A personal branding session is different from a portrait shoot. You're not just capturing a nice photo of yourself — you're building a library of images that has to work across your website, LinkedIn, social media, and press for the next year or two.
That takes a little planning. Here's how to get the most out of your first branding session.
Start with how you'll use the images
Before anything else, think about where these photos need to go. A website banner needs horizontal space around you. LinkedIn needs a strong, clean headshot. Instagram needs vertical frames. Press features need variety. When you know the end uses, we can plan a session that delivers each one — rather than forty similar shots.
Plan two or three distinct looks
The most useful branding galleries have range. Plan two or three outfits that signal different things — a polished look for formal contexts, a relaxed one for approachable content, perhaps something that reflects your specific industry. Different looks make a single session feel like several, and keep your feed and site from looking repetitive.
Choose locations that mean something
Generic backdrops produce generic brand images. The strongest branding photos are shot somewhere connected to your work — your studio, your workspace, a location tied to your industry — or in a setting that matches your brand's tone. We can combine a workspace with a city or studio setting to give the gallery breadth.
Bring the tools of your work
Props make branding images specific and believable. A ceramicist's hands at the wheel, a writer's notebook and coffee, a coach mid-conversation, a baker's ingredients — these working shots are often the most valuable images in the whole gallery, because they show what you do rather than just how you look.
Prepare to feel a little awkward — briefly
Most people aren't used to being photographed for work, and the first few minutes feel strange. That's normal and it passes fast. I direct every moment with specific guidance, and we usually start with easier setups to warm up. By the midpoint of the session, it feels natural — and that ease shows in the images.
After the session
A branding gallery is delivered with commercial-use rights so you can use the images freely across your platforms. My advice: don't post them all at once. A branding library is meant to last — spacing the images out keeps your presence fresh for months from a single session.
