Why You Need A Personal Branding Photoshoot

Nhu of Brand Nhu Creative, Digital Strategist and Creative Professional.

By now, you’ve probably heard someone talk about or seen them post their personal branding shoot online. It’s a common type of photoshoot that’s been gaining popularity with the rise of social media in our current super-connected digital age. If you run in professional circles, you may have even had seminars about personal branding and what it means to be your own brand. As an avid LinkedIn user, I’m constantly seeing posts about branding and what it means to develop your own personal brand.

What Is a Personal Brand?

Before we dive into things, let’s take a glimpse at the definition of a personal brand. In short, a personal brand is how you present yourself and how people perceive you. This would be a mixture of your skills, experience, and personality that you showcase to the world. The goal is to develop your own personal brand so that you can be distinguishable from others in your field. If you’re looking to advance in your career, network, or even just for your own personal development, having a strong sense of your personal brand is something you want in your toolbox.

What Is a Personal Branding Photoshoot?

A personal branding photoshoot, or as I like to call them, a branding shoot, is a professional photoshoot tailored to capture your personal brand. The goal of a branding photoshoot is to create a digital portfolio of high-quality, consistent professional images that you can use for both online and offline marketing. Your brand portfolio should reflect YOU. Think of a personal branding photoshoot as your own advertising campaign shoot.

Damion came into the studio for headshots and we ended up doing an entire Personal Branding Shoot for him!

Who Needs a Personal Branding Photoshoot?

If you’re looking to enhance your online presence and market yourself online and offline, a personal branding photoshoot is a wise investment in yourself. Most of my clients who have built their personal brand portfolio with me are entrepreneurs, professionals, influencers, and other small business owners. However, in today’s digital age, the need for personal branding is limitless – I’ve also had folks hire me for dating photos. As remote and gig work make their place in the job marketplace, and we continue connecting digitally, it’s wise to have a portfolio of images that showcase your best self.

My client Ryan works in hospitality. He wanted his shoot to showcase him doing business across the city. We shot in his apartment, his building and around Wall Street.

Personal Branding Photos VS. Professional Headshots

A personal branding photoshoot goes beyond the headshot! Most people benefit well from having a professional headshot, but for those looking to level up their presence, having a dedicated portfolio of high-quality, professional images can truly set you apart from others. During a headshot session, the goal is to create a strong portrait that represents you. A headshot is an introduction to who you are, while a branding portfolio tells your story to the world!

During your personal branding photoshoot, we’ll be sure to take lots of great headshots, but there are a few more components to the personal brand photoshoot experience. Since a personal branding photoshoot is all about storytelling, we’ll be taking a variety of images beyond just your traditional headshot. This includes full-length shots, candids, action/collaboration shots, and detail photos of any product, location, or props that you may have.

Professional vs. iPhone Photos

Many content creators will sell you on the idea that you can make your own content directly from your phone. This is true! Content can conveniently be made directly from your smartphone. However, when you hire a professional photographer and their team to capture your story, you’re getting a team that is consistent and brings value to your brand with high-quality and compelling imagery.

Creating content with the technology you have at your fingertips is a convenient way to keep up with the daily demands of the algorithm. But a professional photoshoot should outlast the algorithm, giving your brand a sense of identity and trust. Hiring a professional team to capture your story takes the stress off your plate and allows you to just be you. We’ll do the rest!

I’ve had clients get 10+ years out of their professional headshots and branding photos. I love it when they come back to get an updated shoot and tell me how much people loved their photos and how it helped them excel in their career. Check out my client Gloria’s personal branding shoot story here.

Importance of Location and Other Components

Location is an important component. I love having personal brand clients at my studio; but if you have an office, home, or location that’s specific to your brand, then an on-location photoshoot will be your best option. During our strategy session, we’ll go over the logistics and sort out which location(s) are the best. We’ll also go over wardrobe styling and any props we may need to source for your photoshoot.

Some other components of a personal branding photoshoot are strategy, shot list, wardrobe styling, beauty (hair, makeup, grooming), creative components, and logistics.

When you book a personal branding photoshoot with me, we’ll begin with a strategy session. This way, we will get to know each other and I’ll get a good idea about your own personal brand, your values, aesthetic, and the messaging you’d like to convey to your audience. I can do either a remote strategy session or we can meet up in person for your session. A lot of my branding clients love to invite me into their home or place of work for these sessions. At the strategy session, we’ll come up with a plan for your photoshoot, decide on our hero shot list, and go over your wardrobe options.

It’s Your Time To Shine!

Ready to take your personal brand to the next level? Book your personal branding photoshoot today and let’s create a stunning portfolio that truly reflects who you are. Contact me to schedule your strategy session and start your journey toward a powerful, impactful personal brand. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, professional, influencer, or just looking to enhance your online presence, investing in a personal branding photoshoot is a step towards distinguishing yourself in your field.

Let's capture the best version of you!