So, you are building a business but facing the daily scrabble of what to post, what images to put on social media, how to get you and your brand out there.
You have marketing, but without professional images you are a bit stuck.
You can purchase stock images, but they don’t necessarily tell the story of you and your brand, your business, your journey. Anyone could have those.
You want to be different, show your uniqueness, portray your own personal and business brand values.
You realise you should really hire a professional photographer, but its nerve wracking trying to find the right one. Add to that the stress of just the thought of having your photograph taken - all you can think about is your smile, your bum, your arms, your belly, how to style your hair, what clothes to choose - the list is endless, I know…
Choosing your Brand Photographer can be really easy, if you forget your nerves and fear and go with a little bit of head and a little bit of heart.
Help yourself to do that by thinking about these seven things.
1. Specialist
A fantastic wedding photographer or family portrait photographer isn’t necessarily a fantastic l branding photographer. Look for a photographer who specialises in brand photography and is well practiced in how to tell a story.
2. What’s included?
To have a successful brand photography shoot, there’s usually a lot more elements that go into it than just you, your photographer, and the camera.
Find out whether your photographer offers a pre -shoot consultation and what that includes.
Discuss what will you get, what quality the images will be (high resolution, web quality), how will they be delivered to you and how quickly, what else will you receive.
My clients are guided through the whole process with full pre-shoot consultation, workbook, detailed planning call, visual cues and relaxed direction during photoshoot. But I also offer something more - an afternoon tea or a nice lunch to get to know each other, video clips, graphics, a social media planning guide and content branded to you.
3. Portfolio
Every photographer has a unique aesthetic and style. Are you looking for classic and sophisticated branding photos? Is your look brighter and more colorful? Or is it friendly and relaxed? While any good photographer will be able to listen to your vision and try to capture it, it’s best to choose a photographer whose previous work connects with you.
Ask to see a full gallery of a couple of shoots, not just a selection of the best images.
4. Connection
If it isn’t offered, insist on a consultation - I call mine a Discovery Call. During this, focus on how your photographer makes you feel.
Do you feel confident in yourself and his or her ability to make you look your best? Do you feel comfortable and relaxed? Do you feel like he or she understands you and your vision? Do you like them and get on with them? If so, it’ll definitely show in your photos!
5. Testimonials
Check out testimonials and reviews of clients. Its good to see the experience that others have had with your potential photographer.
If you don’t see any listed, ask. I like to put my potential clients in touch with past ones - real conversations have more weight than snippets and decontextualized comments.
6. Think about the future
As you and your business evolve, you’ll want to update your bank of photographs to best reflect the natural evolution of your business and to keep your online presence fresh. You might need a monthly or quarterly photoshoot package to regularly update your photos.
Is this something your potential photographer offers? At what cost?
7. Investment
While we all have budgets to work to, you do get what you pay for.
These images are going to be around for a long time, portraying you and your brand.
They have to be right.
More than that, they’re going to help you grow your own business and bring in more money for you - worthwhile investing as much as you can.
When it comes to choosing your brand photographer, look for a photographer who knows how to tell a story with the camera, one that will make any future potential clients want to know more about you.
For something as important as your brand, you can’t just look for someone who will get the job done for the lowest price - an experienced professional will assist you in representing your unique persona and vision. You are going to have to invest heavily but they will save you time and make you money!
That’s a worthwhile investment in you and your business.
Book a free 30 minute discovery call and let's chat about your brand, values and messages, pinpoint where you are, what it's likely you'll need and then settle on a course of action that corresponds with where you are and where you're heading.
At the end of our call - I promise - you'll feel empowered, ready to unveil yourself to your idea client and with a much clearer idea of exactly how to do that.