As a San Diego personal branding photographer, it’s fun learning about people’s profession. What is a personal branding photo session? It’s when you provide a service of some kind and want photos of yourself to aid in promoting it. Marketing outlets include but are not limited to website use, social media, email signatures, etc. The difference between a personal branding or lifestyle shoot vs a headshot session is that you don’t just get one photo of you looking straight on to the camera. You show more about yourself, you can wear different outfits, you can use props, etc. You want the photos to help create a story of the services you provide. In this San Diego Personal Branding Photos | Ellen T. wanted to use them for her piano website.
When preparing for a personal branding session, you definitely want to ask your client what the photos will be used for and in what capacity. A simple question is to ask whether they want the photos in vertical position or horizontal. These are definitely questions to ask before the session because you don’t want to have to reshoot. Ask them what outfits they have in mind. See if that is something that should be reviewed with their branding colors.
Another fun question I like to ask is what personality they want to portray in their photos. Who do they want to be in these photos. Many times someone in real life might be shy, but professionally are very social. It’s important to ask your clients who, and how, they want to be seen through your lens! I always like to come up with a mantra, or a phrase, that describes who they are during the session. That way if they feel like they are loosing focus, you can remind them of who they are supposed to be by repeating the mantra.
