Your Complete Guide to Nailing Your Next Brand Shoot
If you want to knock your brand shoot out of the park the most important item to note is that you should have your branding done first. This is the key to approaching your shoot with strategy. From colours, location, wardrobe, it all comes down to your brand strategy.
Far too often we see small business owners investing in photography first and later, having to reinvest because once they did invest in branding the images were no longer aligned to the vision and strategy.
COMMON MISCONCEPTION (THE GOAL OF YOUR SHOOT)
Your brand shoot isn’t just about capturing you (and your team). It’s about capturing your business.
What you do, what you offer, how you do it, where you do it.
See below for an example of the majority of the types of shots we require for a successful visual representation of your business.
The Goal: 25% headshots, 25% services, 25% tools, 25% workspace/product
WARDROBE
WHAT TO WEAR
Make sure your outfit(s) for the shoot hits exactly the brand identity and personality we have strategically developed. (casual, luxury, authentic, cheerful, etc.)
Think of your brand’s personality and select your wardrobe in conjunction with the look and feel of your brand’s style.
Referring to your brand archetype is highly recommended.
Your brand's colour palette is your reference for choosing “on brand” outfits, props, studio, etc.
Please do not wear blue jeans unless blue is in your colour palette
Neutral, limited patterned clothing shoots perfectly and will work with everything.
Should your shoot include others, ensure you are coordinating, but not matchy-matchy!
We suggest to wear something that’s comfortable and something you feel great in!
2 outfit options is perfect for your shoot but confirm with your photographer on this.
Ensure your clothes are free of wrinkles, stains and marks.
HAIR & MAKEUP
Many clients do their own and some hire makeup artist and/or hair stylist. We suggest you do what feels right for you.
PROPS
WHAT TO BRING
Not only do we want some great shots of you but we also want to capture what you do and how you do it.
It's important you bring the tools you use for your services/offerings. This could also mean you bring a model or two so you can "perform" your services. You can also think of props as brand indicators. To help visually represent your industry and your brand.
We have put together a list of props based on your industry, check them out!
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Paperwork for client consults
A “model” for staged consults and services and treatments (be sure these models accurately represent your target audience)
Service & Treatment tools (syringes, gloves, viles, brushes, makeup, foils, mirror, etc.).
Packaged products
Unpackaged products
Tech (phone, ipad, portable machines, etc.)
Signs, brochures, etc.
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Paint swatches, tiles, fabric samples
Blueprints
Notepad, pen
Tech (phone, iPad, laptop, etc.)
Industry books and magazinesItem description
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Lock box, keys, calculator
Celebratory items (celebrating purchase or sale)
Paperwork used for client meetings, pen, post-its, personal coffee mug
Tech (phone, iPad, laptop, etc.)
Signs, listings, brochures, etc.
Home decor, design plans, blueprints, etc.
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Notepad, pen
“Model(s)” for staged sessions (be sure these models accurately represent your target audience)
Paperwork used for client appointments
Tech (phone, ipad, laptop, etc.)
Kleenex and/or other items commonly used during a session
Industry books and magazines
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Notepad, pen
“Model(s)” for staged classes / trainings /sessions (be sure these models accurately represent your target audience
Paperwork used for client appointments
Tech (phone, ipad, laptop, etc.)
Yoga mat, fitness equipment, water bottle, gym clothes, AirPods
Sage, crystals, journal, candles
Industry books and magazines
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Notepad, pen, calculator, post-its, personal coffee mug
Paperwork used for client projects
Tech (phone, iPad, laptop, etc.)
Industry books and magazines
THE SHOTS
SHOT LIST
A great brand shoot will capture you of course but the magic is in capturing more than just you, it’s about capturing the brand, the business as a whole.
Shooting what you do, the tools you use, your space, your products, etc. will provide the necessary variety needed for your website and marketing materials.
On average about 4-6 headshot type images will be used on your website. The rest, ideally, will be detailed images, like the examples shared above, are used the most.
Picture your website and each element you will be speaking to. (your business, your services, products, values, location, etc.) and we want a handful of images as options for all we speak to.
NUMBER OF SHOTS NEEDED:
For a standard website (Tier 1) approximately 40 photos
Standard + Portfolio (Tier 2) 40 photos + photos for portfolio
For a larger website (Tier 3) approximately 60+ photos
LOCATION
LOCATION SUGGESTIONS BASED ON INDUSTRY
Here is our top recommended location for your brand shoot based on your industry.
Note that in addition to this suggestion the space must always match the personality and colours of your brand.
Your own space can be ideal in many situations but only if there is a lot of natural light and it is cohesive with your brand’s personality, style and colours.
Unsure if your space would work? Snap a few shots with your phone and share them with your photographer, they should be able to let you know.
In cases where your space doesn’t work then a studio or home is best (pending your industry)
MEDICAL AESTHETICS / BEAUTY / SPA
Your own clinic / salon
Studio space
REALTORS
A home
(AirBnB, Listing, Model Home, etc.)
INTERIOR DESIGNERS
A home you designed / your own home
(AirBnB, Listing, Model Home, etc.)
MENTAL HEALTH
Your office
Studio
WELLNESS CENTRES
Your own clinic
Studio space
COACHES / B2B
Studio
Pinterest is an amazing resource for inspiration when planning your shoot. Take a peek at our board here and we encourage you to create your own.
WHO TO HIRE
When selecting a photographer please ensure the following;
They are a BRAND photographer
Their approach to shooting matches with the location of choice (ex. if they are a natural light photogapher does your location have natural light?)
You have reviewed their portfolio and their style matches your brand
Do not worry if they aren’t available “asap” - we would prefer you wait for quality vs picking based on availability
Want to run your options by us? We would be happy to take a look and provide our feedback!
NOTES FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
Capture both vertical and horizontal images (you are going to need all orientations for your business)
Capture all the types of shots listed above (not all headshots!)
Marketing will require various shots, angles, close ups, etc. (variety is key)
Save the files the client business name (ie. My Wolf Design not: “MWD”, “image12345”)
Images for web use should be no bigger than 10MB
Please share with the client expected final file delivery timeline
Please ensure number of edits are adequate to complete the project (shot amounts provided in this gude)
