Personal Brand Photography: Look Professional not Poorfessional

The New Year is here and we are all feeling pretty optimistic about a whole new set of months ahead to get business up and moving. Updating the latest information on all your professional presences is a given but do you also update all your imagery? The visual is as important as the verbal. Photographer Lin Marty knows that firsthand, working with entrepreneurs on their personal brand and the pictures they use to convey that. Headshots are a part of the effort but there is more so here she is sharing some of her tips on the topic!

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What is personal brand photography? 
It is the art of using high-quality lifestyle images to showcase who you are. It is relatively new but savvy business owners and professionals are quickly jumping on board. It is industry agnostic. Whether you are a fashion blogger, CEO or creative freelancer, potential clients want to know the people behind the brands. These photos position you as an expert in your field and provide your potential clients an authentic glimpse into who you are beyond the products and services you sell. 
 
What do you need to know before your personal brand shoot? 
What your brand story is and how you want to visually communicate that to the world. A personal brand shoot is more than a headshot, so its digging deep into who you are. For example, in addition to a headshot, this can be done by capturing images of you actively working, behind-the-scenes, your working space or interacting with clients.
 
How to choose a photographer/where to look for them? 
My three goto places would be Linkedin, Thumbtack and Instagram. Through LinkedIn, you can search “personal brand photographer” or “portrait photographer” and filter by geography to find a local photographer in your area. Through Thumbtack, you set the bid and photographers reach out directly to pitch their package. Instagram is not that friendly when searching via hashtags but you can view a photographer’s work and see what clients are tagging them in. Like a photo? Contact the photographer through their bio! 
 
What questions to ask and how much do you need to coordinate with the photographer before shoot date? 
These four are key:

• Have they worked with similar clients in your industry, genre, etc.?
• Does their quoted price include all digital files or will you only get a specific amount of images?
• Does their quote include skin retouching?
• What is their typical turnaround for delivery of images?

Prior to your shoot, you should have a 30-minute call with your photographer to discuss wardrobe, shoot location and desired shots to capture. From there, the photographer will create a shot list, which will include a headshot, to ensure all assets are captured during the shoot. In addition to photography, I also provide creative direction for content marketing, so I’ll cover this during the call as well.
 
What time of day to shoot, how to choose a location, what to wear?
When choosing a location, it should best reflect who you are. The best backdrop is where you typically work but if its not photogenic, don’t worry, there are many options. For example, if you work remotely, a shoot at a local coffee shop will do. If you work in education, outdoor shoots on campus are a wonderful option. You can shoot really anywhere, just make sure your photographer scouts the area to ensure it is doable and permitted. If the status of shooting at a particular location is unknown, your photographer should set expectations in advance. If your photographer has a studio, make sure they have furniture or props that best reflect you.

• If shooting outdoors, the best times are during golden hour, which is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset. For indoors, your photographer should know how to navigate natural light or set up appropriate artificial lighting.
• As for clothing, it’s best to wear something that is flattering to your body type. Well-fitted clothes, wrinkle free and no faded colors are highly recommended. Avoid wearing all black if you can, unless it’s your specific aesthetic. Patterns can be tricky, so keep it to one piece of clothing within the entire outfit. 
• For your shoot, I recommend bringing at least three outfits. Although not all images will capture full body, make sure your outfits cover head to toe, so take time to select shoes, accessories and jewelry.  

 
What do you need to know day of shoot - any hair, make up, outfit suggestions? 
When prepping hair and makeup, you should look like you. This isn’t a wedding, so overly done makeup and a fancy hairdo are not recommended. Don’t catfish potential clients, meaning you don’t want to look completely different in person. However, if you don’t usually wear makeup, I do recommend mascara and some foundation to avoid shine. For hairdos, avoid high ponytails or slick buns, opt for a low ponytail or low messing bun instead. 
 
What to do after the headshot session - How long is a typical photographers turnaround time? 
A typical turnaround for a shoot varies but expect to wait anywhere between 1-2 weeks to see your first proofs and another 1-2 weeks for final delivery. I normally give my clients one round of feedback before final delivery. I’ve never had to do a redo but the goal is to have a happy client so I would accommodate a redo if absolutely needed. Your images should be sent in many different dimensions, with 1x1, 8x10, 5x7 and 16x10 being the most common. For headshots, I always provide a 1x1 and 8x10 crop for my clients. To store your images, I recommend you save them to Dropbox that way you can retrieve them easily via a mobile device or desktop.   

Lin is a professional photographer with a focus on online personal brand photography and visual content strategy for female creatives, entrepreneurs and industry influencers. She is also a savvy integrated marketer with 16 years of professional experience working on nationally recognized brands. Want to work with her or have more questions? Reach her on linmartyphotography.com or you can also shamelessly stalk her amazing imagery on social like I do via @lin_marty

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