This past weekend I did my first official brand photoshoot with my friend Britney (@yourcreativecounterpart on Instagram). I’ve heard of brand photoshoots before but didn’t think they applied to me. Sure, I have a small shop where I sell graphic tees. But that’s secondary to being a blogger. And let’s be honest–most of you probably didn’t even realize I had it. I’m not the best salesperson, lol. As a mom and lifestyle blogger for nearly 10 years now I figured my brand was my family. Besides, since I share my blog posts on social media there was no way I’d be able to get far enough ahead with blogging to be able to justify paying someone else to shoot my pictures. Sound familiar? Well, today I’m sharing 4 reasons why you should schedule a brand photoshoot.

brand photoshoot 101

people want to see your face

If you are a entrepreneur of any kind then chances are you are the face of your business. Which means that people want to see your face once in awhile. I don’t know about you but I have a hard time feeling a connection or  trusting someone if I can’t see their face. Did you know that studies have reported that jurors are more likely to convict a person if their face is untrustworthy? As a blogger, influencer, or small business owner you not only have to be trustworthy, you have to look trustworthy. That’s hard to do if you never step in front of the camera!

In my opinion branding shoots are a 100% must! People aren’t just buying and trusting your product, they are buying and trusting you. How are they going to trust you if they don’t know who you are?!

Shelby Mousley of Shelby Mousley Photography

| Follow Shelby Mousley Photography on Instagram here! |

so you can put your best (professional) face forward

Yes—a tripod and remote have been a lifesaver for me for me on many occasions but they don’t compare to professional photos. I’m not saying you should break the bank or spend money you don’t have. However, I am highly recommending you try to figure out a way financially to make professional photos happen. If money is tight then just ask for a couple headshots at your next family photo session. And promise yourself that with your next payday you’ll invest in yourself with some brand-spanking-new photos!

makes it easy to bank blog posts

Earlier this year when I was pregnant with littlest baby girl I banked over 20 blog posts. At one point I may have been close to 30 blog posts all ready to go. I think it was then that I realized how valuable having a plethora of quality photographs was. It’s true that for a DIY or recipe or travel specific post it’s hard to use photos taken months prior. However, for lifestyle or motherhood articles, tips and tricks, some gift guides, etc. having a folder full of great images is such a great asset! Plus, you can always use those brand images to create new pins of older blog posts!

keep your social media consistent

I struggle with consistency on social media. On the blog? I’ve basically got that down—almost always two days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Instagram? Yikes. I struggle. And part of the problem is that as time has gone on I’ve gotten more picky about the quality of images I share. So I often have something I really want to say, but I might not have a “good enough” photo to go with it. And I don’t necessarily mean a “staged, perfect” photo, I just mean good lighting, etc. When you have a variety of gorgeous images from a brand photoshoot you always have a beautiful image to help tell your story!

You can’t do something three times and decide it’s not working. You also can’t do something three times and expect people to either buy something from you or become a life-long fan. Commit to doing something long enough to actually take inventory if it’s a success or failure – both of which are insanely valuable information. And when it comes to your visual brand – consistency is what creates the brand.

Brandilyn Davidson of Brandilyn Davidson Brand Photography

| Grab Brandilyn’s free guide to visual branding here! |

…and in my humble opinion…

Now all that being said, I’m a big believer in using your own photographs as well. People want to see your “real life moments” too, so space those out! Plus, let’s be honest, if I hired a professional photographer for every blog post I wrote I’d be broke. Picking a photographer who has the same aesthetic (but you know, a little more refined) as yours will help their images blend in with your own. Of course, always credit your photographer.

Having professional, branded photos taken for my business on a regular basis has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! It has saved me time and headache and takes one thing off my plate when it comes to content creation. And I always have photos to use when I have a thought to share on Instagram, or need one to represent a question I ask in one of my FB groups. Photography is one of the best investments I’ve made for my business!

Amberly from A Prioritized Marriage

tips for your photoshoot

Okay, now that I have you thinking about a brand photoshoot, but are you feeling overwhelmed? Before I scheduled my brand photoshoot with my friend Britney I asked myself the following questions and jotted down the answers in the Notes section of my phone:

• What am I going to use these pictures for?
• What do people “know” me for? In other words-what do people associate with my brand?
• What brands do I work with and what props could I use that would help support those things?

After a discussion with Britney I also came up with two locations (within 5 minutes of each other) and a couple of different outfits for when we were shooting. This would ensure that I would have a little variety in the images that I received! Britney also sent me along a handy reference guide to help me corral my ideas and keep things manageable in the timeframe we had so I could be more organized.

I recommend booking quarterly shoots to keep your content fresh and up to date, but as needed works, too. Have some time frames in mind? Different time frames will work best depending on the location and lighting of the location. For example, if we are indoors afternoon light will be best and if we are outdoors early morning or evening will give us better, more even light.

Britney from Your Creative Counterpart

Do I have you convinced yet? If you haven’t planned a brand photoshoot yet then make it a goal for 2021!

Images in this post were taken by Britney of You Creative Counterpart as part of her #SmallBizProject.