Discover the secret of personal branding photography: How it is vital to your business’s story!
I made it into Kerry Ramsay’s top 3 a-ha moments in her podcast’s season finale wrap-up party! Click the link below to listen!
To listen to the full podcast where I talk about picture perfect storytelling and how the power of personal branding will amplify your narrative, scroll to the blogpost just below this one.
Picture Perfect Storytelling: Unleashing the power of personal branding photos to amplify your narrative!
Visual Storytelling aka personal branding photography is Vital to your business Brand whether you are a business owner or entrepreneur in Toronto, Burlington, Oshawa or Caledon. Or heck if your presence is solely on-line and your location is planet earth.
Full Episode Just below!
Talking about how visual storytelling (aka personal branding photography) on a podcast was a gift! Kerry Ramsay of Power Your Platform has spent more than 10,000 hours coaching women speakers, leaders and entrepreneurs, create their story around their brand and communicate it to the world. We had a lovely chat that delved into the value of creating photos alongside the written word.
I was able to share some tips on how you can ease into your next photography session, how various types of preparation can go a long way to diminishing the butterflies before your photo shoot. Just as important, Kerry helped me highlight how visual storytelling enhances your overall brand strategy.
Kerry listed her takeaways from the podcast:
1. We are the face of our brand or business, so we need to be brave and put our best face forward.
2. We’re all photogenic – we just need the right person to help us shine on camera.
3. Be clear on your overall brand strategy and know where you will be using your photos.
4. Be confident in knowing what you want to communicate to your audience before you book a photo session.
5. Images work in tandem with words in our story: so we need both to build a truly powerful brand.
6. Visualizing your audience while being photographed can help you create a more authentic connection through your visual images.
7. Create a Pinterest board to show a photographer the feel and look you’re after in your photo session.
8. Having a variety of professional brand photos on-hand is a smart way to prepare for future opportunities.
9. Vulnerability is a part of sharing our visual story – but don’t let it stop you from adding branded visuals to your story.
10. Remember, it’s not about looking pretty in your photos – it’s about intentionally communicating your brand’s key messages.
Hailey Verity helps women create signature looks to restore their sense of self. We teamed up to create a Q&A that would help clients understand the benefits of using a wardrobe consultant as well as what types of clothing work well on camera. You can connect with Hailey on IG @Hailey_verity or head over to her website haileyverity.com
Diana: What is your philosophy on style?
Hailey: I fundamentally believe that we all have personal style and that may not match what is in the shop window at the mall. Women in midlife have lived a little and we know what fits and flatters our bodies and what feels authentic to us as we step out the door each day.
The women that I work with are looking for me for help to update their style (making it current, not trendy - and yes, there is a difference) and create polished looks that are a true reflection of them.
Diana: What kind of budget will I need to allot to styling my wardrobe? I’m afraid I’ll have to break the bank because I have nothing to wear.
Hailey: I’m a big believer in shopping your own closet first! More often than not, we find the foundational pieces for the looks that we are creating tucked away there. Sometimes, a fresh set of eyes (mine!) and a new combination of pieces is exactly where to start.
I am also a big fan of “high/low” - there are wonderful budget friendly essentials that can easily be mixed with designer pieces, if that suits your way of dressing.
Diana: How much time will I need to invest with you to get the looks that I need? Will I be able to wear these clothes again?
Hailey: The package that I offer for this purpose is called “STYLED: For a Special Event”.
There are 3 sessions involved. In the first hour, we discuss your Aspirational Style/Style Vision for your shoot focussing on how you want to feel and the impression that you want to convey in your photos. The next time that we meet, we shop your closet (for up to 90 minutes) and work with the pieces that you already have in your wardrobe that fit that style vision. At your request, I then provide you with some links to shop the pieces to fill in the gaps. We will meet once more right before your photoshoot (for up to 60 minutes) to pull everything together and talk through the details (accessories, how to tuck in your shirt etc) so that you can step into your photoshoot feeling relaxed and prepared and confident that you are looking your best.
The idea is that the looks that we create together will extend into your real life beyond your photoshoot day and that is part of our conversation as we are pulling together
Diana: What is your process when you work with a client? Do you create style boards, do you give store recommendations?
Hailey: Clients share images of their aspirational style in advance of our first session. I create a style board showcasing the images that they have shared and that is the jumping off point for our conversation.
At your request, I am happy to provide you with a number of links to shop for the pieces needed to complete the looks as discussed.
Diana: How will I know how to put my outfits together for photoshoot day, there is so much to think about?
Hailey: During our 3rd session together, we do a “show and tell” where we put together your looks exactly as they will be on the day of your photos. I encourage you to take a mirror selfie so that you are clear on the details of your wardrobe for the day of your photoshoot.
Hailey: What is the difference between a “headshot” and “branding photos”?
Diana: A headshot is unidimensional. It is one photograph versus a number of intentional photographs that tell the story of who you are and what your business is about. Before I take any photos of clients, we do a consultation to decide what type of images they need. We talk about where they plan to take their business and where they will use the photos we are creating.
Hailey: What are the biggest challenges that your clients face when choosing a wardrobe for their branding shoot?
Diana: They often aren’t sure where to start when deciding on their wardrobe. The place to start is choosing a wardrobe that suits your brand identity. Knowing how you want to be perceived by your audience is essential and it’s something we discuss in-depth at the consultation. Because impressions are made in nanoseconds you want to make sure you are sending the right message into the world.
Do you want people to see you as:
Knowledgeable, authoritative, serious?
Friendly, open, welcoming…?
Creative, fun, sense of humour…?
Clothing choices can also depend on your industry. A real estate agent will dress differently than a jewellery designer. A real estate agent wants to be perceived as knowledgeable about the market, a good listener and friendly. A jewellery designer may want to show off their artistic flair, eye for detail and patience.
So a real estate agent will wear something more formal as well as smart casual wear. While they may wear suits when they are showing homes to their clients, smart casual will add another dimension to their personality such as being friendly and a good listener.
A jewellery designer may choose more subdued tones depending on the style of the jewellery they create. If they plan to wear their jewellery, choosing simple elegant clothing will enhance the client’s look and make the jewellery shine as well.
Hailey: Have you got any tips on what reads best on camera and what your clients can do to get their desired result? Anything that your subjects should avoid?
Diana: Planning in advance is key. The amount of attention you give to your wardrobe cannot be understated. You will love your photos all the more if you have the right clothing.
Some quick rules:
Choose well-tailored pieces and clothing that is close-fitting (not tight). Often clients think that wearing baggy and loose-fitting flowy pieces will hide pounds. It actually does the opposite. I pose clients in ways that make them look their best, so that they don’t have to worry about their weight.
Avoid neons and patterns as they draw attention away from your face.
Don’t be afraid to wear bold colours if they suit your brand.
Wash, dry-clean & iron anything that needs it before your photoshoot. You’ll feel more confident because you and your clothing will look well-cared for which is important for any brand.
Bring at least 3 outfits, preferably 5 or more because the more outfits you wear, the greater the variety of photos you will be able to choose from. Also, an outfit you thought you liked may not exactly be what you perceived it to look like in- camera.
Hailey: From your perspective as the photographer, how is working with a Style Coach, like me, beneficial to your client?
Diana: By having a style coach and a photographer work together, a lot of the guesswork about what you should wear to suit your branding will disappear. Your style coach can take the information that we discussed in our consultation and work with you to make sure your wardrobe is on point and fits the look and style of your brand.
A style coach can reduce worry and anxiety about finding the right clothes and where to get them by the day of your shoot.
Because style coaches are specialists in wardrobe, they can foresee and prevent wardrobe malfunctions. They also ensure that you have the proper undergarments for each outfit and style and organize which accessories to wear with which outfit.
Having your wardrobe predetermined with the help of a style coach before your shoot will alleviate pressure so that you are rested, relaxed and ready for your brand shoot day. And you’ll have a wardrobe you love for years to come.
Toronto nutritionist & I make personal branding photos of her creative genius — preparing colourful food chock full of nutrients that heal
Branding photos of product and service combined to display colourful food creation
Sandy is a culinary nutritionist in Toronto who uses her food creations to help people heal themselves. The purpose of her photo shoot was two-fold. She wanted her personal branding photos to show how she works in the kitchen so people could get a sense of how she loves to cook with colourful nutrient dense foods. Because she also consults with clients and creates menu plans for families as well as people with food allergies and other dietary restrictions, we showed her brainstorming in a neutral environment — our local coffee shop. Shopping local is one of Sandy’s tenets, which I love. Making a portfolio of images for her was right up my alley.
Blogpost 2
You provide people with a service not a product. How do I show what it is I do?
Displaying who you are as a therapist may not seem easy to do. When you provide people with a service not a product, how personal branding photos can help you. Read to find out how we created a series of photos that helped showcase a therapist’s compassion and approachability.
Displaying who you are as a therapist may not seem easy to do. You provide people with a service not a product. There is an intimacy and vulnerability that is required for a person to share their thoughts and struggles with you.
So how do you gain that person’s trust and show that you would be a good fit for them to have a conversation with you? It’s a process to be sure. Tracey and I sat down together and spoke very specifically about how she wanted to be seen by her potential clients. Showing photos of yourself as a therapist can act as a catalyst for the first contact by a potential client. It can be a confirmation after a referral that indeed should pick up the phone and finalize whether or not this is the person for them to begin a therapeutic relationship.
Embarking on the start of her therapy journey, Tracey knew that she would be serving clients on a one-to-one basis with a focus on teens and parents. She felt it important that when someone looks at her photos that they would feel welcomed and comfortable, that Tracey could be someone they could trust.
In order to create that type of vibe, one photo in many cases, does not provide enough visual information on which a person can base their decision. So in addition to doing some headshot, we created a therapy office scenario right in my studio. Tracey sat behind a desk, journalled and spoke to a person as she would a real client showing empathy and the great listening skills that are some minimum requirements to being a top-notch therapist. She is well on her way!
Toronto micro bakery: creating a photo gallery that reinforces the case for one photoshoot and many photos …
Highlight your personality Highlight your brand Create Visibility
Toronto business owner, Nassim Ghrayeb, goes macro with a library of branding photos for his startup &S sourdough microbakery, which will offer popup sales of specialty breads in the fall of 2022.
As a Toronto personal branding photographer, I want to ensure that as an entrepreneur, your personality, your product/service and your mission come alive.
When I teamed up with Nassim at &S, a sourdough microbakery located in Toronto, ON, we delved into the why’s of his business as well as the aesthetic feel that he wanted to create. Knowing the why’s were important so I could create strong branding photographs in the studio to get him more visibility and make him stand out from other Toronto microbakeries. It was obvious that personalizing his small business branding would require more than a headshot which most small businesses need.
Aesthetics: Simple, muted colours: white, beige, sage & pastels
The Whys: Why creating sourdough bread or any sourdough creation lights him up?
The Superpower: Making, Baking and Breaking bread, to him, is a superpower. Why? Because it’s life-sustaining. How? He creates bread from 3 simple ingredients which feeds numerous people as well as himself. Therefore: It is life-sustaining.
Simple yet Complex: We wanted to photograph that it takes three simple ingredients to make bread but the process is more complex. The sourdough bread making is an opportunity for mastery and a process that is never quite complete. Nassim is always learning and experimenting with a variety of flours and ingredients.
Artistic Relationship: And then there is the relationship with the bread. Photos of how the dough undergoes a transformation whether it be how Nassim kneads and shapes it or how it ferments and grows were very important. For him it is the balance between the right touch, right atmosphere and the right temperature — an experience where all the senses are involved. In the end you have a satisfying food that has his personal artistic imprint on it.
Look at the personal branding photos below and see that what we discussed in our consultation came through in &S’ photoshoot.
