I’m a firm believer in the power of a good solid personal brand. And even though I’m terrible at maintaining a distinctive look (I can’t go three months without drastically changing my hair), I make an effort to assure my online presence is updated accordingly. That means I’ve worked my way through quite a few professional photoshoots.
I’ve never been a big fan of having my picture taken, but in this case I really can’t recommend it enough. You can’t deny that a good professional photo can make a tremendous impact on your social media profile or your website visitors. So, I’ve decided to share my recipe for a successful photoshoot:
Ready? Say cheese!
- Start by creating a moodboard, gathering pictures you like and trying to understand the style that best suits your personal brand. Pinterest is a nice resource for this.
- Define clear goals for your photoshoot: do you want to post the pictures on your website? Build a nice-looking grid on Instagram? Update your social media profiles? This will help you plan the shoot and will also be important info to share with your photographer.
- Speaking of photographers, try to take the time to find the right person for you. Read more about my process for hiring other professionals here.
- Set a vibe: think about three adjectives that define you as a professional that you want to convey through your personal brand. Share this info with the photographer too.
- With that in mind, prepare your look for the day. Your photographer may suggest a few colours that will look best in pictures, but I recommend you set aside 2-3 different looks. For my last photoshoot I wanted something more causal so I didn’t have my hair done by a professional and did my own makeup, but I have had my hair and makeup done by professionals before and this is something you might consider, as it’s definitely worth the investment. It really depends on the message you’re trying to get across. But whatever you opt for, I have three words for you: Keep… it… simple! No elaborate hairdos or heavy makeup.
- Finally, try to stay relaxed, communicate well with the photographer and make sure you get some time to rest afterwards. Man, those things can be exhausting!
And, that’s it. Now all that’s left is for you to share those lovely professional pictures everywhere. Well, at least until the next look change (#guilty)!
Make sure you follow my professional profile on Instagram and check out the lovely pics by Anna Tishkova.
