Let us set the stage… imagine you have booked your photo session. How do we get the most out of our photo time together?
Your “stories” have been decided (learn more about creating your own “stories”), and now it is time to prepare for photo day.
Following are 7 tasks to prepare you for a successful photo session that will result in a breadth of imagery for your marketing needs. The resulting photo collection will elevate your brand, making every second of your prep work worth the effort!
1. Create Your Mood Board
Mood boards are an excellent way to develop your intended look and feel with your branding in mind. Pulling together inspiration photos and color pallets will hone your vision and ensure that your “team” is envisioning the same. Pinterest is the perfect place to search for imagery and be inspired.
2. Select Your Wardrobe
Expect to wear multiple outfits during a single personal branding photo session. Your outfits should mesh with your Mood Board and/or brand. Outfits should be ready to slip into on photo day. Check all final clothing items for any damage that may need attention. Give yourself time for an optional shopping trip to add a few new brand-cohesive clothing pieces and accessories to the mix. (Be sure to ask for Kelly’s exclusive wardrobe and photo day prep tips leading up to photo day!)
3. Gather Your Props
Items you use in your business and everyday life help to bring your story to life. A collection of props ready to grab for your photo session is highly recommended. And just like your wardrobe, doing this in advance gives you time to fill in any gaps. Props also give your hands something to do, while giving you a break from full head-to-toe posing. Check that all your props are clean and ready to use.
4. Test Your Hair & Makeup
Optionally, some biz owners opt for professional Hair & Make-Up. Soliciting the guidance of a wardrobe stylist, make-up artist, and/or hair stylist can be loads of fun!
But honestly, I often encourage clients to do their own hair and makeup. We want you to look like your BEST you… emphasis on the YOU, the YOU that your clients see every day. So be sure to practice and perfect your look for photo day.
And if you opt for the professional approach, I am 100% behind you!
Want some photo-ready hair and makeup tips? Check out this article How To Look Your Best On Camera: Camera-Ready Hair & Makeup Tips for tons of great advice, both from the photographer’s perspective and a professional hair and make-up artist!
5. Prepare Your Location(s)
Once your photo goals and vision are in place, settling on one or more locations is pretty easy. At Home, the Office, the Park, Downtown District, a Coffee Shop, a Client’s Location, etc. But those locations need to be ready-to-photograph. Tidying, simplifying, and cleaning… even staging in advance… can be a huge load off of all those involved in photo day.
6. Set Aside Time for Self-Pampering
Plan a little self pampering in advance of photo day. Hair may need to be trimmed, dyed, and/or styled. Fingernails and Toenails may need to be manicured. Some wild hairs may need trimming or plucking. The night before it is important to pamper your body and soul (drink lots of water, moisturize, and go to bed early).
Self-Pampering is also a mentality. Do the things that bring you joy. Turn up the radio and belt out your fave songs. Run yourself a bubble bath. Enjoy the silence in the car on the way to your photo shoot. Do NOT make photo day more hectic than it needs to be (i.e., don’t over schedule yourself with tasks, chores, calls, meetings, or places to be). Photo day is like ME TIME – protect it like you would anything precious to you.
7. Making a Shot-List from Your “Stories”
A wide variety of photographs can be composed from a single story. Think of each of your stories as if they are being seen by a fly on the wall (that’s me, your photographer). Act out your PERFECT day in your head, and bulletize what you see. What would you want your clients, potential clients, and colleagues to see if you could create a custom experience? These are your stories. And this is what we will photograph.
The next aspect to your shot-list is a logistics approach. Incorporate your personal thoughts on a variety of poses, expressions, props, and outfits throughout your photo day so your photographer can capture a variety of compositions that appear to have been photographed across multiple days. Photographers love capturing different angles, perspectives (close-up vs. far away), and focusing not just on the main subject, but secondary supporting subjects as well.
The final aspect to your shot-list are your technical needs. Where will your new photographs be used? Do the photographs need to be horizontal and/or vertical? Do they need lots of negative space for further designing purposes, like text overlay? Will they be used in a banner on your website or on a printed brochure? Inform your photographer of the planned usage of specific photos so that they can compose with purpose.
8. Schedule a Planning & Review Session
Schedule one last planning and review session with your photographer to make your photo day a wild success. I love to ask my clients for photos of their space or even a live walkabout on a video call. I ask clients to text me their outfit ideas. I love brainstorming stories and shot-lists and props and discussing client’s goals and visions in vast detail. I’ve not had a client that shared too much with me… the more the better!
A well planned photo shoot leads to a well executed photo shoot. The time you put into your preparations will result in more refined photographs that better represent your business and brand. Contact me to get started on your next photo adventure!
