Worried About Booking a Personal Branding Shoot...Don't be!
Updated: Sep 25
Worrying about having a personal branding shoot for your business is perfectly natural,
we all worry about how it will turn out - even when photographers have their own pictures taken there is a part of them deep down that breathes in and tries to remember what was their good side.
Many of my clients would not have dreamed of stepping foot in front of a camera, if it wasn't for the fact, they knew they must, in order to reach their ideal client. But, once they have taken the plunge and reaped the benefits, they most certainly return again and again.
So what advice can I give to you to make the process more of a pleasure..?
Well the first thing I would talk about is purpose, it really won't do you any favours, if you are not clear why you are having a shoot done. If you don't have clarity on your purpose, you will
be embarking on the process half heartedly, and you won't truly understand what you want to communicate to your valued clients or to your prospective audience. You need to know where you are going to using your images and how you want to use them to transform your marketing. Understanding how great brand images can transform the way others see you and your business is vital if you are to create a desirable brand and sort after business.
Having a purpose will make you see clearly how and where the images will fit inside your business, but I know for many it is not the only worry they have about having a personal branding photo shoot.
Even when we are clear about why we need photographs of ourselves (and I talk extensively about this in my June Post 'Why You Should Get a Brand Shoot',) I realise these concerns maybe just the beginning of your worries. Many of us, and yes I count myself in this category too, hate the way we think we are going to look in our photos, we are all self critical, even those to the outside eye, don't need to be, 99% of my clients worry about various aspects of their anatomy and many delay having their photoshoot for just that reason. What I am trying to say, is this is completely normal and everyone feels the same, but you will find if you choose the right photographer and prepare for your shoot properly you may actually decide
to make it a regular event!
If you are worried about your branding photographs you really need to be prepared so creating a plan is important. Most photographers will be pretty rigorous in their pre-shoot planning and it is important that you make time for this as it will reflect on the finished images. You know what they say fail to plan...plan to fail and in this instance it is true I truly believe this is an important part of your photo shoot.
Choosing a professional photographer who 'gets you' is really important if you are worried about having your picture taken. You need to be able to talk to your photographer and communicate your fears and feel you are being taken seriously. You may feel nervous about posing and worried you may look awkward, but a good photographer will know how to pose you properly to make sure you are shot in a flattering way using the right angles. Getting to know your photographer, creating a good working relationship with them can really help you relax creating more natural looking images.
Many clients worry about their weight and I often hear 'I'm just waiting to lose a few pounds'.
Your photographer should know the right poses and be able use lighting to emaphsise your positive parts and and disguise the parts of you, you would rather not show off. Communication really is the key, share your worries with your photographer, after all we want you to love your imagery and be happy with the experience of the photoshoot.
Don't put off having your photo taken, but do talk to your photographer about your fears. And then once you have had your amazing shoot you may realise you were perfect after all, and if you still want to lose a few pounds it will be a great excuse to come along for another shoot!
'I have nothing to wear!...well not nothing but nothing suitable' So this could be a great opportunity to go shopping, however most of us do have something already in our wardrobe that would be perfect and totally on brand. It's a really good idea to go through what you are going to wear in your planning session and share with your photographer your ideas thoughts and concerns. You need to make sure you look the best version of you, but be authentically you too, if you usually wear jeans and a t shirt when you meet your clients then you should wear your best jeans and smartest t shirt. The same goes for your make up too, you still really need to look like yourself in the photographs so your clients recognise and connect with you!
We all worry when we have a photo shoot coming up but communication is the key. The right professional photographer will make you look amazing I promise!
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....or if you want to chat through your options for professional photography for your business or would find it helpful to discuss your worries about being in front of the camera, I’d love you to get in touch and maybe I can help.