My favorite part about brand photography is all the driven people I get to meet and Leslie is no exception. In this business photoshoot, we not only nailed the aesthetic Leslie envisioned, but also helped bring more life into her brand. In business (and life) understanding your why and who you do it for is extremely important. Professional brand photography focuses on just that. It would literally be impossible to walk away from a brand photoshoot with success if you didn’t answer these integral questions. In this blog, we dive into the importance of creating a brand aligned with your goals and how brand photography can do the selling for you. 

Why answering your why is the first step

Leslie came to us with a well-established brand as a Social Media Manager and brand designer for Realtors called Aesop Studios. She differentiates herself from others in her field by creating a brand strategy that is story-forward. The first questions Leslie asks her clients when they begin are: Why are you doing this? Who are you doing this for? With that information, she helps realtors shine by putting their why on display and creating content for their who.

It doesn’t get much easier for a brand photographer when working with someone who just gets it. You see, these are the same questions I would ask someone when doing a business photoshoot. Knowing your why and who you do it for allows brand photographers to learn what makes you, you. Professional brand photography can communicate who you are to a potential client before you even have a conversation. It’s this transparency that tells people you are trustworthy. That will do more selling for you than a picture you took on self-timer. You can see the difference it made to Leslie’s feed when we selected images that told her story. She never used to get leads through her Instagram, but that has completely changed for her because people understand who she is just at first glance. That’s what branding can do for your business. 

How to find an aligned brand photographer 

So you’re ready to do a brand photoshoot but how do you find the one that is aligned with your business? The first step is pretty simple, like their work. Groundbreaking, I know, but it’s soo important that you have deep-dived into the brand photographers portfolio that you are interested in working with. Ask yourself, do you like their editing style? The poses their using? The locations? The outfits? These are all things that a brand photographer will put their own spin on and can show you what your shoot might look like.

Next, I would look at their packages. The last thing you want is to spend money on a shoot just for it to look dated a year later. A photographer that knows what they’re doing and cares about the longevity of their clients’ investment will offer follow-up sessions. This is why I offer packages that give you either 3, 60-minute sessions or 6, 60 minutes sessions over the course of a year. I feel the brands that stand out the most have diversified content coming from one brand photographer so you still have a consistent feel throughout the shoots. In these packages, you will receive the following:

✓a pre-shoot planning session

✓help with creative direction

✓mood board and shoot plan creation

✓help with props and location planning

✓enhanced visual storytelling

✓private online gallery with 1-3 day turnaround time for images

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Then trust me, a brand photoshoot is exactly where you need to start. 

Business Casual, Episode 5 with Leslie

When I started my brand photography business, I realized how important networking was, not only for learning but for creating friendships that motivated me. This is why I started ‘Business Casual’, every other week on Instagram Live we dive into a new topic with another successful entrepreneur. With the goal of creating more connections and giving insights around shared experiences that we small business owners go through! Unlike a podcast where you are just listening to a recording, Instagram Live allows you to ask questions as it is happening, and if you want to connect with someone their just a DM away.
I love how interactive these episodes get and that people still have an opportunity to listen when they can! In Episode 5, Leslie and I dive into all things real estate, social media, brand design, and the power that brand photography has for your business. Click here to head over to my Instagram and listen to the most recent episode of Business Casual. We come out with a new episode every 2 weeks!