Better Brand Photos - Building Your Shot List
Investing in great brand photography is well worth it.
And you want to make the MOST of that investment by going into the photoshoot with a clear direction and maximizing every minute.
And a lot of what goes into a successful shoot isn’t completely intuitive. That’s why I’ve created this short two part series on how to get better results out of your photo shoots. Part One covered tips to prepare and get the most out of the shoot. Now, here are some of the guidelines on how to plan your shot list so that get the actual shots you need for your brand presence!
ONE: Guide Your Shoot With Stories
When we create photoshoot guides for clients, we always break the guide up into three stories that convey different facets of the brand. Chances are, one or two of these stories will dominate your website and brand presence, but the other stories help round out your character and give you added interest for social media and other brand content.
An example of three stories using my own business might be:
1) Life is an Adventure: Brave acts. Playful. Being outdoors. Connecting with Nature.
2) Branding Geekery: Books & Tools of the Trade. Thinking, Deep Work.
3) Seen & Heard: Raw and Authentic. Simple. Connecting with People. Close Ups.
These stories will come straight from your brand and positioning strategy. They often include different brand archetypes that represent you and how you want to make people feel. And the stories will often guide choices like props and clothing choices, as well as different settings or locations.
And props are critical to create originality in a service-based business branding shoot!
TWO: Blend Portrait with Photojournalism
You’re going to want some photos with you looking at the camera. Probably smiling. Definitely natural. But a catalog of these photos only will get repetitive very quickly.
You’re also going to want photos that have you in action. Engaging with your environment and actually doing something. Having the stories in mind will help guide you with what to do.
THREE: Blend Photos OF you and Photos NOT of you
Have your photographer capture photos of the setting without you in it. Of details within the space (super close ups of textures, etc. that show up in your other photography). This will be a goldmine for your web designer, who needs to add photos that break up the you-ness just a little bit, throughout your site. They’ll also make great backdrops for videos or graphics on social.
FOUR: Capture Anonymity
You can also get a lot of value out of “anonymous” feeling photos of yourself or other people. Photos from behind. Of just your hands. Of your hair hiding your face from the side. These are great compliments to photos that are obviously you or somebody in particular. You NEED these photos as they help your audience imagine themselves in your brand, versus feeling like they’re looking from the outside in.
FIVE: Know Your Must-Haves
You’re likely getting photos for a bigger project like a website. I like to make sure that clients have a list of the top “Money Shots” that we feel are most likely to check off the box for those big hero banners. You have to know what these will be in advance as much as possible, because they aren’t as likely to just happen naturally.
I always identify these must-haves right in the shot list with asterisks.
Send your shot list to your photographer in advance, and ask for added ideas, thoughts, and feedback! They LOVE having this level of guidance and inspiration to play from while they do their thing.
Stay True,
- Lisa
Photo credits to Ashley at The Notley Creative. 🙏