.
Choose your outfits in accordance with what message you want to send to your audience. Lourdes chose red as color of one of her dresses, an emotionally intense color that is associated with passion, desire and love. Her second outfit was a leopard-print off the shoulder sexy outfit that we photographed in the after-glow of the sun that had already set. A wild print, suggestive of connection to your wild nature, and both outfits being dresses, embodying the divine feminine power that Lourdes teaches her female students to embrace when awakening their sexuality.
Do your research. Pinterest is your best friend! Save photos that speak to you and that are similar to what you want to evoke in your final images. Lourdes saw striking personal branding images of a woman in a red dress on a white couch and wanted to re-create that kind of feeling in her photos, but instead of the couch, she would be sitting or lying on giant rocks.
Communicate clearly with your photographer about how you want to be photographed. Your photographer might have a different vision of how to photograph you at a certain location. “I want to be sitting or lying on rocks”, Lourdes said to me when we arrived at the location. But also remain open and flexible! I asked Lourdes to walk on the beach because I wanted to get some natural shots of her, without her looking too posey and so that she would have a chance to relax, because from my experience I know that people tend to be a little stiff in the beginning of the shoot. Just like with physical exercise, a warm up is a good way to start a photoshoot.
Make a list of shots you need. You might need some shots for your website, for social media announcements, they might need to be vertical or horizontal shots, or images with lots of negative space to allow for text to be added. Your photographer will definitely create headshots for you, but it is also important to include lifestyle portraits, photos of you working and some photos of props that you can later use for your social media and blog posts.
Personal branding photography is something that best be trusted to an intuitive professional who can portray your true essence, capture that sparkle that you bring to the world. The feedback that Lourdes received on the photos from her photoshoot was "this is so you" and "this captures your exuberance" and this is the best compliment that I, as a photographer, can receive. Please contact me if you need to update your personal branding photos so you can meet the new year well equipped with an arsenal of beautiful images to promote your services and your business.
“I highly recommend Francesca Bliss. Her photography is a true co-creation because she has the eye of a visionary artist as well as the ability to make you comfortable and support you in energetically being your best. Hence, you shine authentically alive through the images she captures and meticulously edits. These are my best pictures to date and I’ve had quite a few professional photo shoots with various photographers.”
Please reach out to me if you would like to receive a Personal Branding Questionnaire/Worsheet that will help you determine what kind of images will best represent your brand - there is no obligation to book!.
personal branding photoshoot for a new yoga teacher
"Please don't mention anything to them about our photographing in the gardens", I caution my model and client, Denise, before we enter Morikami Museum and Gardens.
"Of course", she nods in agreement as we open the heavy doors.
"We are just ordinary park visitors going for a stroll", I mumble to myself as we approach the cashier, an elderly gentleman named Joe.
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
"Please don't mention anything to them about our photographing in the gardens", I caution my model and client, Denise, before we enter Morikami Museum and Gardens.
"Of course", she nods in agreement as we open the heavy doors.
"We are just ordinary park visitors going for a stroll", I mumble to myself as we approach the cashier, an elderly gentleman named Joe.
"That will be $15 per person and you cannot bring a bag of clothes with you into the park, ma'am, though your camera bag is ok," as he sternly gives me a look over.
"How did he know?" we both laugh as we head back out for Denise to change in the car. "I thought we were so discreet about it! These guys are experts at spotting photographers." My camera bag, by the way, doesn't look like a traditional camera bag. Once, when attending a photography workshop, as several of us, students, were going down in a elevator together, one lady pointed at my hot pink Cheeky Lime camera bag and asked, "Is that your lunch bag?" How dare she? I LOVE my camera bag for its extra-ordinarity. Anyway, thankfully, we were granted the permission to photograph in the park and we decided to do outfit changes in the car.
One of our most favorite images from the photoshoot is the one above. When I saw it through the viewfinder as I was taking it, I knew it would be one of the best shots. She is such a Goddess!
Even though the gardens had just opened, the serene place was already full of people being photographed and photographing. The heat index was rising so we got to business right away, deciding to play by the water first.
"Do you want me to splash the water around?"
"Great idea!" I say, and as she starts splashing the water toward me, we both giggle, but I am afraid to get water on my camera, so I suggest she try throwing the water towards the sky. This is what came out of it:
It is worth mentioning that Denise first contacted me when I was on vacation in Turkey. Even though she was eager to get her photographs taken right away, when I told her that I would be back in two weeks, she agreed to wait for me. And once I came back and we talked on the phone about her photoshoot,
I found out that Denise loves to travel and the country that she is especially drawn to is Italy. I had an obsession with Italy myself so I can completely understand why.
