Are you looking for a photographer to help you with your branding? A photographer that not only knows how to take professional quality pictures but also understands your business and audience? A photographer that knows how to create pictures that really connect you with your audience? If so, a personal brand photographer may be the perfect solution!
An experienced personal brand photographer will be skilled at drawing your stories out of you and bringing them to life for your audience to connect with.
Here are 4 mistakes to avoid when you search for your personal brand photographer.
Mistake #1: Hiring someone that doesn’t specialize in Personal Brand Photography
While there are plenty of family photographers who can take an eye-catching portrait, most may not understand how to transform your personal brand into photos. If asked to try, they may expect you to be prepared with and have all the ideas for the various pictures you need and not realize you are looking for a special, brand-savvy talent. Someone to guide you through the process.
Your personal branding photos have several purposes. Most importantly, they should tell stories about you, your business, and what you believe.
- Stories of you may include your hobbies, things you enjoy doing when not at work. Perhaps you love to draw & paint on pretty days out on the back porch. Do you have a morning ritual of walking your dog, meditating, or creating a new green juice recipe?
- Stories of your business would include pictures of you doing what you do. Whether you train dogs, instruct pilates classes, or coach small business owners, having pictures of you performing these tasks create a visual in the mind of your audience. It’s a super quick glance into what you do and the people you serve.
- Stories of your passions may include pictures of you participating in a charity 5k run, volunteering at the animal shelter, or participating in the cleanup activities at the local national forest. People love connecting with others like them. Do you want to attract an audience that resonates with your passions? The fastest and easiest way to do this is to show them.
Mistake #2: Hiring a photographer who won’t provide you with both high and low-resolution digital files.
One of the biggest differences between traditional portrait photography and personal brand photography is how the pictures are ultimately used. Personal branding photos are created to establish a brand, build an audience and grow your business.
These aren’t photos that will be printed, framed, and hung on the wall of the family den. Personal branding photos are used in websites, social media, and marketing materials. High-resolution digital files are absolutely vital so your designer can size the files appropriately for different uses without damaging the quality of the image in the marketing piece.
It may seem obvious but be sure to verify that your photographer will provide photos that are free of photographer watermarks and logos and that you are not required to provide credit to the photographer each time an image is used. (Or even additional fees.)
Mistake #3: Not obtaining a commercial use license.
With personal branding photography, you want the ability to use your new photos in all your marketing outlets (website, social media), without any restrictions to where you can use them and the number of times you may use a particular picture.
Most traditional photographers do not allow you to use their pictures commercially. This means that you can’t use them for business purposes in any way.
Look for a personal brand photographer that includes the commercial use licenses that you need in their pricing. No confusing tracking. No complicated pricing. Instead, one price gives you almost unlimited commercial use.
Mistake #4: Shooting without a plan
A good personal brand photographer will always begin with a face-to-face consultation. This meeting can be held in person or online and includes specifically crafted questions to help the photographer better understand your brand, company, style, personality, and photo needs.
Questions should include:
- What platforms will you be using the photos on?
- What stories, events, routines, or rituals do you want to portray in your new pictures?
- What emotions do you want to show in these pictures?
- Are there any other people or pets that you’ll want to include?
- Tell me about your audience.
- Tell me about your brand. The colors you use as well as the general feeling & look of your brand.
Hiring a photographer that specializes in personal brand photography will save you time and money. They understand that you’re busy and that time is your most precious resource. Using the consultation questions and your responses, they will be able to plan the future session and better guide you, saving you time.
Are you interested in building your personal brand and need a photographer who understands your needs? Let’s talk.