Visual marketing is one of the most effective ways to tell your story and communicate with clients. Not only is 90% of information transmitted to the brain visual, according to Smart Insights, but when visuals and written content are paired, research says they make your message more memorable.

Catrina Maxwell, founder of CatMax Photography
Photo Credit: Jolie Loren Photography

Having images personal to you and what your business is putting out in the world is crucial. A branding photoshoot is designed to give you those images.

Since creating the CatMax Personal Branding Experience, I’ve seen the impact branding images have on my clients’ businesses. I’ve also encountered repeated questions about branding photography.

Today, we’ll tackle making the most of the images you get and maximizing your shoot. I’ll also share what to look for in a photographer. Let’s jump in.

What do I do with all the photos from a branding photoshoot?

You can put branding photos anywhere you use images for your business. To get the most use of your photos, though, focus on all the ways you can use them in each of those places.

For example, on Instagram, the pair behind Alexis Taylor Interiors doesn’t only use their images in regular, static posts. They put them in Reel videos too. On her website, Diamond King, a yoga and meditation instructor, uses her branding portraits on her booking page and in her “About” section.

It’s amazing how many ideas come to you once you have a bank of branding photos on your hard drive.

How do I maximize a branding photoshoot and get images that most benefit my business?

Plan as much as possible. Consider your type of business, what makes it unique, and its needs. Small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, and partnerships have different photo needs.

Then, decide what you want to communicate. I often ask, “What do you want to tell your clients? What do you want them to see? What do you want them to know about your business? What’s important?”

Some people want to look corporate, while others want to be more personal. For Paige Risley and Beth Moffatt, their second Personal Branding Experience focused on the latter. A goal was to show their warmth and that they aren’t a large company. The first photo (below) on the redesigned website for their business, We Recruit Well, communicates that instantly.

(L-R): Beth Moffatt and Paige Risley of We Recruit Well

Photo Credit: CatMax Photography

As a business strategist and certified Profit First coach, Michele Williams of Scarlet Thread Consulting desired photos highlighting her fun side. We captured the image to the left of her as a playful way to show that she loves to binge-watch Netflix in her free time.

Michele can mix pictures like this into her marketing so potential and current clients can get to know her better. Images that are personal and not focused on selling can help you make a deeper connection with the viewer, and that connection is huge for your business.

Cristi Holcombe also recently redesigned websites for her interior design and home goods store businesses. Before, her store website didn’t show that the business is family owned and operated. So, that was one of the things we decided her branding shoot needed to communicate.

The new photos highlight something that sets one of her businesses apart and make the CH Home and Cristi Holcombe Interiors websites lively and inviting.

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Cristi Holcombe (center), of Cristi Holcombe Interiors and CH Home, and her family

Photo Credit: CatMax Photography

Once you know what you want to convey, it’s important to talk through that with your photographer and ensure you’re on the same page. A strategy call is great for this.

What should I look for in a personal branding photographer?

Find someone who specializes in branding photography. A family photographer, for instance, can’t provide the same results as a branding photographer.

A qualified photographer should give you tips and ideas to help you convey what you want and what speaks to you and your business. This is why I send clients a planning guide as soon as they book with me. It helps them think through the process and how they want the final photos to look.

The photographer should ask about the specifics of your branding (color, feel, etc.) too, because that’s all part of your shoot.

They should also be able to provide:

The personalization you’re looking for
Makeup and hair referrals
A strategy/planning call beforehand to choose props, locations, and outfits that complement your branding
Onsite proofing so you can see what the photographer is capturing
A shot list so everyone is on the same page, the experience is seamless, and time is used well
The chance for you to share and use the photos first before the photographer starts using them in their marketing

I include a few optional extras for my clients. The CatMax Personal Branding Experience comes with:

A blog post on the CatMax website to promote your business and share your branding photos. The post is published about three months after the shoot to give you time to use the images first.
An Instagram LIVE on my page to talk about your business and to cross-promote each other. The video is then converted to a YouTube video that I share and you can share however you want.

If you want to know more about branding and see other examples of how business owners use their branding photos, continue to explore the CatMax blog. Have questions specific to your business? Let’s talk.