7 Steps on How to Plan a Branding Photoshoot That Captures Your Brand’s Personality
Let’s be real—your brand’s visual identity matters a lot. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just getting started, a branding photoshoot is one of the best ways (I think) to bring your personality and values to life. The right photos can make you look more professional, more polished, and—let’s be honest—more legit. But pulling off a branding shoot isn’t just about showing up and smiling for the camera. It’s about planning, creativity, and making sure your brand shines in every shot. So, I’m going to break it down step by step so you can walk into your shoot feeling confident and totally prepared.
Step 1: Define Your Brand’s Look & Feel
Before you even think about scheduling a shoot, you need to lock in your brand’s aesthetic. And if you’re not vibing with it, here’s your sign to give it a little refresh!
Ask yourself:
What are my brand colors? These should be reflected in your wardrobe, props, and overall vibe. I personally have 7 colors in my brand palette. A majority of them are green, just so that I don’t feel limited and that my website, brand clothes, and accessories are more visually appealing!
What emotions do I want to evoke? Are you warm and welcoming? Sleek and professional? Bold and spicy? Either way, as a small biz owner, you NEED to incorporate your authentic self. I’m a sole believer of the energy that we put out attracts the kind of energy and emotions of other people we want to be surrounded by. **ehem** IDEAL CLIENTS **ehem**
What kind of imagery fits my brand? Minimalist? Playful? High-end and luxurious?
Creating a mood board (hello, Pinterest!) is a great way to pull all these ideas together. Include colors, fonts, textures, and photo styles that align with your brand’s personality. This will serve as your visual roadmap for the shoot and help your photographer understand your vision. And if after asking these questions you got a bit stressy because you’re like, “I HATE MY BRAND.” Just take a quick breath, DM me, and we can get you in a good space to create at least a mood board that reflects where you want your brand to be!
Step 2: Find the Right Photographer
Not all photographers are created equal—especially when it comes to branding. You want someone whose style matches your vision and who gets what you’re trying to convey. AND obviously their editing style is a major factor! My go-to brand photographer? Sydney Morman Photography of SMP Creative Studio. She’s a dear friend but also ridiculously talented at capturing brands through the lens.
Here’s what to look for when choosing a photographer:
Portfolio match: Does their style align with your brand’s vibe? Like are they true-to-color? Moody? Fun and energetic? More editorial? Ask to see examples of branding shoots for a brand that’s similar to yours!
Studio access: Bonus points if they have a studio—it gives you more control over lighting and setup. Plus, they’ll also be the experts because they know their space like the back of their heads.
Personality fit: You’ll be working closely with them, so make sure you vibe well together. Comfort is key, so you’ll want to find someone who you’ve maybe worked an event with already or created a relationship via social media.
Once you’ve narrowed it down, schedule a chat to discuss your vision and make sure you’re on the same page before booking. This includes pricing, how many hours, any extras that are included, how many photos you can expect to get back, if you can request edits, etc.
Step 3: Gather Visual Inspiration
The best way to make your branding photoshoot feel cohesive? Get freakin’ inspired. And you don’t need to look for inspiration of different ways to smile and look happy while pretending to take a phone call or working on a laptop. Those are easy. I’m saying to look at things outside your industry. Look at things that your ideal client looks at.
Pinterest is your best friend. Search for poses, props, and color schemes that match your aesthetic. For my shoot, I literally searched “Green luxury fashion brand shoot” instead of “Calligraphy brand shoot” or ‘Artist brand shoot” mainly because I do fashion style guest portraits. So it just seemed natural to try to incorporate a fashion-focus instead of doing the ‘standard and typical’ shots for other folks in my vendor category.
Look at brands you admire. What do their branding photos look like? How do they use imagery to tell their story? SO like, let’s not copy them because more than likely, you’re not gonna feel as great as if you were to modify it to suit you! My main brands I looked at were J.Crew and Nordstrom. And they are different brands, right? But I basically just did an exercise to envision if they had a baby. That overall feel was what I wanted my brand to look like.
Think beyond headshots. What action shots, product shots, or behind-the-scenes images would help tell your story? This also includes some fun poses and gives you time to practice so that it feels natural.
