3 Reasons You're Not Nailing Your Brand Photoshoot

Woman in white lab coat leans on front desk — With a need to update her headshot and capture a series of brand portraits reflecting her current venture, Dr. Jeffy envisioned a session in various office settings.

As small business owners, we often find ourselves as the face of our brand. We know we need to do a photo shoot, and heck, we've even tried a few times. But instead, we ended up with a bunch of photos we can't use.

If I had to guess why you didn't nail your shoot, it would be because you didn't:

Change your outfits enough
Move around in the scene and change locations
Use simple props

Follow along as we break down how Dr. Brooke Jeffy nailed her brand photoshoot by doing all of these 3 things.

You're not changing outfits

If you wear the same outfit throughout your brand photoshoot, you risk showing a lack of effort and giving the impression that everything was done hastily in one go. Not to mention how incredible boring this will be for your viewers.

Switching outfits is a powerful tool for expressing your personality and professional identity.

With each change, you can convey various emotions, moods, or roles, adding depth and complexity to your brand imagery.

For example, a board-certified dermatologist like Dr. Jeffy may opt for a lab coat to exude professionalism and authority in one set of portraits while choosing a blouse with personality while recording social media content to project approachability and warmth in another.

Changing or switching up your outfits during your shoot will create the illusion of spontaneity and authenticity. Each new outfit signals a fresh moment in time.

You're not changing scenes or locations

When planning your photo shoot its important to find a location that offers a lot of photo opportunities.

If you take all of your photos in the same spot and fail to change up the scene or location, you are hindering your ability to create dynamic, engaging, and impactful imagery that effectively communicates your brand story and values.

The goal of a brand photoshoot is to capture a variety.

Start your photoshoot in one spot at your location, take photos from multiple angles and directions then once you feel like you've captured all viable options, MOVE!

Set up in another spot in this area.
Move to another room.
Create a new scene.

When you change up the scenes, you also change the context and mood of the photos, providing viewers with a fresh perspective and create a more dynamic visual narrative.

Just as different outfits allow you to express various facets of your personality or professional identity, different scenes and locations offer opportunities to showcase diverse aspects of your business, brand story, and values.

You're not incorporating simple props

Integrating simple props into your brand photoshoot can be a game-changer in storytelling and visual impact.

Props don't need to be elaborate.

the most effective props are items you use daily or tasks you perform regularly.

For example, consider Dr. Brooke Jeffy holding her dermatoscope—a simple yet powerful prop that immediately communicates her expertise and profession in dermatology.

Showcasing her podcast setup or a laptop can hint at the behind-the-scenes work that goes into running a successful business or brand.

What's great about incorporating props is that you don't even have to actively engage with them to convey their significance. A subtle gesture, such as holding the prop or having it nearby, can elicit a strong connection with your audience and add depth to your brand story.

If you don't incorporate simple props, it can result in images that feel uninspired, lack context, and ultimately be less effective in communicating your brand message or story.

Are you ready to nail your brand photoshoot?

By incorporating these 3 tips into your brand photoshoot, you will create genuine, relatable, and authentic images, ultimately strengthening your brand's identity and better connect with your audience.

Switching outfits allows you to convey versatility and authenticity, ensuring each image feels dynamic and engaging.
Changing up scenes adds depth and context to your story, allowing you to explore different facets of your brand identity and captivate your audience.
Introducing simple props serves as powerful visual cues, enriching your storytelling and creating a strong emotional connection with viewers.