WHERE TO HAVE YOUR PERSONAL BRANDING PHOTOSHOOT

For small businesses, it is important more than ever to show their faces to their audience. People want to see with whom they will spend their money. This is the point you should consider what kind of personal branding photos you need. Location is an important part of this consideration. The decision should not be based on our personal preference. So how do you do that?

What is your brand?

The first and most important question is what your brand is. Do you have a warm, friendly and approachable brand? Do you consider or do you want to express your brand high-end, exquisite and refined?

If you have a firm that is selling handmade luxury jewellery, maybe you will want a luxurious background instead of being in the nature among the flowers.

Before the personal branding photoshoot, I discuss with my client what their brand is. The rest of the planning depends on the answer to this question.

Each detail in the photo should contribute to your brand image

Considering big brands spending millions for their branding, it is no wonder that branding is a vital part of the business success. Where you or your firm is photographed, how they are photographed, is the way you or your team interacting with the location natural or forced looking? Because even on an unconscious level, the audience is picking up those details.

Personal Branding Photos in the Office

After those considerations you decided to have your personal branding photoshoot in your office. This is great! Then what next?

First thing I need to know as a photographer is how the light is in the office? Do I have enough natural light or do I need artifical light? If I need artifical light, is there enough space for the lighting equipment?

When my clients want their personal branding photoshoot in their office, then I either go to the office to check the light or my customers send me photos / video of the place. This is the first step for the professional personal branding photos.

Clutter in the office

Look around in your office. What do you want to show? What does have a meaning and what not?

Personal Branding Photos with the city in the background

If your choice of location for your personal branding photoshoot is the city, then the time of the day and weather are important for the photos. Generally I prefer early morning hours for the photoshoots in Zürich downtown. Less people, less distraction, more peace and ease.

You should prepare backup outfits for the case of the case. Rain, mud etc. Also makeup should be in your bag for occasional powdering or lipstick renewal.

Personal Branding Photoshoot in the nature

Nature is perfect if you are a yoga teacher, artist or natural healing practitioner. Time of the day for your personal branding photos is not that important in that case. Forest generally tend to be much calmer and less crowded.

For personal branding photoshoots in nature though, weather plays an important role. If you have some props like a yoga mat or something, it is much better when the weather is dry and the ground is not wet. Because of this reason I always check the weather before the photoshoot. If necessary, we shift the photoshoot to another day.

Again, backup clothing, some extra pullovers and shoes can be necessary.

Personal Branding Photoshoot in Photo Studio

If you choose for your personal branding photos the studio, the important considerations will be:

what kind of backdrop, what kind of light and what kind of props you want.

Although grey, black or white are often used colours for the backdrops, sometimes it can be something quite different. A bright pink backdrop and matching colours or some more artistic backdrops that are painterly could be some interesting options for your photos.

Depending on your branding I decide what kind of light I need to use. Light set ups can change the mood of the photo from dramatic to airy and bright.

This is again a situation where the question I mentioned at the beginning comes into play:

What is your brand? What do you want your audience to see / do / feel after seeing your photos?

I hope that I was able to give you some ideas about how you want to choose the location for your personal branding photoshoot.

If you are interested in a photoshoot with me or you want to ask some questions, feel free to shoot me an email.