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:
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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:
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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.
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 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!.
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.