If you've never had brand photos before, the thought of committing to your first shoot may be a little daunting.
So here's a flavour of the vibe on a shoot with me, a snippet from my session with visual designer Jonna Adams a little while back. No editing, no groovy soundtrack, just a sample of how it was.
How I help people relax for the camera
What you may not realise is that Jonna was super nervous before we started shooting. She was scared she would freeze up in front of the camera and end up with photos where all she would see was her flaws.
Clear direction and lots of encouragement
From the very start, and throughout, I gave her clear directions on how to pose, what to do with her face, hands, legs, hair, everything! I also gave her loads of encouragement and goofed around (as I do) to keep the vibe fun and laid back. Jonna loosened up within about ten minutes and started to pose easily and naturally.
Plenty of planning and preparation
One of the things that made the shoot feel so easy was the planning call we had beforehand. We discussed which aspects of her work and life she wanted to capture, through to which locations, outfits and props we would use.
Our planning call was also a chance for Jonna to ask me anything that was on her mind - from which outfit to choose, to how I would direct to her and help to calm her nerves. This meant that on the day everything was clear, and Jonna could relax into the shoot.
Telling your story
My clients consistently want to be portrayed as they really are, to be able to tell their clients and followers the story of who they are. They don't want stale, tired shots that you see everywhere (*coughs* overhead shot of laptop).
As Jonna works she draws, reads, crochets, dances and then goes outside to be inspired watching trains passing by, so we captured that in the photos. By capturing her doing things from her everyday routine, it felt natural, with barely any 'posing' needed, and distracted her from any worries about how she was going to look
Take a look at some of the photos from our shoot to see how it turned out.
Here's what Jonna had to say about the experience of working together:
"Sarah listened carefully to my concerns and took seriously my needs and hopes making sure I felt comfortable.
The photoshoot was fun and efficient. I received continuous guidance and much needed reassurance from start to end.
The photos were delivered way before deadline and I was amazed by the quality of the photos. I'm so glad we did this!"
As ever, if you're curious about getting your own brand photos done, drop me a message here. I offer something for everyone, from low cost headshot taster sessions to full personal branding shoots.
And if you're not quite ready, but would like to stay in touch, let's be email pals! I write every week or so about small business life, confidence and visibility.
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