Your Branding Session

First of all, let's talk about what exactly a Branding Shoot is and why you need one.

You know how actors have a variety of headshots and photos to sell and market themselves as a brand?  It's the same thing.  As a business owner, you are the face of your brand and people want to connect with people, not companies.  You're not just selling a service or product.  Your selling yourself and the experience your clients have when working with you.  If you want to attract the ideal clients, you can do better than  iPhone selfies.  I promise you are worth more than that!  Good photos of yourself, showing what you do are one of the best investments you can make in your business, especially now that we are relying on our online presence with social distancing changing the way we do business.  Because of the Pandemic, we are having to rethink how we connect with our clients and since we aren't doing as much "face to face" business, we need to have a consistent and impactful visual online appearance with them.  And it's not as expensive you you might think! 

When you have a Branding Photo Shoot with me, you'll end up with a treasure chest of images to use not only on your business card, but on your website and social media or if you ever do talks or seminars.  Once you need a photo for your business, you don't want to go scrambling to find that halfway decent photo of yourself your spouse took of you three years ago on vacation!  Let professional photos of you elevate your brand.   Ideally, you should have a branding photo shoot a few times a year.   Let me help you create a whole library of images you can use!  Working with me is fun, creative and surprisingly affordable.  I'll be your personal go to Paparazzi.   It's  easy, not as intimidating as you think and actually, SO much fun.   This year I'm growing Uncommon Muse by helping you grow your business, so I have a special price for Branding Sessions that will make you want to hire me every season!  

Let's start with how you want to look. Here are some Styling Details for your shoot:

The first steps in planning for a photo shoot is to decide what you want to convey to your ideal customer.  Think about color palette and the vibe you want to represent what you do and who you are.  If you need any help or advice on wardrobe, like what is most photogenic and flattering, I've got you!  We can have a Zoom planning session to get you ready to be the star of your images and get you excited and comfortable too.

A good rule of thumb when planning your wardrobe is to imagine a character or celebrity that you love and think about what photos you've seen that you like of them.  For one of my sessions, I told the man I was photographing to channel young Paul Newman.  He wore khakis, a white button down shirt and white tennis shoes for some of our photos, then a dark tailored suit with the same tennis shoes for more formal pics.  The images were stunning and iconic.  My fashion icon is 1950's Audrey Hepburn in her classic black cigarette cropped pant with a black turtleneck and red lipstick.  What is your favorite celebrity's signature style?  What clothes and accessories do they wear?  What image do you want to convey?  What first impression would you like to have?  Think about how you'd want to look if you ran into your all time crush!   This can be an opportunity to treat yourself to a mini makeover.  So go ahead and splurge on a few outfits that make you look and feel your best.  Or if you don't want to buy a new outfit, shop your closet with new eyes and pull out a few things that go together and are a color scheme and fit that are visually gorgeous.  Women, you might even consider renting a gown from Rent the Runway!  Confidence is key in headshots too, so if you want to invest in a blowout or professional makeup, go for it!  I have plenty of recommendations if you need them.  Make a day of it, so after we're done taking pictures, meet someone for a date or take yourself out for dinner to celebrate.

Bring a couple of different outfits.  I recommend a formal one and a casual one.  It might feel weird to dress up in a gown and high heels in the middle of the day, but a photograph in a "normal" setting while all dressed up is super cool and stands out.  And I'll be with you-people will think they are witness to a celebrity!  Bring a second outfit but that is similar in color scheme or classic neutrals.  We can take photos of you walking down a city sidewalk, sipping coffee at your desk or on a porch.  These will be comfortable, low key approachable images that would be perfect to use on a blog or on Instagram.  If you follow anyone on Instagram and love their feed, let me know so I can see what you like and we can make you the star of your own photo shoot.  And don't worry.  I'll be coaching you through the best and most flattering poses so don't worry if you feel awkward.  Our final photos will look amazing.  

Lastly, have fun with it.  I usually first meet up with my client and we have a coffee or cocktail together so we can talk through our shoot.  It is fun and relaxed and the photos you end up with you'll be able to use for so many things!

Let's set up a Zoom call to collaborate.  I can't wait to photograph you.

heidivontagen@gmail.com/503-680-4581