She also told me about how her fledgling yoga business is geared more toward children, and when I met her in person she struck me as a kid herself. This woman with a successful corporate career where she gets to travel worldwide has a contagious laughter and playful attitude of a cheerful kid!
During our photoshoot, whenever I asked Denise to give me a non-smiling expression, she would comply for a few seconds and then burst out laughing. After a few more tries I realized that it was her personality and after having taken a couple shots with a contemplative, introspective expression on her face, I decided not to persist anymore and just photographer this goddess the way she was naturally, smiling, bursting with joy, and happiness.
A contemplative expression on her face…
Until she burst into laughter seconds later!
"Look up! What is that? Is that an eagle?" she points to the top of a pine tree towering over us.
"It is!", I say as I continue to photograph her. In addition to the eagle, we also encountered a bright green lizard that I made friends with while I was waiting for Denise to change in her car. We also saw one of those long-necked black birds that spread their wings to soak up the sun. And lots of humans, of course, with many of whom Denise would casually start chatting and laughing.
We played by the water, on a giant rock, and Denise danced between tall trees. We didn't explore the entire park and I wanted to keep photographing, but we were both exhausted from the heat AND working (modeling is serious business, ask anyone who was photographed for two hours!) I think it just means that there will be a sequel to this photoshoot :)
This picture above sums up Denise's essence and personality :)
As Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man.”
I would definitely want this gentle and lighthearted woman to teach yoga to my daughters.
Another absolute favorite of both Denise and mine.
Want to join the Goddess party? Call/text me to 561-465-4857 or send me an email and let's talk about making YOUR Goddess Photoshoot a reality!
the twirling leaf, or creative photography for a spiritual entrepreneur
Dry leaves are rustling under my feet as I make my way deeper off the paved path, where sunlight does not reach the ground because of the thick foliage above. It looks like someone spilled a giant bucket of sepia to cover this part of the park canvas, with the exception of a few resilient greens that are making their way to the skies. A good way to ensure not getting a spider web on your face is to extend your arm in front of you and wave it in the direction in which you are going ...
Dry leaves are rustling under my feet as I make my way deeper off the paved path, where sunlight does not reach the ground because of the thick foliage above. It looks like someone spilled a giant bucket of sepia to cover this part of the park canvas, with the exception of a few resilient greens that are making their way to the skies. A good way to ensure not getting a spider web on your face is to extend your arm in front of you and wave it in the direction in which you are going, and that is precisely what I am doing.
"Why don't you sit right over here?" I suggest, pointing to a spot in the middle of dry leaves and branches. Marcelo trustingly follows my instructions and sits cross legged on a dry branch that cracks under his weight. He puts his right palm facing up and notices a bright green leaf dotted with yellow hanging on a thread of spider web. The leaf had caught my eye and I instinctively guided Marcelo to it so that it can become an element of our photo shoot. As Marcelo sits there, just focused on that leaf, it starts spinning, faster and faster, unwinding the problems and worries from our minds. And as it twirls and twirls, my shutter clicks and clicks, and both Marcelo and I are silent. He is meditating on the leaf and I am holding my breath to capture this intimate moment.
This little meditation sets our photoshoot to a great start. We squeeze ourselves from the murk under the banyan tree that had originally lured us into that section of the park with its intricately intertwining long slender roots.
Meet Marcelo. a kind soul from Peru, a yogi, a tree whisperer, a Thai massage expert, an advocate of yoga as a way to quiet your mind and find inner peace.
I lead Marcelo to another tree with which I became acquainted on my previous photoshoot in this park. "How would you feel about climbing this tree?" I ask, and in two seconds Marcelo is already up on the tree, beaming with a smile of a mischievous kid. I take several photos of him up in the tree, while he gets to indulge the little boy in him, climbing the giant branch higher and higher. And then the wise Marcelo returns - he closes his eyes in a pensive embrace of the thick branch.
After the tree climbing we find another leaf that begs to be a part of Marcelo's photos. This one is a huge round one, more wide than it is long, almost heart shaped, bright orange and red. It looks a little bit like a heart and has an outline of a beautiful tree.
We conclude our photoshoot on the beach where Marcelo works his Thai massage magic on a futon and with assistance of his friend Tasia who volunteered to help. It was a wonderful session, peaceful, infused with good energy.
The images I love the most are of Marcelo meditating in a tree, and the one with the twirling leaf. And when my mind starts doing just that - twirling - I will take myself back to the peacefulness of that afternoon.
To get to know Marcelo even better, connect with him on Facebook and visit one of his yoga on the beach classes.
It was a perfect house for our photoshoot, but there was one problem with it, and there was A LOT OF IT! Be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes video at the end of the story.