Getting Organised - Personal Branding Shoot

How can I plan for my Personal Branding shoot? By now you should have a clear idea of why you need a shoot and what you want to achieve from your shoot. You can have a read here if you missed the FAQ post :)

Here are some TIPS on how you can get organised and plan for your shoot:

Plan ahead

If you have a deadline to meet, it’s worth mentioning to me before your shoot. Planning a shoot (from initial booking to receiving your images), averages about 6-8 weeks. Images are ready 14 days after the shoot, but there is a good amount of planning that’s required beforehand. I also get booked up 1-2 months in advance, so the sooner you get in touch the better!

Think about what images you’ll need

In order to get the best out of your shoot, you need to think about the BIGGER PICTURE.

- What images are currently missing from your image library?

- Is there a time you feel most frustrated when posting on social media that you don't have relevant images for?

- How often do you post on social media?

- What events do you have coming up that you need images for?

- What are the absolute must-have shots that you would like from the shoot?

- Think about HOW and WHERE you will use the images from the shoot. Do you need them for website banners, Instagram feed or marketing campaigns? Will you need negative space within the image to allow for text overlays? All of this will make a difference to the way I shoot.

Locations

Feeling like your work space doesn’t represent who you are as a brand? This shouldn’t hold you back from booking a shoot. It’s also something that shouldn’t be overlooked. When I start working with you, I find out who you’re marketing to and what you want your audience to *think/feel/do* when they come across your business.

There are so many options for locations (as long as there is plenty of natural light and space to work in), here are a few of my top suggestions:

✨ Boutique hotels/ wedding venues
✨ Air bnb’s
✨ Cafes/coffee houses/ restaurants
✨ Galleries/ yoga studios
✨ Reaching out to people on Instagram with beautiful homes/ asking friends
✨ Location hire (if your budget is bigger, there are dedicated websites that hire out beautiful spaces for shoots)

Outfits

You’ve made the investment, you’ve worked hard on your shot list and now it’s time for the shoot. The last thing I want for you is to get back a gallery of images where you’re wearing the same outfit in EVERY image. And I’m pretty sure your audience will get bored of seeing you in the same outfit every time too! So bring multiple outfits, but plan them beforehand. Changing outfits does eat into the time of the shoot, so quick changes are best. If you can have someone else come along to the shoot with you to help, even better.

Props

Props help to tell the story of your brand, so think carefully about what you should include. Props can help to elevate your brand image and speak to your audience.
Think about your desk setup - how can you make it more visually interesting?

Fresh flowers, candles, nice coffee mugs, beautiful stationery, books, magazines, mood boards, work tools, things you use everyday in your business… there’s no right or wrong, but again, it’s about building out your story and evoking emotion.
Showing images to your audience that involve some kind of food or drink is always a good conversation starter. It’s something that brings an element of commonality between you and your audience. Not everything you put up on social media needs to be your face or a sales post, so think about how you can add some ‘filler’ images to your feed.

Hair & Makeup

It’s not essential, but having your hair and makeup done before a shoot really helps to take the pressure off - and also makes you feel that extra bit special. When you look good, you feel good and that always reflects in the photos (like an extra boost of confidence)! Booking in a professional to take care of your hair and makeup can help alleviate any stress, and there’s often no need for top-ups (which means there’s more time for photos).

How can I use my images after the shoot?

There are so many ways you can use your images after the shoot, here’s a few ideas: