Ok so you would like a branding shoot – but now what?!

You can see lots of examples of my branding shoots here on my website:

https://hannahmacgregor.co.uk/branding-home-page

To me it’s super important to create authentic branding inspired by YOU. Please make sure you LOVE how I shoot and the kind of work I produce. I have a style, a fixed editing look, and this has to match the look you want for showing off your business & you. My clients all have very different businesses but you will see a sprinkle of my style across them all.

All my featured branding shoots have details of the package they booked & a review from the client. Check these out on the above link, lots of shoots to look at.

now lets gets into advice for your branding shoot

Branding shoots are so important & powerful You have to show up with strong branding, then your client feels they get to know you faster. And you can start building the TRUST – LIKE – KNOW factors.

It doesn’t matter if you have booked me for 1 hour, half day or full day, you still need to be organised and think about the following advice for branding shoots.

What content do you need for your work?

We will always have a zoom call before your shoot to discuss this. But its a super important question – Why are you booking me? Do you need the some or all of the following…

• headshots
• product shots
• close up of you working
• locations you work in
• photos to advertise promotions in your work
• you working with others / talking / 1:1s / teaching
• images of you outside of work – with your dogs, your family,
• film clips you could you use on your website / reels for socials.
• flat lays & detail shots
• your team / management together

It is my job to get as much variety as I can of all of the above things in the time we have.

This was a one hour session in London – a walk around their office block and we got some different looking shots in this time.

I am super lucky to have a house I can hire in Surrey for 1 hour headshots. Here is a the gallery & info on this house package: https://hannahmacgregor.co.uk/featured-headshot-1-hour-lucy

for a branding shoot half or full day will be more beneficial

In case you haven’t looked prices and packages can be found here:

https://hannahmacgregor.co.uk/branding-pricing

When you have booked for either half day or full day we will get SO MUCH CONTENT! And the more organised you are better we can use our time together. Trust me – we are gonna have fun & get you some cracking content to use on your website & socials. Keep reading for some TOP TIPS…

TIP ONE

Write a list of content you want to get covered.

We can work out a plan on our zoom call which things are most important and which are ‘nice to haves’. I always say, you will be surprised how much we can achieve in either the half day or full day packages. Being super organised is really great – and then we can tick things off as we go.

For example when I did a work out shoot with Zoe Shelley – A strength coach with her own app. Zoe had written out a list of exercises & positions she wanted to get during the shoot. I made sure we got variety of wide shots, close ups, and some gifs too.

https://www.instagram.com/zoe_shelley/

https://www.zoeshelley-onlinecoaching.com/

as well as more relaxed headshots too – not everything has to be you in ‘work mode’

TIP TWO

Help me climb inside your mind!

Knowing what you would like photos is fab. Its great for me to climb inside your mind of the kind of shots you LOVE. I will ask you to look through some of my shoots & if you like create a Pinterest board. The link below is one I have started – but find things you LOVE, things you think FEEL like you & your business. We need to work together as a dream team to make sure what I create matches what you have in your mind, and the more I can see things you love, the better. I will always put my twist & style of things too.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/HannahMacGregorPhotoFilm/branding-board/

TIP THREE

Have you got a clear understanding of your brand?

When I rebranded my website, my company name, my logo, the colours I used in my website, it was such an eye opening experience. I realised I had been in business for a long time and I knew who I wanted to attract but I hadn’t spent much time thinking about my brand as a whole. Ask yourself some of these questions:

• What does your company stand for?
• Why do you do what you do?
• Who is your ideal client & where do you find them?
• How to you deliver to your customers?
• Are you in an expert in your field? How does your client know this?
• Do you have a different PERSONAL WHY / BUSINESS WHY?
• How do you want to come across online/website?
• Who is the AUTHENTIC YOU? Does your personality shine in your branding?
• What are your business long term goals?

Really delve into these things BEFORE your photoshoot to get the best out of it.

doing this work will make such a difference!

I really want you to feel your photoshoot & this advice for branding shoot gets you even more excited about growing your business & showing up. Social media means we are expected to produce a lot of content. Not all of that content has to be perfect. You can film stuff on your phone, you can do stories that are ‘behind the scenes’, or silly reels. Having some incredible photos to be the header picture so your feed looks cohesive and ON BRAND makes you look professional & stand out.

