How to embrace your weird for more authentic pictures | Eastern WA branding photographer
One of the biggest reasons for a branding photography session (outside of making your life easier with made-for-you marketing images) is showcasing what makes you uniquely wonderful. This helps draw in your ideal clients, the people you want to serve the most. To do this, I highly encourage my clients (and you!) to embrace their weird. Lean into it. Get as weird – or as unweird – as you truly want to be.
But how do you do this?
Let’s talk about it.
Planning
Right from the planning stages you should be conveying your weird to your photographer. Tell them about your quirks, about what makes you tick, and about what lights you up. Let them in on your vision and allow them creative liberties. Be thorough, even if you feel like your idea is weird or wouldn’t make sense to include in your branding images, talk through it with your photographer. They may have a really great idea on how to incorporate it and bring it to life!
Mindset
The first thing you need to do here is rip up your cool card. Have you ever heard that phrase? It’s a lesson my mom teaches to her leadership students. This lesson basically teaches them that they’ll never be able to come up with unique and fun ideas if they’re trying to be cool. In order to really stand out, you have to be willing to laugh at yourself and think outside the box.
Many adults have never ripped up their cool cards. But that’s one of the first things you need to do if you’re going to be leaning into your own personal brand. Because there’s no room for trying to be cool when you’re also trying to be authentic. Your authenticity is going to make you look cool to the right people, and that’s all that matters.
Clothing
Pick your shoot wardrobe according to your own unique style. Forget what other people in your industry are wear, forget about what you’ve been taught is “professional”. Wear items that are comfortable, make you feel gorgeous and confident, and bring out your favorite things about yourself. If that means leopard print, embrace it. If that means neon colors and funky patterns, get funky.
Pick 2-3 outfits that show off the different pieces of your brand. For example, a nutrition coach might wear something like a dress or a pantsuit and heels for a presentation to a corporate group about healthy habits, but workout clothes while filming videos showing great smoothie recipes or easy exercise routines. You can lean into each of those during your photoshoot, and truly bring in the different pieces of your business and brand.
Poses
Your photographer should be able to direct you into posing that makes sense for your brand and makes you feel comfortable and capable. But you should also be thinking about the things you love about your business and how you want it to be perceived. A brand centered around bright colors and playful joy shouldn’t include poses and situations that are moody or romantic – it just wouldn’t make sense. However, a brand that encourages its customers to embrace joy within their romantic lives… THAT would make sense to include both.
So find activities you can do during your session that both showcase what you do AND that mood you want the images to evoke when people see them. Get movement involved. Dance, walk around, drink coffee, create your art. The less “posed” your poses, the better.
Fun
Give yourself permission to have fun. These pictures are a chance for you to show off what makes you special. And in my experience, what makes you special is usually what makes you weird. Which is, in turn, what makes you beautiful. See how it all comes full circle?
Let loose, have fun, get silly, get sassy, get bold. Lean into your brand’s vibe and your personality and watch them merge beautifully together.
Overall, your branding photography session shouldn’t be something you’re stressed about. It should be a fun chance to show off all the good you’re doing in the world and boost your client base.
Trust your photographer to get the pictures you need while also making sure you look great, and let the rest of your expectations go. Because trust me: if you’ve found the right photographer and worked with them to plan your session, the pictures are going to exceed your expectations.
You’ve got this.
Looking for a fresh new perspective on marketing images and need some branding pictures that showcase all that you’re doing? Let’s chat. I can’t wait to create with you.