Planning Your Personal Brand Session: 6 Must-Have Pictures For Your Personal Brand

It’s kind of crazy how impactful of an investment brand photography is when it’s done right. When you’ve done the research to find a photographer you vibe with (hey there 👋🏼), and who has a tried-and-true process for creating brand photography that sells, you’ll come away with a gallery that’s so much more than just some new headshots.

I would argue there are actually 10 must-have pictures you need, but here are the top 6 must-have pictures for your personal brand that you don’t want to go without. These are the images I make sure you walk away with, so you don’t only have updated pictures of yourself, but also plenty of branded stock imagery to help sustain your marketing for months on end.

1. Modern Headshot

This is the main reason most people realize they need a personal brand photoshoot, and then they walk away with so much more. A modern headshot doesn’t mean a blazer or a plain white background (unless that IS perfect for your brand). A modern headshot is you looking and smiling at the camera, so you can connect with your people. We’re not talking cheesy, stiff, or awkward poses, but rather a headshot that shows off your personality through the location, clothing, and accessories. Boring is out; fun and personal headshots are IN.

2. Behind the Scenes

Your clients are curious about what working with you will look like, and they’re looking to learn more about you before they become an official client. Having pictures of you working and in your element will help them know, like, and trust you. Being able to show imagery that speaks to your professionalism and work-life style helps them know what to expect!

3. Lifestyle

On top of wanting to hire a professional, your clients also want to hire a HUMAN. Someone they can connect with and feel like they can open up to if needed. So, what are your hobbies? How do you like to spend your weekends? Lifestyle branding photos are such a great way to humanize yourself. Think: playing with your kids, hanging with your partner, gardening in the backyard, making your at-home matcha latte, or reading your favorite book! This peek inside your personal life helps your client think “oh I’m going to get along well with you!”

4. Tools of the Trade

Yes, these photos are all about you, but your face isn’t going to be in ALL of your pictures. This is ideal for my camera-shy friends. 🙂 We’re going to focus on highlighting the tools you use to showcase what you do and how you do it! If you’re going from not sharing a ton online to starting to post a lot of photos, you’re likely not going to want to only share headshots of yourself. Mixing in these detail photos of your hands in action or the tools that help you do your job allows you plenty of variety when posting online! Think of these as your own personalized branded stock imagery. Ideal for telling more of the story, and for giving the smiling-at-the-camera photos a breather on your Instagram feed.

5. Flat Lays

These still life shots of your tools, supplies, marketing materials, inspiration, and more give you some amazing on-brand filler images for your website and marketing materials! Like with tools of the trade, it’s not always necessary to show your face. These flat lay pictures tell a different version of the story and give you plenty of options when posting. The goal is to keep the visuals on your social media interesting, and these changing perspectives do exactly that!

6. Client Interaction

This will be a big aspect of our shoot if you’re a service provider or someone who interacts with others in your work. When we’re coming up with our shot lists and planning, we may want to include some people in the story we’re telling. This truly SHOWS what it feels like to work with you, rather than just telling someone what you do. We want a gallery full of images that give insight into how you do your job. Your clients’ confidence in hiring you will skyrocket when they know what to expect when working with you! Don’t work with people in person? No problem, we can mock up video chats or phone calls to help express the work you actually do on a daily basis.

Do you need these must-have pictures for your personal brand? If you’re ready to start showing up consistently online with a cohesive visual brand, reach out here to get your personal brand session on the calendar!