You’re getting ready for your upcoming small business photoshoot and I’m almost 100% certain that one of the questions that’s crossed your mind is how you can prepare for your brand photos. 

As a personal brand photographer who has worked with numerous brands, predominantly with women entrepreneurs, I understand how essential it is to have strong visual assets in the digital age we live in. But just getting photos for the sake of having them so you can cross them off of your checklist isn’t the goal. 

Before you get your brand photos done it’s essential to go into your photoshoot with a clear understanding of your brand’s purpose, to know your brand inside and out, and to have a clear idea of what you want your photos to convey to your ideal client. 

That’s why I’m sharing with you the best steps you can take to prepare for your brand photoshoot to ensure that you not only get amazing photos but through those photos, you are effectively communicating your brand’s message and connecting with your ideal client! 

Define Your Brand’s Purpose 

Before you get in front of the camera, I want you to think about what your brand’s purpose is.

I encourage you to answer the following questions before your photoshoot. You can either write out your answers, voice them to a friend or family member, or just think about them in your head. 

What’s your why? 

Take some time to reflect on your business journey – let’s go back to where it all began. 

What inspired you to start your business and what continues to motivate you? 

Understanding your “why” is going to not only help you in your photoshoot but will also help your ideal client relate and build a stronger connection to you as well. 

For example, if your business is a private practice such as a therapist, dietitian, etc. you may want your photos to come as warm, trustworthy, and empathetic. 

Your ideal client will immediately connect with the authenticity and story behind your photos that convey your message and showcase your “why” versus if you just took a quick headshot in harsh lighting or an overly staged photo. 

What message do you want your brand photos to tell? 

When your ideal client looks at your photos what do you want them to think? 

How do you want them to feel? 

Remember, your brand photos are here to tell your story and your ideal clients want to know yours. 

Your message in your photos should be consistent across your photos so that your ideal client isn’t getting mixed signals. 

Each image should connect with your core brand values and tell your story authentically so that you can immediately build a strong connection with your ideal client – that’s why thinking about and conveying your brand message is so important! 

How are your brand photos going to represent your purpose and goals? 

The last piece of defining your brand purpose is to think about how you can take an abstract concept and convey it through a photo. 

This means that I want you to think about colors, locations, and props that align with your brand identity and how all of these elements are going to represent your purpose and goals. 

Your photographer can of course help you with picking out colors, locations, and props, but it’s valuable for you to think about how each different element will communicate your brand’s message and how they support your overall business goals. 

Connect With Your Ideal Client

Your brand photoshoot is about you and your business but it’s also important to think about how your ideal client is a part of this process. 

This doesn’t have to be overly complicated – but before you take your photos I want your ideal client to be a part of your planning process because the goal is that your ideal client not only sees your photos but that your brand photos create a great first impression and instantly build your brand’s trust and credibility. 

With that being said think about the following to get a better idea of how your brand photos are going to be tailored for your ideal client – 

1. Who are you trying to reach with your brand? 
2. What are your ideal client’s needs, pain points, and desires?
3. How can you communicate that you understand their needs, pain points, and desires through your photos to build a connection with them? 

By answering these questions you’ll make sure that your brand photos not only authentically reflect your business but also that they speak directly to the clients that you are trying to attract. 

Branding Photo Poses and Props

Creating a shot list and coming up with brand photo poses is something that your brand photographer will assist you with – I’m not asking you to plan out your whole photoshoot and show up with a list of poses planned out. 

However, as part of your preparation process it’s great to think about beforehand if there are any specific photos you want taken that you feel will reflect your brand’s unique qualities and will resonate with your ideal client. If so be sure to share this with your photographer beforehand – we are here to help make your vision a reality. 

On this topic, it’s also great to think about any visual elements that you want to be a part of your photos that you feel will convey your brand’s message. 

For example, if you’re a nutritionist some visual elements you could incorporate are fresh colorful fruits and vegetables, a recipe book, or a clean and inviting kitchen. 

It’s important to make sure that any visual elements you’re adding to your photoshoot make sense for your brand, your brand’s story, and to your ideal client. 

Collaborate With Your Photographer

A final part of preparing for your small business branding photoshoot is collaborating with your photographer! 

We are here to help make your brand photoshoot easy and give you photos that you are proud to share. 

It helps us to know and understand your brand’s purpose and ideal client profile so that we can work with you to create cohesive photos and also share ideas with you such as brainstorming creative concepts, props to use, or helping you pick the best locations for your photos.   

Final Thoughts on How to Prepare for Your Small Business Photoshoot

I hope all of this helped you to help you feel prepared for your small business photoshoot but to also know how you can effectively communicate your brand’s message and connect with your ideal client through your photos! 

My goal in my branding photoshoots is to bring out the best version of you and to make sure that your visual brand story is told authentically! So, if you are ready to let your personality and business shine, then you can click here to reach out for a chat! Or if you want to read more about my brand photography click here. I can’t wait to meet you!