Today, we’re going to talk about something dear to my heart: photography.

More specifically: personal branding photography.

Now, I want to be clear that personal branding photography is not simply having your photos taken for LinkedIn. That’s considered more like a portrait session. But not this. This is something different.

Doing a personal branding photoshoot means having on-brand professional photos that represent your business, your message and that attracts the right type of audience. 

But, I know what you’re thinking: planning a photoshoot can be daunting. There are so many ideas online, your Pinterest board is filled with inspiration but still, you have no idea where to start.

But here’s the important part: the amount of time you spend planning your personal branding photoshoot will determine the success of your photoshoot.

There are some aspects of planning a personal branding photoshoot that would determine the level of success of your photo session. 

I know how it feels having so many ideas but now knowing where to start. 

There are so many things you’d like to do that it can easily turn into overwhelm.

But not you, friend. And, for sure, not today.

Because today, I’m going to guide you on a step-by-step process on planning your personal branding photoshoot. 

So friend, grab your pen and paper and let’s get ready to take some notes! However, if you’re on the treadmill, no worries. I got all the steps that I’m going to guide you through today in a PDF file just for you. Here I have some examples of how you can use your photos, what are my techniques on having varieties of photos and so much more details that will help you plan your personal branding photoshoot. 

All you have to do is go to stevendecuba.com/personalbranding

How to Plan Your Personal Branding Photoshoot

1. Define the goal of your photoshoot

Investing in a branding photoshoot is more than just a normal photo session. It’s setting your personal brand or online business up for success. Without having a clear goal, you can’t be sure if your photos will achieve the desired result.

4 Questions You Could Ask Yourself….

• Are you just starting out and need professional high-quality photos to represent your brand online?
• Are you rebranding and need a modern and fresh look?
• Are you launching an online course, a book or a completely new website?
• Or do you have new members to your team and you want to humanize your business more?

Once you know exactly why you’re investing in a branding photoshoot, then you can start mapping out the details that will visually bring your ideas to life.

Read more: 3 Secrets on Planning Your Personal Branding Photoshoot

2. Create a list of where you’re going to use the photos

Branding photos are not only for your social media. You can use these photos on so many more different ways. Let’s brainstorm some ideas…

1. Website
2. Newsletter photos
3. Freebies
4. Pricing guides
5. Promotional flyers
6. Blogposts
7. Guest blogger/podcast speaker
8. Facebook Posts
9. IGTV video thumbnail
10. Instagram posts
11. Youtube header
12. Facebook/Instagram ads
13. LinkedIn
14. Podcast graphics
15. Landing page

Make sure you have a different set of combination of photos (close up, wide angles, flat lays etc). This way you will have variation of photos for different platforms.

By knowing exactly where you will be using your photos, you’ll have a range of content that will suit all of your marketing needs.

3. Create a mood board on Pinterest

Let the fun begin! Open your Pinterest and create a ‘private’ board, share this board with your photographer and start crafting your inspiration board today!

When you’re pinning, think about the feeling you want your audience to experience when they look at your photos. This will help your photographer and will make sure that you two are on the same page.

4. Create a must-have photo list

While I can give you a list of 15 different ways you can use your branding shoot, I don’t want you to get overwhelmed and feel like you need to spend the whole day taking photos. Create a list with the most important pictures that you need and make sure these are a top priority during your shoot.

5. Create your list of props

Once you know where you’re going to use your photos, it’s time to create a list of all of your props that you will be using during the shoot. Based on your shoot goals and the Pinterest board you’ve created, you can now determine what props you’ll need.

Inspiration just for you!

• Your laptop or tablet.
• Your favourite coffee mug.
• Green juice / your favourite cocktail.
• Confetti.
• Your (vlogging) camera.
• Your phone.
• Champagne.
• The product or something about the service you sell.
• The behind-the-scenes element you use.
• Your camera.
• Your pet.
• Something that makes your business unique.

Take notes of the props you need and start organizing these well in advance of your shoot so you’re not stressing out over this the day before (or on the day of) your shoot!

6. Plan the outfit you’re going to use for your shoot

Planning your outfit beforehand will make sure you feel confident and ready to rock your photoshoot. This will also save you a lot of stress of randomly selecting something to wear the day before.

4 factors you should be taking into account

1. Location – select your outfits based on the location so that it doesn’t compete with the background.
2. Colours – think about your branding colour when choosing your outfit.
3. Your brand – what style of outfits will authentically represent you and your brand?
4. Your dream client – how can your outfit attract your dream client?

7. Choose the best location for your shoot

Your location should be in correlation with the mood you want to create on your photos. I recommend scouting the location in advance to have a list of options. Consider the time of the year and the time of the day that the shooting will be held so you can choose a specific time to shoot.

I promise you…

If you follow these steps, you will have a successful personal branding photoshoot! But here’s the best part…

Your personal branding photoshoot will help you:

• Tell your story and connect with your audience on a more deep and personal level.
• Showcase your unique personality and who you are.
• Easily and confidently post daily on your social media channels.
• Stand out from your highly saturated market and build trust with your audience.
• Have an image bank where you can use pictures for days!
• Have a press release kit ready to go! 
• Showcase your product and services in a unique and professional way.