Branding Session Guide

welcome!

Information Guide

Preparing for your branding session is a lot of work. From determining your brand identity and choosing a location to selecting outfits and narrowing down what props you plan to incorporate. There is a lot that goes into your session before you even step in front of the lens! With that said, this branding session information guide has been put together to make planning for your close-up as effortless as possible. All of the information provided are suggestions based off of past experiences, and personal preferences. It is up to you to choose what you believe fits best with your brand, style and identity.

SCHEDULING

Branding sessions can be scheduled at any time of the year. I suggest booking at least 2 months in advance to reserve a date and time. Branding sessions are primarily scheduled on weekdays as most weekends are dedicated to photographing weddings.

The timing of your shoot depends on the location you choose. For example, many business owners choose to rent studio time for their branding sessions as they feel it best fits with their brand identity. Should that be the case, the session can be scheduled at any time as there will be optimal light in the studio.

Sunrise sessions are an option if necessary. Aiming for your shoot to start at sunrise is ideal for those who want to take portraits in a very crowded location like Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.

For those looking to have their branding session photographed outdoors at a relatively low-traffic location, scheduling your session to begin 1-2 hours before sunset is best, as the light is ideal at this time of day.

APPROXIMATE START TIMES (BY SEASON)

Weather

I monitor (borderline stalk) the Weather Network in the days leading up to all shoots. Should the forecast be looking grim 24 hours prior to your session I will work with you to reschedule your close-up for a later date.

Location

When determining the location for your branding session, ask yourself these questions “Do you need to be outside? Inside? At a coffee shop? Do you need a kitchen atmosphere?” For an hour session, I suggest 2 locations max, and that depends on how far away they are from each other, the time of day (#traffic) and how many outfit changes you may have.

If you’re completely stumped on a location for your session, I’ve got you covered. Take a scroll to view some of my favourite indoor and outdoor location options within the GTA.

OUTDOOR LOCATION SUGGESTIONS

STUDIO RENTAL SUGGESTIONS

Styling

BRAND IDENTITY

The first step to preparing for your branding session is to determine your brand identity.

Your logo, brand colours, visuals, brand voice, ideal client, and brand values are all part of your brand identity and will all come into play when it comes to preparing for your branding session. For my own personal branding sessions, I want my images to be feel fresh, light, and bubbly which is direct translation of my brand identity. If I had dark and moody images, they wouldn’t reflect or compliment my brand and in-turn would confuse potential clients.

HAIR & MAKE UP

Professional make up and hairstyling for your branding session is encouraged. Professional hair and make up artists enhance your best features which aid in making you feel that much more beautiful and confident in front of the camera.

MOOD BOARD & SHOT LIST

Work on creating a mood board and shot list. This is absolutely essential to how your branding photo shoot will go. The more you prepare, the more you will get out of your session. What social media captions, blogs, ads, emails, do you want to share? From there, think of the images that would support those. Once your mood board and shot list is complete, send these along to your photographer so they can prepare for your shoot and offer suggestions if needed.

WARDROBE

For your outfits, the first goal is to feel comfortable. If you’re uncomfortable it will show in the photos via your expression and your body language. Is your business more of a jeans and tee kind of aesthetic? Or do you want to come across as more formal? It is advisable to choose outfits that are timeless, beautiful and classic – you want to be able to utilize these images within your business for as long as possible, that being said, aim for looks that have stood the test of time, instead of current fads that might be out in a few months time. Referring to my own business, I pick outfits that are light in colour and more on the casual side so they compliment my brand identity. My goal is for potential clients to see my style of photography is light and airy and that I am personable, down to earth and inviting.

If you are looking for inspiration, Pinterest is a fantastic tool for insight into what others have worn for their branding sessions, and why some outfits work better than others. If you have an account please feel free to browse my inspiration boards at:

https://www.pinterest.ca/aldelbello/personal-branding/

PROPS

Don’t overthink this one! My number one piece of advice: if you’re thinking “Should I, shouldn’t I?” bring it. The worst case scenario would be to realize a prop would be the perfect fit except it’s sitting at home because you weren’t sure. Again, props will help support your brand identity so if it’s a mug that has a saying on it that is on-brand, bring it. If it is one of your brand colours, bring it.

The props that you may consider incorporating during your branding session will heavily depend on your business, but most common items are:

thank you!

As you are preparing for your branding session, remember that I do not expect you to be a pro at this! Generally it takes a few minutes to warm up and get comfortable in front of the lens at the beginning of a shoot. So relax and don’t be nervous! You are going to be great at this! Having trust in your photographer will allow for creativity and make for an amazing shoot. Remember to have fun, be silly and enjoy yourself!