One of the most common things people get stressed out about before their branding photo shoot is trying to figure out what to wear!
What looks good?
Should I buy something new?
Will this photograph okay?
What colours are best?
There are a lot of questions that go through your head!
So here are five things to think about when figuring out what to wear on your shoot.
What is the context of the photos? What will you be doing? What kind of location will you be in?
If you have no idea right now that is totally okay! When you book a shoot with me I will help you get very specific answers to these questions! You'll have a Shoot Plan that I make for you and you can easily choose outfits that fit each scene that we'll be doing.
If you’re here just gathering info for a future shoot and don't have a shoot plan yet, then just start by thinking of what the purpose of your photos will be.
What do you want to convey with them? Expert and professional, fun and casual, mindful and soulful?
Once you have some clarity around those questions you can think about what kind of outfits fit those feelings and purposes.
The most important thing when choosing outfits for your brand shoot is to feel good in what you’re wearing!
This sounds so simple, but it makes a huge difference in how you carry yourself and your confidence (which shows in the photos!)
Try on pieces and move around. Sit down and notice how you feel. If it’s suddenly pulling on your waist too much and making you feel self-conscience about your stomach then that’s good to know. No sitting in this outfit.
It doesn’t mean you can’t wear it still, but be mindful of what type of actions you’d be doing in it and let your photographer know before you start that this outfit is mainly for standing.
Another thing to try is to get in front of a full length mirror and notice what the fabric is like on your body. For example softer, jersey type material can feel so comfortable, but also show lines where you don’t always want them.
Sometimes something flowy feels amazing but in photos your body shape gets lost in it.
Try it on, move, notice how it feels, get a 360 look. Do you still feel like your best, confident self in it? If yes, you’ve got a winner!
Choosing outfits and accessories in colours that align with your brand colours help create a natural flow together. It just all fits.
This doesn’t mean you need to be super matchy-matchy with your brand colours, but think about wearing complimentary colours, tones, brightness, textures.
For example if your branding is light and bright then wearing all black is going to be major contrast.
If you have bold brand colors it can be great to have one statement piece (jacket, dress etc) in your main colour for some of the photos, and then switch it out to try more neutral outfits with an accessory that pops in your colors.
If you’re planning on only doing one shoot a year then choosing season neutral outfits is key.
As much as you might love a certain cozy sweater and feel amazing in it I can guarantee you’re not going to want to use any photos with you wearing when summer comes around.
Summer styles are a little easier to use all year, but layers are a great option to get both!
Accessories and layers are a simple way to change up a look without spending time doing a full outfit change. They can also be a great prop if it works for the scene!
And as I mentioned earlier you can also bring in your brand colours through a great accessory too.
For example
Love a hat? Wear it, toss it, hold it. There can be a lot of variety in even just one accessory!
This is the one thing that no one wants to do but you really, really should. Really.
Here it is: try your entire outfits on before your photo shoot. Including undergarments, shoes, jewelry - everything!
This will make sure you know that it all looks great, feels great and you have everything you need.
Then take it off and put it all together in a garment bag or wherever so it stays clean and wrinkle free until your shoot.
Asking these questions as you find and choose your outfits are just one of the ways to feel confident and amazing going into your next branding photo shoot.
Don't leave it to the last minute!
Valerie Hertzog is medical doctor and wellness coach. She empowers busy, driven women to reclaim control of their health through sustainable lifestyle changes with the support they need to feel healthy, more energetic & thrive in all aspects of their lives!
When THAT is your mission it’s so important that the women you want to help can find you!
Like most online businesses and coaches your potential clients get to know you through what they see online. They want to know what you’re all about and feel like they know you before working with you.
When Valerie joined my Branding Membership she already had a website and brand suite. She had professional photos done in the past which were great, but she knew she needed updated photos for launching her new program and all the marketing she would be doing for it.
She saw the value in having branding photoshoots and video shoots to use all throughout the year as her business grew and offers changed.
She totally crushed it like the amazing woman that she is!
Together we created on-brand, relevant photos and b-roll video in a variety of locations and seasons for her to use!
Valerie uses her brand photos in SO many ways. In online masterclasses, social media content, her email list, and website. Her brand videos flow seamlessly with her Instagram Stories and Reels.
Anytime she is creating content or marketing her business she has an entire library of branding photos and videos to pull from.
