Ready to plan a brand photoshoot to elevate your website? Branded imagery is one of the most valuable things you can invest in for a strategic, stunning website that creates the right first impression and gets people to scroll.

I’ve been on both sides of brand photoshoots — as the photographer helping people plan out their session, and as the client getting ready to be in front of the camera.

If you’re thinking of planning a brand photoshoot, I created this guide to walk you through the process from start to finish, including mindset tips and strategy advice I found really helpful when I was preparing for my own shoot!

1/ Research And Mood Board

Okay, first step is to deciding you want/need a photoshoot to get fresh visuals for your website, social media, sales materials, and more.

Once you’ve made your decision, you’ll want to do a bunch of research on Google, social media channels, and Pinterest to start to get an idea of the style of imagery you’re looking for and examples of posing or aesthetics to share with your photographer.

I created a mood board on Pinterest with a bunch of ideas for poses, outfits, image style, aesthetics, props, and more.

You’ll want to be clear on what you DO like and what you DON’T like.

For me, I wanted a studio space with natural light and I did not want a ‘girl boss’ energy in my photos because that’s not how I present myself in my business.

This phase of strategy and mood boarding is a really good exercise in thinking about how you want to present your brand.

Your photographer will work with you more on this strategy step but having a starting point is super helpful.

2/ Booking Your Photographer

Next up is booking your photographer and location! Start with your photographer because experienced brand photographers usually have great recommendations on location options.

Things you’ll want to consider while you research photographers…

• Image style — does their portfolio match the style you’re looking for?
• Location — are they based close by or close enough to travel easily?
• Investment — is their session cost in your budget or close to it?
• Personality — working with a photographer you LIKE makes a difference!

You’re trusting your photographer to creatively capture your business in a way you’re proud to share so this step is important.

Take the time to share your mood board and clearly explain your vision/ask questions to clarify your vision with your photographer whether that’s on a call or via email!

Experienced photographers are also great at sharing location ideas, outfit feedback, prop suggestions, creating a shot list, and more.

3/ Outfits And Prop Planning

Once your photographer is booked and you’ve decided on your mood board and aesthetics, the next step is planning your outfits and props!

You want to feel comfortable in front of the camera while also dressing in a way that represents your brand — is your brand more jeans and a button-down? Uniform? Blazer and trousers?

I recommend looking through your closet BEFORE purchasing anything new. If you have a favorite top or a dress you absolutely love, those are a great starting point!

The only new piece I bought for my shoot was a pair of jeans because I didn’t have a pair in a plain blue tone, everything else I got from my current wardrobe.

Send photos to your photographer for feedback, and try things on to determine how confident you feel in those outfits. I even took an hour to screenshot digital images of similar clothing items to create a collage on Canva to see how things looked together.

Bonus tip — know how many outfits you can realistically fit into your photoshoot timeline (your photographer can help with this) which will help you prioritize the looks that will work best in your imagery

4/ Hair, Nails, Skin, And More

This is something I had to remind myself about!

Even if I don’t NORMALLY have my hair done every day, having my hair done for a photoshoot will make a huge difference in confidence and the final results.

I bought stick-on nails, self-tanned a day or two before, and booked an extra two hours before my photoshoot to do hair and skin care.

It feels like a small step but grooming takes time and it really helps the photos have that professional look.

5/ Mindset Work And Day-Of Checklist

As a photographer myself, I knew how ‘in your head’ people get when they’re not used to being in front of the camera (as in, ME!) so I spent a bit of time in advance of my photoshoot to work on my mindset.

I focused on feeling my best ahead of time (eating well, exercising) and having all the details planned in advance so I wouldn’t be stressing too much on the day itself.

Here’s my day-of planning checklist that helped me stay a bit more relaxed…

• Pack all outfits in a tote bag (wear the one that you want the most photos in)
• Pack all props in another tote bag (business cards, merch, laptop, books, etc)
• Review your mood board and shot list (photographer will often provide in advance)
• Bring a speaker to play music during the session
• Hydrate
• Do hair
• Do makeup
• Get dressed
• Have a snack

I also reminded myself before I left that it’s okay (in fact, it’s encouraged!) to move around in front of the camera.

You don’t have to just be still and ‘pose’ which actually helps a lot with your mindset going into the photoshoot. Movement is good so there’s no need to panic about posing — just let your photographer know you’d love direction.

6/ Trust The Process

Once you arrive at your photoshoot, take a deep breath and trust all the planning you’ve done and the creative talent of your photographer.

Maybe grab a tea or coffee on your way, give yourself time to arrive and get settled, and let yourself smile, relax your shoulders, and laugh!

Here are some of the results from my recent brand photoshoot to give you an idea of the results that are possible after all your careful planning!

Interested in support as you plan your brand photoshoot? Connect with me for a custom coaching call to workshop your branding so it works well for your website!