Types of Brand Photos
Last time we chatted about what branding photography is. We gave you the low-down on why hiring a professional photographer to capture your brand photos is an important investment for your business. Today, we thought it would be a great idea to introduce you to the different types of brand photos you can expect during your brand session. We must note here that these are the images we always make sure to capture for our clients, because we know the importance of consistency and variety for your brand!
Headshots
Headshots are often the most popular “ask” at a branding session. This is because they showcase you as an individual in a confident way. Headshots are individual portraits, usually taken in front of a neutral background, waist up, at a closer angle. They are meant to exude professionalism, confidence, and trust.
There are many uses for professional headshots, including: marketing materials, socials, websites, LinkedIN, and even email signatures. Headshots are especially important in a corporate environment and are usually required by companies for their main webpage and socials. It’s important, and kind of nice, to have professional headshots captured for an entire team because it ensures consistency in style and aesthetic. Also, having team profile photos done professionally ensures that they will be high-resolution and high-quality!
When you are planning headshots, it’s always a good idea to supply your photographer with a list of all the team members you want captured, that way no one is missed!
At TLC, we always include a few headshots in your branding session. We know how important these are for LinkedIn and Socials!
Lifestyle & day-in-the-life
One of the most important kind of photos to capture during you brand session are lifestyle photos–or what we affectionately call, “A Day-in-the-life” photos. These photos showcase your business/brand and all the amazing work you do! Lifestyle photos are meant to capture you in your element, and are usually very fun and organic. Although, they may be staged and directed, good lifestyle photos always feel authentic and real.
If you are a solopreneur, we encourage you to pick one of your most common or favourite things you do in your business. That way when we are capturing your lifestyle photos, you look naturally relaxed and happy.
Whether you work in an office, from home, or you have a physical storefront, it’s always great to showcase your talents and let your photos showcase the amazing work that you do!
Team, crew, GROUP etc.
If you are a business that relies on on team (who doesn’t, we’re not islands after all!), then we recommend including your crew in your brand session. Whether it’s in headshots or lifestyle photos, showcasing the group behind your brand creates trust with your current and potential clients!
During your brand session, assign each of of your team members a job to perform that can be captured. The assortment of tasks will provide you with lots of variety in your images. Also, plan to take a few different group photos of your team–these should be fun and showcase the great chemistry your crew has together!
Have fun with your team–your energy and authenticity will be captured in your photos!
Workspaces
We know that not everyone has a physical storefront–since the pandemic more and more people work from home or use communal workspaces or cafes. But just because you don’t go into the office every day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about the perfect backdrop for your brand photography.
If you do own a storefront–AMAZING! We can capture your photos in your place of business. This way your clients get a glimpse into your work space where all the magic happens. This is especially important if you are service-driven business such as a hair stylist, designer, shop-owner, etc.
If you don’t own a store-front, never fear–we are here to help! Commercial and public spaces such as studios, cafes, restaurants, libraries, and outdoors are great places to capture your amazing brand. Whatever place you choose as a backdrop, photos featuring you and your team hard at work is a great asset to your brand photography library!
There are so many great spaces to showcase your talents—ask us for some recommendations!
Product & Details
If you are a business that sells products, your brand photography should also include product and detail shots. For example, if you are a stylist and rely on your phone, measuring tape, and notebook–bring them along! Anything that includes your logo or branding should also be included. Even if you do not sell a product, featuring your tools of trade is a great way to show your prospective clients what you do!
Product and detail photos, featuring tools and props, are great for your website, socials, and marketing materials, and will add authenticity and variation to your overall photo collection. Some fun things to think about when planning which props to use to capture your detail shots:
Is this prop vibing aesthetically with my brand?
Is this something I use often and is therefore recognizably linked to my brand?
Does it showcase my brand, or someone else’s? (Avoid using objects with another brand logo–unless it’s something you use often!).
You don’t have to sell a product to showcase your brand–your business tools are also a great way to demonstrate what you do!
Flatlays
Flatlays are images in which a variety of complimentary objects are arranged on a surface and then photographed from above. They are an effective way to elevate your brand visually because they create a specific visual vibe by showcasing products you sell, or objects/props associated with your brand.
Flatlays are amazing for social media, specially Instagram. They keep your grid looking fresh, maintain consistency, and add some fun. But they are also great for backgrounds for text-based photos used on websites and marketing materials.
Flatlay photos are perfect for both service and product-based businesses, bloggers, and influencers. We love them because they are so pretty, versatile, and fun!
There are so many different ways to approach a brand photography session, but these are the types of brand photos we always make sure to include for our clients. If you have any questions, we are always happy to chat and make recommendations–just get in touch here!
