When it comes to your business, good brand photography can help take it to the next level. Brand photos don’t just show off you and your personality, but they also help your business come across as more professional.
As a photographer, capturing brand photos is such a great way to help other business owners shine and let their true personality show through. I know how nerve-wracking stepping in front of the camera can be, but these photos will truly help elevate your brand.
So, if you are ready to take the steps and get your own photos, here are some tips to help you get the most creative and personality filled brand photography possible.
Tips for Creative Brand Photography
Find Unique Locations
First, don’t be afraid to find unique locations. The world is your oyster when it comes to where you can take your brand photos. While you can do it in a studio, don’t feel like you have to keep them really plain or basic.
Think about what your brand vibe is. Is it bright and colorful? If it is, why not try and find some colorful street art or find props that you can add in to add those pops of color to your photos?
If you do have an office, studio space, or brick and mortar building, you can definitely take your brand photos there. This may be the perfect place to take any “working” photos since it will feel natural in this space. But, you can go further than that.
While we think of these photos mostly being in studios, doing your brand session outdoors can be so much fun and gives you so many more opportunities for locations to go to. The key thing to remember when picking a location is that it needs to match your brand vibe.
Be Playful With Your Poses
One of the biggest misconceptions about brand photography is that it has to be the same old look at the camera and smile or laugh at your phone in a way you would never do in real life type of poses.
But, you can totally have fun with your poses and be as playful as you want. Be open with your photographer and willing to try new things. You never know how something will turn out and it may also spark some inspiration in you throughout the session.
My client Sarah, for example, had a lot of fun playing around with stools, tables, and couches and the results were amazing photos that showed off her personality in a big way.
Bring Props
Props are such a great addition to your brand photos. When it comes to what to bring, there are a few different ways you can go. The first way you can go is with branded collateral or things that you use everyday in your business.
This can mean things like business cards, stickers, notebooks, cameras, etc. Anything that you feel is important to your business, you can absolutely bring to the session.
The second way you can go is the more unique route. Choose things that match your brand vibe, but don’t directly relate to the things you use in everyday life. For example, Sarah has a very fun loving brand, so we had a disco ball at her session.
But, when I did branding photos for myself recently, I wanted a copy, approachable, “I want to be friends with her” vibe so I brought books and a coffee mug. You can cater what you bring to whatever you want to give off in your business!
If you have a very colorful brand, maybe you incorporate color somehow whether with paint, light, or anything else you would like.
These props are a great way to make your photos more unique, get you a bit more comfortable (because we all start to relax a bit when we have something in our hands), and give people a glimpse into what you are actually like.
Let Your Personality Shine
Now, I’ve already touched on this a few times, but I think it deserves its own callout. You really want to make sure you let your personality shine in your brand photos. These photos are going to be a representation of you and your brand and you want to make sure they show exactly what it is like working with you.
So, this means have a bit of fun with it. If you love dancing and letting loose, maybe incorporate that into your session to show that off in your photos. Your brand photos don’t need to look like the corporate headshots that you see with big businesses.
You are running your own business for a reason and that is so that you have the freedom to do what you want to do.
The same thing is true when it comes to your brand photos. You get to choose how you show off your personality and what side of yourself you want to highlight. Even small shifts in your body language can make a big difference when it comes to how you present yourself in the photos.
For example, standing up straight and looking at the camera can convey confidence. An open posture makes you look more approachable. Even something as simple as leaning in makes you look more engaged.
Start Planning Your Session Out Early
This is a session that you definitely want to start planning early. With my brand photography clients, I like to get on a call with them beforehand to help plan out what the session is going to look like. This way we can work out the right vibe for the photoshoot.
Creating a mood or inspiration board for what you want your photoshoot to look like and the poses that you want to try during the session is a great place to start. The important thing to remember here is that all of these are just inspiration.
You always want to avoid trying to “recreate” something that you found online. Instead, take that as inspiration and put your own twist on it to make sure that it feels comfortable and natural for you and fits your brand.
This planning process also includes making sure you have all of your locations sorted out and booked if necessary. If you are looking for unique locations, you can always look for studios or Peerspaces that you can rent for a few hours or the day to give you a more branded background.
For Sarah’s session, we went to a Peerspace and it was such a great option and had everything we needed for the session (as well as being totally private).
Laura was looking to highlight unique architecture. The village of West Greenville provides the perfect blend of nature, architecture, and art they were looking for. The murals added some vibrant colors that added to the creative vibes we were looking for.
Booking spaces, getting permits, and making plans are definitely not something you want to leave until the last minute, so just keep that in mind and make sure you are planning ahead for it.
Choose Your Outfits Wisely
Along with planning out the logistics of your session, you also want to make sure you are planning out your outfits wisely. Unlike most other photos where you can generally wear whatever you would like, you want to make sure you pick your brand photo outfits intentionally.
Picking something in your brand colors is a great route to go and will guarantee that it matches with the rest of your brand and website. Just make sure you are not going to blend into the background if you are using any colored walls or furniture that matches your brand colors.
You also want to think about the style of clothing and your brand vibe. If you have a very relaxed and laid back brand, showing up in a suit may feel a bit off. Similarly, if you have a very high-end vibe, showing up in matching sweats is going to give off the wrong impression.
Communicate With Your Photographer Any Must-Have (And Have-Not) Photos
Finally, you want to communicate with your photographer any must-have photos that you want to get during the session. Is there anything specific that you know you need and will be disappointed if you don’t get?
This could be something like a few headshots that you can use for features on podcasts, in publications, or anywhere else. It may mean photos of specific products or tools that you use in your business everyday.
You can also talk to your photographer about getting some branded “stock photos.” These can be things like flatlays of branded collateral, empty scenes that fit your brand vibe, or anything else that you can use for things like website background or social media posts.
This is a great way to make your brand as a whole feel more cohesive without having to constantly use pictures of just you!
If there’s something you know will make you uncomfortable, let your photographer know! Laura definitely did not want to be put into any super feminine poses. Knowing this, I was able to research gender neutral posing ahead of time, which led to a super comfortable experience.
Final Thoughts on Brand Photos
So, hopefully this helps you as you start to look into getting your own brand photos. When it comes to your business, brand photography really is an incredible way to take it up a notch and showcase yourself in a more professional light.
If you are ready to have your own brand photos taken, let’s talk. You can click the link here to get in touch and chat about your vision for your own brand photography session!
