Planning a successful branding photoshoot has been one of the biggest game changers for my business and online content. If you’ve got a branding session coming up, walk through how to plan for your photoshoot with me today! I’m sharing my thoughts as both a content creator who frequently hires photographers to take brand imagery and a former branding photographer. So I know what it takes to have a successful branding photoshoot! In fact, this week’s video will be taking place as I prepare for my next branding photoshoot in Charleston, SC – so you’ll see exactly how I’m planning and I’ll provide actionable steps for your planning process. Honestly, planning for a branding photoshoot is super fun and I hope you’ll enjoy following along! 

Plan Ahead

The first thing that’s important to plan a successful branding photoshoot is to plan ahead. I recommend finding and booking your photographer at least 3-4 months in advance. I would also book any studios, floral, hair or makeup artists that you want to work with around then, too. Vendors book up quickly, so planning ahead is key to ensuring you work with who you want to work with! I make sure to plan in advance because I usually have a specific photographer in mind that I want to work with so it’s important to get on their schedule before it fills up. 

Two quick bonus tips here: First, when you’re looking for photographers, especially if you’ve never worked with them before – ask to see a full gallery. Look for someone who’s going to provide a lot of variety in your final images. It’s great to just happen upon photographers when you’re searching but make sure that your final gallery will serve all of your purposes. I always look for lots of horizontal and vertical images, lots of poses, and just variety overall.

Second, plan to book at least 1 more hour beyond what you actually think you’ll need. Your photographer can help you with this. But, most of the time, I always feel like I need an extra hour to get some extra images, have some extra time in case things run behind or something else happens. 

Create a Pinterest board

The next most important thing for planning a successful branding photoshoot is to create a Pinterest board. I’ll be honest, the shoots where I was intentional about planning, created a board for inspiration, and really thought through what I needed, are the images I still use today. My Pinterest board usually contains a few things. First, I want to figure out the overall vibe I want for my photos. Then I’ll begin to think about poses, outfits, and even locations. Honestly, I start my board before I even book a photographer, so I can even use it to determine who I might want to work with. 

As I pin to the board, I start looking for the trends I see. Are the images loose and organic, fun and playful? Understanding what I’m thinking of will help me really nail down the photographer and the final images I’m hoping for. It’s important as you’re pinning ideas, remember to be mindful of your brand and what you’re trying to portray. If you’re newer to figuring out what your brand really looks like, make sure to check out my Free Brand Board Template! This will help you keep everything in check as you build out your branding photos and your growing brand aesthetic. I find it super helpful to keep all of my brand elements together on this board. 

Plan Your Outfits

Next up is picking your outfits. Honestly, this might be one of the most challenging parts about planning a branding photoshoot! Sometimes you just don’t know how things are going to look – but I try to remember to go back to my Pinterest board and source new pieces that align with what I’m pinning. The more specific I get with those pins, the better. I can still remember one of my previous outfits that I pretty much copied from a pin – it’s one of my favorites to this day. 

Leading up to my photoshoot, I give myself a budget of what to spend on extra outfits to get what I’m envisioning. This helps me feel extra confident about the decisions I’m making, but also knowing that I’ll get the look I’m going for. As I select pieces, I’m also thinking about what outfits or tops can be easily swapped out for multiple looks without totally changing.

For example, if I have my favorite pair of jeans, I’m going to bring 4-5 tops to swap out and get a variety of looks and photos. I want to be able to share these photos over and over again without feeling repetitive. So, even a shirt swap or adding an accessory can extend the looks I bring with me. You want to change quickly during your photoshoot so you aren’t eating up time. Changing time adds up. Do what you can to move quickly when changing outfits so you get the most of your time with your photographer. 

Create a Shot List

The next thing to work on when planning for your branding photoshoot is to create a shot list. Collaborating with your photographer will make your shot list super useful, because they’ll be able to help you plan out what makes the most sense during your time together. When it comes to making a shot list, I try to think of a few things. One, what kind of gaps do I have in my current branding photos? This helps me think of shots I need but don’t have. I also think about what promotions or launches I have coming up. This will require imagery – so I break down what I might need for that, too. I also like to send a list of the props that I’m bringing to my photographer. It can be really helpful to make sure that we get variety with our props, too. 

Create a Timeline

The next tip is to create a timeline. Although this might feel a little extra, I have found that it keeps me sane on the day of my branding photoshoot. I need a layout of what’s happening – especially if I’m at a studio, using hair and makeup vendors, picking up flowers or doing anything with other vendors. Putting all of those times on the paper helps me get them out of my head and feel less overwhelmed. I’ll also break down the locations we’re using and what I want to do at each one. Remember to collaborate with your photographer and get their thoughts on this as well. I’ve found a timeline really helps me and the photographer feel more confident that we’re getting what I really wanted out of my branding photoshoot. 

Final Piece of Advice

The last thing I want to leave you with is to trust your photographer!!! You’re hiring them for a reason. When it comes to the day of your shoot, you need to be able to trust them and know that you’re going to get what you want out of this. You need to be sure that you trust them, too, because that will allow them to accomplish what you wanted and you know that you’ll get what you’re looking for! Communicate WELL ahead of time, then let it go and let them do their thing! 

I hope this helps you feel more excited about planning for your branding photoshoot. Follow along on Instagram to see my upcoming branding photos – and don’t forget to grab my Free Brand Board Template to build your brand’s elements!