I would highly recommend googling ‘branding pillars’ and reading some articles. There is so much information available that can help you get to grips with branding & marketing.

TIP FOUR

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?!

Whats should I wear for my branding shoot? is a question I so often get asked before a shoot.

So you don’t need to match-y match your website – but think about your branding colour palette. These are my colours. See below for some of branding shoots I have done, they work with this colour scheme. Which means when they are my website or my socials they work and reinforce my BRAND.

more advice for what to wear…

• Bring variety. The more looks we can get through the more it wont look like all images were taken on the same day!

• Try to avoid wearing lots of pattern – if your image is placed on a website with your team / or a busy web page it can look super busy.

• Often its a good idea to wear what you would wear to meet your clients.

• Make sure you feel comfy & good in what you wearing.

• Avoid oversized clothes as can make you look bigger than you are.

• If there are going to be any team photos/ other people in the photos – don’t clash with the others in the photo – have a chat with your team and make sure your wear things from a similar colour palette.

• You will likely have a mix of standing/sitting images so make sure your outfit works for both.

• If you would like to bring a tailored jacket so you can have a choice of shots wearing jacket or no jacket you are welcome to. You could bring just two bottoms and lots of tops so easier to change the look.

• An outfit with pockets can be great too as it gives you somewhere to pop your hands.

• I prefer you wearing colour. White can give a lack of colour / Black can look fairly contrasty – But we can make it work if that’s your preferred choice – See below for some examples.

Do you want more help? Book a stylist!

Sometimes the idea of deciding your wardrobe for a branding shoot can seem daunting – If you want even more advice I would highly recommend Chantelle Znideric. She can meet you before our shoot for a personal shopping experience or go through your current wardrobe and add some extra key pieces. Her website is here: https://personal-stylist.co.uk/

TIP FIVE

Location, location, location.

Where we do your photos are going to have massive impact – It has to suit YOUR business. If you have a tiny dark home office & clients never meet you there we don’t have to use it. We can meet in a city centre, a hotel reception, you can hire a office space – there are lots of options.

Alternatively if you work in a your own home gym, a pilates studio at the end of your garden, your workshop, a yoga studio etc, then at least some of your photos will be great in these spaces.

We can also mix it up – and split our time between your working space & some shots outdoors, or in your favourite spaces. For example when I did Sharon at Vintique upholstery, we did some shots in her workshop space, but also did some within the park, her home & the local river where she walks her dogs. Sharon wrote a great blog post about her experience of getting a branding shoot done – Check it out:

https://www.vintiqueupholstery.com/blog/how-to-plan-for-a-personal-branding-photoshoot/

TIP SIX

Think about props!

Mixing up shots by using some different props / clothing items can add to the story telling of your images. Some examples might be:

• A note book that colour suits your branding colours
• Your computer or laptop
• On a call
• Reading a book
• Equipment you use for work – tools / products / food
• A big coat / a wooly hat / an umbrella!
• Hobbies – Musical instrument / painting / fitness
• Your pets!

Anything that helps add to your story.

TIP SEVEN

Talk to your web designer before your shoot

If you are in the middle of a re design with a web designer – talk to them before the shoot. They can then tell you if there are spaces to fill for images that need to a certain shape. We can crop afterwards, but easier to get it right on the day.

Sometimes you will need a photo that is going to be a banner across your website home page. This images might be long and thin you need to be off to the left in the image. You may not be having a whole re design but can show me your website and show me which images need to change, that way I know to shoot portrait or landscape to make sure we nail it!

For example –

BEFORE – existing on website

AFTER – replacing with new images

TIP EIGHT

ENJOY YOUR SHOOT & HAVE FUN!!

A big part of branding shoots really bringing out the best of you & your personality, you being your AUTHENTIC self. So just relax and enjoy it. We will would have had a good prep zoom call. You will have a solid list of content ideas & we will nail as many as we can in the time we have.

Sometimes you will have content ideas before the shoot and we make those images happen. And sometimes with new, exciting & a mix of content you will come up with new things you can say and talk about.

I really can not wait to work with you. LETS DO THIS!

You can pop me an email

hello@hannahmacgregor.co.uk

Chat soon! H x