Gathering this inspo ahead of time will save you from showing up to your shoot and thinking, “Wait… what do I do with my hands?”
Step 4: Evaluate Your Website & Content Needs
Your branding photos aren’t just for looking pretty—they should serve a purpose. Before your shoot, ask yourself:
What images do I need for my website? Headshots, banner images, product photos, lifestyle shots?
What do I need for social media? Think about content for Instagram, Pinterest, blog posts, or email newsletters.
How will I use these images for marketing? Will they be featured in ads, print materials, or client proposals?
This step ensures that your photos actually work for your business and don’t just sit in a folder collecting digital dust.
Step 5: Plan & Curate Props
Props add personality and context to your photos—so don’t skip this step! Think about items that reflect your brand and help tell your story. For example, even though I’m not really a ‘fashion brand’, I’m a fashion adjacent brand. SO, I brought fashion magazines, books, and a clothing rack to incorporate that feel into my shoot. I also added florals and champagne bottles to keep that modern wedding aspect into my shoot as well!
Are you a wedding calligrapher? Bring brushes, ink bottles, engraving tools, bottles of wine, glasses, place cards.
A service-based business? A laptop, planner, or coffee mug might be perfect for those “candid work” shots as basics, but I know your service is unique. Bring all the tools that you’d use to deliver your service whether you’re a baker, a photographer, or florist!
A product-based brand? Show off your products in action with complementary props.
Your props should feel intentional and add to the scene—not create clutter. Unless your brand is like a professional de-clutterer, you might want to create a messy before scene and a clean after scene.
Step 6: Communicate & Collaborate with Your Photographer
A great branding photoshoot is a team effort. Keep an open line of communication with your photographer so they understand your vision!
Share your mood board so they can see your aesthetic. And obviously share your social media and website. This is so that they can get an idea and can cross reference any ‘must have shots’ for your website and the overall vibes.
Create a shot list with must-have images.
CTA (Call to Action) Shots: Basically fun photos of you pointing to blank spaces OR of your product with ample blank space to the side so that you can edit them with text for your website, product launches
Process Shots: If you’re a service provider, think through your process so that you can get a visual of each step in the process.
Personality Shots: Taking a step away from your biz, people like to know the person behind the brand. So have fun. Bring some of your favorite things like wine, maybe a family photo, favorite snacks. Grab some photos with those, so that when you’re sharing a bit more of you on a social media post, you have some nice professional images that still feel truly you behind the business.
Be open to their ideas—photographers are pros at composition, lighting, and making you look your best. There’s been several times during the shoot that my photographer saw something I did, and wanted to flesh it out further. And honestly, those photos always become my favorite! So, this is me saying trust your photographer, and when they ask, “I just had an idea. Do you wanna try it?” You say, “200% Yes.”
Also, discuss logistics: Where will the shoot take place? What’s the best time for lighting? What should you wear? The more details you iron out in advance, the smoother your shoot day will be.
Step 7: Have Fun at Your Shoot!
Seriously—just enjoy it! Your energy translates into the final images, so if you’re having a great time, it will show.
Relax and be yourself. You don’t have to be a model—just bring your personality.
Trust your photographer. They’ll guide you with poses and angles that work best.
Don’t be afraid to laugh, move, and experiment. Sometimes the best shots are the unplanned ones.
At the end of the day, your branding photos are about you. So let your passion shine through and have fun with it!
Let’s Give Your Brand That Final Bowtie Touch!
A branding photoshoot isn’t just about getting nice pictures—it’s about creating a visual identity that represents you and your business. By defining your brand, working with the right photographer, planning props, and staying organized, you’ll walk away with photos that don’t just look good—they work for your brand.
Special shout out goes to my branding shoot team
Studio: @smpcreativestudio
Photography: @sydneymormanphotography
Videography: @gldn_creatives
Content Creation: @eventsbycasecreativeco
Assistant: @grobylove.events
Floral: @alyssamaldonadodesign
Suit/Tuxedo: @leonardofifthavenue
So, are you ready to plan the branding shoot of your dreams? Let me know if you need someone to bounce any ideas off with! Make sure to follow @bowtieandbiz for more tips! 🎨📸
