Need updated headshots but don’t have your new branding done yet? No worries. While I always recommend having your brand strategy completed before performing a comprehensive brand photoshoot, you can still get started with updated portraits or headshots AND they can still help tell your brand story.

My advice? Bring props from your real life.

For these simpler photoshoots I always recommend to think about the kinds of symbols that you would want your business’s audience to know about. Oftentimes with small or creative businesses, we evoke parts of our own life and identity in our branding. These personal stories can become truly compelling reasons as to why you as the business owner are a great fit for your clients needs.

Perhaps you got into photography because your grandma was a photographer, and she handed down a cherished film camera to you. Or, maybe you began cooking when a family member passed, and you wanted to contribute to your household. Maybe you’re like me, and you keep dried flowers from all of your life events and add those flowers into your artwork. Wherever your story began, or whatever fuels you now, there are symbols associated with them that you can use as props in your photoshoot.

Before I design anything for my clients, I always ask them to gather photos of their most cherished belongings.

SPOTLIGHT: ELLENBERG & CO.

For example, working with a photographer who specialized in military and special event sessions, I asked: Do you have any symbols in your home that tell the story of legacy and commemoration? Do you have a locket handed down to you from a beloved grandparent? Do you have a cherished photo of your family in the cute frame? Do you have a favorite flower that represents a birth month or something that was in your own wedding bouquet? Do you have a box of old family photos you could sift through to tell the story of your own family legacy?

Inevitably, Grace found WWII era binoculars passed down through generations, handwritten family letters, and army ranks from her husband’s grandfather’s previous army uniform. These symbols added an incredibly personal, yet relevant touch to her portraits that both elevated the photoshoot and ~gave her something to DO~.

PROPS ADD BOTH EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL DIMENSION

Bringing these items add more than an excellent story to your photos, they also give you something to do in the photos. Holding, moving, walking through, and using items can make the photos feel more dynamic, especially for people who are not experienced in front of the camera.

MORE EXAMPLES

SPOTLIGHT: LOVE RACHEL PHOTO

This is Rachel’s grandfather’s camera, which we drew for her illustrations and included a story about her relationship with her grandparents on her about page.

SPOTLIGHT: SARAH COLEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Sarah brought photos both from her parents creative portfolios and old family photos to play with in her photoshoot. We then created a section on her website honoring the legacy of creativity she inherited in her family. 

None of these women had done the design phase yet, they simply brought items that were important to them they knew they wanted to talk about. Something that comes from and feels like YOU is never out of place. 

CLOSING

It is important to remember that a portraiture session IS NOT a brand photoshoot, but it is a great start to telling your story. If you need help figuring out how to tell a compelling story through your brand portraits, contact me for a free branding consultation. Together, we will create photos that are unique, memorable, and effective.

Happy Photographing!