As a branding photographer, one of the things I enjoy most about my work is hearing the stories of the incredibly talented, passionate and driven women I meet on a daily basis.

When I meet these women they’ve often seen the results achieved from the photos of a friend or colleague’s branding photo session, and they understand the value of investing in personalised and consistent photography to better tell their brand story.

By watching the journey of colleagues and industry leaders, they’ve developed an appreciation for the fact that featuring strong branding images that consistently reflect what you do attracts more of the right people to your business.

While these entrepreneurs normally have a fairly well developed website and love their logos, stock photography or poor quality imagery is just not cutting it anymore. They know that it’s time to take the overall look and feel of their online presence up a few notches, with well thought out and consistent branding photography that features their unique personal brand.

So here’s the thing most photographers may not tell you. If you’re thinking about the role photography plays in your business and website, it’s important I share a little secret with you: NO ONE is 100% comfortable when it comes to stepping in front of a camera. At least from my experience. And so that’s why when there’s more at stake than just a LinkedIn or Facebook Profile photo, it’s time to consider a branding photo session with a professional branding photographer. If you appreciate how powerful visual images can be in telling your brand story, then you’re ready to elevate your professional photography and take your business to the next level. 

Helpful Examples of Branding Photography

Branding photography is a great way to help potential clients visualise you ‘in the moment’, featuring you as a specialist in your field. You may want to use a photography studio for this, or your own office or a hired space.  Or you may want to have a photographer capture you at events when guest speaking, while facilitating workshops, or in coaching sessions with your clients.

Another option is to choose key locations that help represent your brand story through their visual impact. Some examples of locations my clients have chosen for branding sessions include city locations such as the National Gallery of Victoria, The Langham Hotel, local gardens, cafes or markets. Others have chosen the streets of Paris, San Fransisco, Bali and New Zealand.  I know – it’s a tough gig, but someone’s got to do it!

My skill as your photographer is to capture you during your shoot (on location or in the studio) when you’re comfortable and relaxed.  Trust me when I say that the idea of a photo shoot is always much scarier than the actual event – once you’re in front of the camera and sharing your story, the camera stops becoming the focus and you’ll start having fun.  Yes, crazy as it sounds, regardless of how you feel about being in front of the camera you may actually enjoy the process!

How does a Branding Photography Session Work?

If you’re ready to take your brand imagery up a few notches, I offer both studio and location sessions with flexible options in terms of the number of images you receive, and I now also offer personal branding videos for clients – the latest trend in engagement and another brilliant way to connect with your audience and attract potential clients.

Some clients come to me with clear ideas on what images they want while others are unsure – they just know they need to improve what they are currently doing.  If that’s you then I’m here to help with location ideas, offer guidance on what to wear, and I can also arrange a professional hair and makeup artist for your shoot.  I can also recommend other experts that I work with on a regular basis – for example copywriters for video scripts, or personal stylists for clients that want nail the right look to reflect their personality and brand.

Once you’ve booked your session, I’ll send you a pre-session guide that will help you plan your approach a few weeks out. My guide, along with an online questionnaire I designed over my years photographing women in business, is an essential step in helping plan for your session. The feedback I consistently get from my clients is that it’s helped them get clear on what they needed from their shoot, and as a result they arrive on the day feeling more confident.

Clients who take the time to really nut out their approach get the maximum value from my pre-session process. In the video below, I share a client’s experience through a branding session with me shot at a number of locations in Melbourne’s CBD last year. When you watch this video, you’ll experience what happens on a standard location session and how this client used my guide to map out her outfits. Working with Louise Weigall from Style with Substance, she came up with looks and outfits for each location that were on-brand and felt authentic.

Importantly, this client took the time to consider her preferred locations, which helped her prepare for the branding session and maximise her time with me, capturing the shots she was after. This particular client, Karen Hollenbach, will be the first person to tell you that she’s a lover of the written word. However, as a social media strategist she analyses her social media analytics and couldn’t ignore the importance of visual images to help tell her organisation’s brand story.

Karen decided to do the branding photo session because she felt there was a gap in her online presence (particularly her website photography) and she appreciated the role imagery could play in helping elevate her brand and attract the right clients. She was ready to leverage the power and impact of professional images to help tell her brand story.

The Results of Consistent Professional Photography for Your Business

In Karen’s case, she used the photography from this branding photo shoot to update her website, and shares the photos across her social media accounts to tell the story of her services and how she helps the individuals and organisations she works with.

Contrary to what some people think (and fear) about imagery, you don’t always need to be the main event in your photos. For Karen, this was an important component for her when we discussed the locations and ‘must get’ shots for her website and social media in the pre-session phone consultation. While you can be the main event in some of your photos, you can also request photos like the examples below and I’ll make sure this forms part of how I approach your branded photo shoot.

If you’re starting to appreciate how powerful your visual images can be in telling your brand story, and you’re ready to elevate your personal brand to help take your business to the next level, then I’d love to hear more about you and how I can help you improve your online brand and presence.

Thanks so much for reading my blog.  As a Melbourne based photographer specialising in branding and business photography, I believe your brand sends a message to your clients about who you are and the problems you solve.

I offer a fun, easy experience and make women in particular look great (but men too!). Available via my studio for branding photography and video sessions, or on location, I’d love you to get in touch on 0407 366 801, or via hello@fimimsphotography.com.au.

If you’d like to see my gallery of work please browse the website, or grab yourself a cuppa or glass of your favourite and read my free online magazine, SHINE. It’s filled with features on, and by, the many inspirational women that I’ve been honoured to work with.  Jam-packed with stories, interviews, tips and advice (and lots of branding photography!), it’s content will inspire and energise businesswomen on any stage of their own journey.

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