The headshot isn't step one. It's a finishing touch on work that should already be done. Book the shoot before the brand work and you'll spend hundreds on photos that don't do anything for your business.
Most coaching brands book the photoshoot first and the strategy never. Jo Davidson did it the other way round, and her female leadership coaching brand looks completely different on the other side. The visuals match the depth of the work.
The same shoot-out technique produced four sets of brand photography that share nothing visually. That's because the strategy behind each client was doing the work the camera couldn't. See how brand photography lands when the thinking happens before the shoot.
Selfies have earned a real place in personal branding, especially since social media moved everyone's brand online. They don't replace professional brand photography. See where selfies actually sit in your brand's visual mix, and what they can credibly do for you.
When your audience evolves but your visuals haven't, you start showing up as a slightly older version of yourself. This case study tracks how Victoria Fleming's photo refresh caught up with her shift into SaaS. The shoot earned its keep for years.
Most selfies stop at head and shoulders in bad light. With a small amount of planning your phone becomes a steady supply of brand content. The work happens before you press the button.
You can spot a default corporate headshot from across the room, and your competitors all booked the same one. Two professionals decided to stop disappearing into that crowd. The before-and-afters are in this one.
Your brand has already been defined by people who don't know you. The photographer guesses, and the audience fills in the rest. The version that pulls in the clients you actually want needs you in the room before the shutter fires.
SPF in your foundation will turn your headshot into a flashback hostage situation. There is no editing fix for that ghostly white face on the day. The MUAs in this round-up have stronger advice and better products.
A photoshoot can amplify a clear brand. It can't rescue a confused one. Before the camera comes out, you need to know who the work is for and what makes you the obvious choice, otherwise you're paying for prettier confusion.
Welcome to the Laura Pearman Creative blog! I regularly post useful videos, helpful tips and how-to's all about branding to help you and your business make sense of it all. We often have expert guests too so if you're not signed up to our newsletter yet, get signed up so you don't miss out.