How to Plan a Personal Brand Shoot for Social Media
If you use Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn to market and grow your personal brand (or you’re planning to) you probably understand how important visuals are. A professional brand shoot will leave you with creative, eye-catching imagery that truly represents your personal brand. However, great shoots don’t just happen, they require some planning.
Here is what you should keep in mind as you plan your upcoming session:
The Theme
What is the theme of this brand shoot? Are you launching your personal brand for the first time? Have you started a new business or launched a new product? Are you trying to engage with your customers? Outlining the theme of your shoot will help guide the rest of the planning process.
The Location
Where do you want your personal branding shoot to take place? What sort of locations will best represent what you want to achieve while maintaining your unique style? Whatever location you choose, keep the lighting, space and colours top of mind. Is there lots of natural light and space available? Do the colours at the location complement or clash with your brand colours?
The Props
Next, decide whether you want or need to use props in your shoot. You'll be surprised what a difference the right type and number of props can make to your shoot and how they will often help you tell your story. Just make sure they match your brand as well as your personality, and are relevant to the theme of the shoot.
Naturally, if you’re launching a new physical product, you already have your props, as you’ll want those products in the shots. If you don’t have a physical product, then other types of props could be branded merchandise such as a mug, notebook or other stationery items. Books that you are currently reading or you would use in your industry are other options.
The Shot List
If you spend a lot of time on socials, it’s likely you have a good idea of the types of shots you want to get. Consider your theme as well as the location of your shoot and develop a shot list that you can share with your photographer. A shot list can include headshots, behind the scenes, and product-specific shots. Send examples of shots you like to your photographer ahead of the shoot so you know you are both on the same page. Your photography will also let you know if these types of shots are possible in your location.
Download my free Brand Shoot Checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything!
The Outfit
Your outfit is also important, so choose carefully. If you have specific brand colours, find ways to incorporate them into your outfits, but only if they suit your skin tone. Feel free to wear any items with your logo or brand on them, but remember that your personal branding shoot is about you as a person as well. Bringing a change of clothes will give a better selection of images and tell a different story. Above all, make sure your outfit is comfortable, is something you would genuinely wear and (above all) makes you feel confident, as any discomfort will show up in your photos.
Share all your ideas with your photographer before and during the shoot and work with them; they may have some excellent ideas that you hadn’t even thought about! You will soon have a bank of bespoke personal brand images to share on your socials that you will LOVE sharing to market your business.
Putting in the time to plan your ideal shots with your brand photographer will help you both feel more prepared and relaxed on the day, meaning you can spend more time shooting and making the most of your session together.