how to figure out exactly what branding photos you NEED

As a branding photographer, one of the most common things I hear from new/potential clients is THIS:

“I know I NEED new photos, but don’t know exactly of WHAT.”

No worries. Because I’m here to help you figure it out! Which will also help save you time and $$$, too!

Here’s how…

Far too often, I hear stories of people hiring a photographer to snap a few shots of themselves, their products, their space, whatever. But if you are getting photos without any actual PURPOSE in mind for how you’ll be USING those photos, you just might be ending up with lots of pretty photos that you never actually USE. Which means wasted time + wasted money. And no one wants that!

So here are my top tips to help you figure out WHAT photos you actually NEED for your business/brand:

01. UNDERSTAND YOUR TARGET MARKET.

And no, it’s not “anyone who will give me money.” Because if you are trying to sell to EVERYONE, and to APPEAL to everyone… you are actively selling to NO ONE. Think about it… if you’re trying to please EVERYONE, you are going to have the most boring and basic vanilla-looking stuff. 

But when you can narrow things down and specifically identify who your DREAM CLIENT IS, you’ll be better able to speak their language through the photos and the words you use, so the person you are trying to reach will be able to recognize a piece of themselves. They will KNOW that you’re speaking to THEM. 

And they will take better notice of what you have to say, and what you are selling. Here’s the thing… People respond best (and BUY) when it feels like you are SAYING THEIR NAME… so you need to figure out who YOUR people really are, and what you can do to make it feel like you’re saying their name so they will PAY ATTENTION to what you’re doing and BUY from you.

Knowing WHO you’re actually selling to will help shape the look + feel of your photos… including things like the actual photoshoot LOCATION, the type of MODELS used, what you/they WEAR, and any PROPS to be included in images.

02. KNOW WHERE + HOW YOU’LL BE USING THE PHOTOS.

Will you be using new photos to update your WEBSITE? Awesome. I suggest at least one image per page on your site, not including the banner/hero image if you’ve got one of those up top. Why so many photos? Because photos capture people’s attention and stop them from scrolling, so they’ll actually READ what you’ve got written there. Photos stop the scroll, and the copy converts them into clients/customers.

Are you wanting new photos for your SOCIAL MEDIA needs? Fantastic! So… do you have a content PLAN in place? Any upcoming sales or messaging you want to talk about? Knowing this ahead of time will help you figure out what photos you’ll need to go along with that messaging… so that you don’t end up with a bunch of pretty pictures you’re desperately trying to find captions for. Come up with your ideas/caption topics FIRST, and THEN get the photos to match. Make sense?

Do you have any PRINT ADS or MAGAZINE FEATURES you’ll need photos for? Thinking of these things ahead of time will stretch your marketing dollars even further, as most print ads/features have specific layout/framing you’ll need to consider… things like whether you need a vertical, horizontal or square image, and if you need to leave enough “negative space” in the image for any text overlays.

Knowing how you’ll be USING your photos will help you create a better shot-list, so you’re making the most of your time and marketing dollars.

03. CREATE A SHOT LIST.

Now, before you try to get all nit-picky, I’m NOT suggesting that you dictate each + every angle ahead of time. Let your photographer work their magic. But if you go into your session with a better idea of what you’re after, and are able to convey to your photographer what your actual NEEDS are, they’ll be able to help you create a shot-list to make the branding photo session go smoothly.

Here are a few things to consider when creating your shot list:

1. Keep your TARGET MARKET in mind as you’re creating images that will appeal to them.

2. What LOCATION + VIBE best shows off who you are, what you do, and who your ideal clients are? And if you’re selling PRODUCTS, where might they be purchased, kept, and used?

3. What personal elements can be pulled into your photoshoot to help you better CONNECT to your future clients/customers?

4. Can we showcase you WORKING in some way? People LOVE to see things in-progress or behind-the-scenes.

5. Don’t forget to get shots of YOU. People want to know who they’re actually dealing with.

6. Maximize your time by getting close-up details AND wide-shots of each “scene.”

7. Get some detail shots of items your ideal client would connect with, or items/tools used in your work. For example, if you’re a business coach and primarily work with people ONLINE, we can show off your laptop, your cell phone, some coffee or a favorite cocktail, or pieces of your desk, or items that help keep you organized, or books you’re reading and think your clients should read, too.

8. If you’re selling PRODUCTS, position them with lifestyle elements to breathe some LIFE into them. This means positioning them WITH other items to create a scene of sorts, AND being held AND being used. Because studies have shown that photos that incorporate human elements get more response than straightforward, white background, “catalog “ shots. 
   
   

And that’s IT! Using the 3 steps above will help you figure out EXACTLY what branding photos you’ll need, and have you feeling much more confident stepping into that photoshoot.

Still looking for a branding photographer to fit YOUR unique needs? Hit me up if you’re near the Bend, Oregon area and let’s see if I’m a good fit for your project!

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