She can create confidently using photos of herself that she knows she loves!
She saves herself so much time by having everything at her finger tips. No more scrolling the camera roll trying to find something decent or taking 100 selfies and hoping there’s one in there she can use.
She makes it easier to show up in her business with less roadblocks aka reasons not to.
She has photoshoots scheduled whenever she needs them to always keep her content fresh and fun.
She doesn’t try to do it all by herself, instead she prioritizes what she’s really good at: helping her own clients!
The Membership is for business owners who value those things in their own business.
Valerie came to me when she already knew
We worked together to create branding photos and videos that would connect her with her potential clients and make it easier for her to share consistently and with impact!
It can be the start of an overwhelming adventure when you realize your business is in need of professional branding photography. Where do you even start??
You start googling things like “what to wear in brand photos” or find yourself scrolling through your Instagram feed to try and find that photographer you liked once, but now can’t for the life of you remember what their name is.
It can feel like you’re supposed to know how this all works, but here’s the honest truth: you don’t.
You’re allowed to come into this not knowing where to look when the camera is pointed at you because you’re a boss business owner and (probably) not a professional model!
You are really good at what you do in your own business. You know who you’re talking to, who you’re helping. You know what works for you and what doesn’t serve you.
A branding photoshoot is a totally different thing and it’s normal to feel nervous or out of your element. It’s also why it’s a team collab and we work together to combine your strengths and super powers with mine to create the best branding photoshoot ever.
Why don’t we start with
Where to look, what to do, how to not be awkward… any of those things!
There’s always those first few moments of panic, “what do you want me to do??”
Don’t worry I’ll guide you through it all during your shoot!
I like to go with the flow while also coaching you on where to place your hands, how to stand, when to smile. And it doesn’t take long before you’ll feel the flow of it too.
If there are certain poses you want to try we totally can! If you’ve been saving pictures that you love you can send them to me and we can create your version of them.
I’ll help you choose the location that fits exactly what you need and I always bring extra lighting incase
The lighting and setting up is part of your shoot so if your space is going to need it make sure to book extra time!
And if you have absolutely no idea feel free to send me some phone photos of your space and I can let you know.
Although I can light a basement to look bright, this takes a lot of time and doesn’t give as much flexibility in variety.
We can also chat about alternative locations like renting a studio space (I have reccs!) or my home-studio space.
Your job is to show up and be your wonderful self! I’ll take care of the flow of the day and keep us on track
Before your shoot we’ll have a Zoom call (or if you hate those you can just answer the questionnaire).
From there I’ll take everything we talk about and use it to create your personalized Shoot Plan which is the compass that guides your entire shoot.
It will have everything you need to know, bring, wear and do!
...of that pimple that showed up the morning of your shoot.
I individually edit all of the photos you choose so I will make you look like the best, most well rested, glowing skin version of yourself!
Whether you’re getting your makeup professional done or doing it yourself it is a good idea to bring powder and lip color to your shoot as most people tend to get shiny and your lip color wears off as we go.
Also make sure to lint roll your clothes (especially if you have pets!) and clean your laptop screen if it will be used as a prop.
Photoshop is great, but it’s always better to make things look as great as possible in real life!
Now that you know what you don’t need to know here are a few things you should have a pretty good ideas about before your brand shoot
What do you want to convey with the photos? What do you want them to communicate for you? Who do you want to connect with?
Knowing these kind of things ensures you get not just pretty photos, but impactful ones that you want to share!
When you book your shoot with me I will send you an in-depth questionnaire that will help you answer them. We can also have a call and chat it through if that’s your jam.
On the more hands-on side: are these primarily going to be used on your website, blog, socials?
If they’re for your website do you need more horizontal photos for full page backgrounds or banners?
Or if it’s for Instagram do you need more vertical for Stories and Reels?
Sure you can say “everything!” but when there’s a primary focus it’s much more powerful!
Is your brand light and bright? Soft neutrals? Or nature-filled and we need to find a forest to wander through?
Maybe you love bold color and don't want just a white-on-white room as your backdrop.
Lean into your branding aesthetic and colors to show you!
When you book a shoot with me we’ll go through all these questions and more so I can help you really figure out what kinds of photos you need, love AND will actually use in your business!
Pretty pictures are great! I’m a big fan.
But when you know the intention of your shoot it creates much more impact and purpose and, let’s be real, VALUE for you!